Ready for a road trip where the locals are outnumbered by cows, the dark is really dark, and the gas station attendants have UFO stories to make your hair stand up? Buckle up for Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway, a journey into the bizarre, the deserted, and the possibly haunted. The truth may or may not be out there—but you’ll be too busy gawking (and dodging alien jerky) to worry.
A Desert Stretch Like No Other
Starting your adventure from Las Vegas, you’ll speed north on I-15, escaping the glow of the Strip and plowing into a landscape that redefines « middle-of-nowhere. » Switch to US Route 93, then glide 85 more miles toward Ely. The first leg? It’s about 90 minutes of relentless « nothing »: sand, sagebrush, prickly pear, and juniper with twenty shades of brown—yes, brown comes in flavors—no matter the season.
But monotony breaks with a wet surprise just outside the small town of Alamo. The Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge pops into view: trees, standing water, and flocks of migratory birds offering proof that not all life out here is made of plastic or has bug eyes.
Welcome Signs, Alien Snacks and UFO Street Cred
Fade back into the weird. You’ll spot murals of cartoon-like aliens and a « UFO » in the sand at a famed double-wide trailer shop selling « Alien Jerky » (don’t worry—no extraterrestrials were harmed in the making of this snack). Check out the alien hand beaming up cattle on the packaging, or, for the astronauts in your group, try « Freeze-Dried Alien Tongues » (it’s candy, not a dare).
Keep north on Nevada 375 and you’ll quickly hit the Extraterrestrial Highway’s starting line, literally marked with a futuristic sign on 20-foot poles absolutely packed with stickers. It’s the gateway to a region with the most reported UFO sightings in the country since the 1950s. Ufologists explain the area’s cosmic popularity by pointing to the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range, and, of course, Area 51—so secret, the CIA didn’t admit it existed until 2013. Area 51 is rumored to store alien spacecraft and maybe even an expired ET. Some link it to the infamous 1947 Roswell incident, fueling decades of government cover-up theories. As Mulder and Scully would say: “The truth is out there.”
Rachel: The Epicenter of the Uncanny
And then, like a mirage or maybe a cleverly disguised mothership, you reach Rachel. The nearest town to Area 51 (as the UFO flies), Rachel’s population is dwarfed by the expanse of sand and ochre mountains around it. Most of the 200 daily travelers stop at one of two bastions of humanity: the Alien Cowpoke gas station or the Little A’Le’Inn motel.
- The « Cowpoke » is your only shot at gas for 50 miles in either direction. Inside, you’ll find snacks, alien magnets, handmade keychains, and a selfie spot complete with haybales and alien sculptures. This is where Faun Day relates the tale of her own otherworldly sighting—a cloud shaped exactly like a flying saucer looming above Rachel on a glitchy afternoon.
- Down the road, the Little A’Le’Inn charms with its kitschy restaurant (don’t miss the burger with the secret « alien sauce »), a life-size alien mannequin, inflatable aliens, and plenty of alien lore pasted on the walls. Their souvenir corner is a collector’s fever dream, with alien-head shot glasses, cookie jars, and replica Nevada plates like « 4ALIENS » and « ET HWY. »
Nearby, the Alien Research Center—originally set up by Army veteran Harris who once interviewed over 5,000 UFO witnesses—caters to the curious with alien-themed swag, a 40-foot alien statue named Zork, and, naturally, bottles of Alien Tequila shaped like alien heads. Harris, for the record, claims « one hundred fifty bazillion percent » belief in aliens: « We certainly can’t say we’re the only species in the universe. »
Barren Roads, Area 51, and Haunting Finales
With your tank topped and your sense of reality tested, set off northwest, where the highway stretches into infinity. Dirt roads veer into the desert; at least two hit fences and guarded checkpoints at Area 51. Civilian curiosity is discouraged (your camera might be confiscated, your questions ignored).
Press on to Tonopah. This old mining town—lacking an official dark sky designation, but a stargazer’s paradise—gets a cameo in the movie « Paul » and boasts two offbeat hotels:
- The Mizpah Hotel: Said to be inhabited by several « permanent » ghostly guests, the Mizpah offers nightly ghost tours complete with electromagnetic field readers and dowsing rods. Paranormal experiences at checkout encouraged (but not guaranteed).
- The Clown Motel: Called the « creepiest » rather than haunted, its 800-lobby clowns (from a collection of 2,500) include a few that are allegedly demon-possessed (safely behind glass). The hotel sits next to a cemetery from 1907 and offers rooms themed after pop-culture killers like Pennywise and Chucky. Nightly tours are led by self-proclaimed clairvoyant Wonder Crisp, who swears Tonopah is a hotbed of supernatural excitement.
So, is Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway America’s weirdest road trip? If haunted hotels, secret bases, alien jerky, and endless horizons sound like your kind of getaway, punch this one into your nav. Alien sightings are never guaranteed—but then, where’s the fun in certainty?
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
