Nevada is brimming with attractions far beyond the currently empty Las Vegas. As the driest U.S. state, it offers a range of natural features, such as arid desert landscapes, the colorful rock formations, hundreds of hot springs, and the Great Basin National Park that rivals Yosemite. But perhaps the most underrated of them all are the eccentric small towns of Nevada, like Rachel, the "UFO Capital of the World."
Rachel is located right in the Great Basin Desert, specifically in Sand Springs Valley within Lincoln County, NV. It is the youngest town in Nevada, and the closest to Area 51, hence its mysterious reputation. This hidden gem is nestled at the midpoint of Nevada State Route 375, which earned the name Extraterrestrial Highway given its proximity to the top-secret facility and reported UFO sightings in the area.
Rachel attracts alien enthusiasts and curious tourists alike. Going there, you get to investigate the town's UFO legends, hear stories from locals who've seen strange things, and enjoy a range of alien-themed amenities that feel surreal against the desert backdrop. It's undeniably the quirkiest small town in Nevada that will surely draw you in.
Area 51 Lore
Established in 1973 and initially called Tempiute Village and then Sand Springs, the town now known today as Rachel, named after the first baby born there in 1978, is Nevada's newest and quirkiest town. In the 1970s, the town was home to many workers of the nearby Lincoln Mine, pushing the population to a few hundred people. However, when the mine shut down in 1980, the population declined, and today Rachel is home to just 25 permanent citizens.
The appeal of Rachel, Nevada, is rooted in its being the closest public access point to Area 51. The secret military base has been the subject of conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial activity for the past century. It started in the 1950s when the site was used to test the UFO-looking U-2 spy plane, which flew over 60,000 feet (higher than any commercial or civilian aircraft back then). With the extreme secrecy of Area 51 and the Cold War paranoia of that time, the whole UFO lore just stuck with the area.
This was further cemented into the public consciousness in 1989 when conspiracy theorist Bob Lazar claimed that he had worked on a recovered alien spacecraft as part of a classified government project near Area 51. Though his entire story, including his Caltech and MIT educational backgrounds, was proven to be untrue, many continue to believe in the existence of sealed extraterrestrial records. So in the early 1990s, the town of Rachel decided to lean into this cultural fascination -- hosting the first UFO conference in 1993, renaming the state route to "Extraterrestrial Highway" in 1996, and developing alien-themed establishments.
Alien-Themed Attractions
Little A'Le'Inn became the first alien-themed attraction in Rachel, Nevada, in 1991. It was a restaurant formerly named Rachel Bar & Grill, which is now a restaurant, motel, bar, souvenir shop, and more. It was also the venue of the first UFO conference in town. A green alien statue holding a "Welcome Earthling" sign greets you by the entrance of the establishment. You'll then find a themed menu inside featuring delicious food like the "World Famous Alien Burger", with fellow UFO enthusiasts and town residents sharing stories on unusual sightings and abductions.
Then you have the newest alien-themed business in Rachel, the Alien Cowpoke Gasoline & General Store. It opened in October 2020, finally bringing fuel services back into town after 14 years without it. This gas stop is decorated with green galactic creatures blending well with the desert (cool for photo-ops) and a nice souvenir shop full of extraterrestrial oddities.
Other small communities near Rachel feel like extensions of the town's quirky space vibe. All within an hour down the ET Highway, you'll find Alien Research Center in Hiko, NV. It's a souvenir shop with a two-story silver alien greeting you by the entrance of an eerie Quonset hut. You can even leave messages for unknown entities in the Black Mailbox along the highway between Alamo and Rachel, and treat yourself to some good old E.T. Fresh Jerky in Alamo.
The Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Run
Rachel, Nevada, sounds like it could be a great spot for alien-themed music or cultural festivals, and it almost was. In 2019, an event that started as a "Storm Area 51" event on Facebook, organized by Matty Roberts, which then went viral with millions of people insisting they would be attending, was shifted to a legitimized music festival to be held in Rachel. However, Rachel only had a population of around 50 at the time and did not have the infrastructure to handle hundreds of thousands of attendees.
Matty Roberts withdrew his support for the festival due to poor planning, and the town's AlienStock Festival was canceled due to concerns about insufficient infrastructure for food, water, security, etc., environmental damage, and human welfare, given Rachel's small size. The owners of the Little A'Le'Inn went ahead with the music festival on a smaller scale, attracting around 1500 attendees, but it was to be the first and only one.
Instead, the town runs an annual Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Run organized by Calico Racing. The run starts at the Little A'Le'Inn at night or midnight, and continues along the Extraterrestrial Highway, where the desert glows like a cosmic ocean under the bright moon, with shooting stars sometimes illuminating the sky. Of course, many participants hope for a random UFO sighting along the way.
A Prime Stargazing Spot
Rachel, Nevada, is an underrated stargazing spot. This remote area has some of the clearest and darkest skies in America. Away from the urban light pollution, you're able to gaze up at the sky and see various constellations, such as Orion, Scorpius, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper. During moonless nights, the Milky Way shines across the desert sky, while planets like Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus make quite a striking show. Spectacular displays by meteor showers, like the Perseids and Geminids, are common in the area as well.
Of course, stargazing near Area 51 isn't complete without some unearthly sightings. Some people have reported seeing strange "moving lights" (likely from aircraft tests). The best spot to try your luck at these rare occurrences is the Black Mailbox, where many gather to bask in the silence and vastness of the desert.
Basin And Range National Monument
Rachel isn't just a quirky spot along a remote desert highway in Nevada. It's also a gateway to the Basin and Range National Monument, which has 704,000 acres of majestic mountains, rare rock formations, and cultural petroglyphs. The monument's Worthington Mountains Wilderness is the closest to Rachel, just a 1-hour drive away. Worthington Mountain is known for its ship-like rise, soaring nearly 9,000 feet high, and is quite elusive to visitors.
It has limestone terrain that makes it challenging to get to for hikers. There are obstacles such as a maze of canyons, sharp limestone structures, steep cliffs, and zero bodies of water. If you succeed, however, you're rewarded by sweeping views of ancient forests, limestone caves, vistas, natural arches, and wildlife. And that's just one part of the monument. Exploring the Basin and Range can take up to two days. You can hike, bike, climb, and ride off-road vehicles through it.
If you're looking for a unique Nevada adventure, Rachel is a great destination to consider. The town has a rich extraterrestrial culture that you just won't find anywhere. Beyond alien-themed establishments and neon night runs, Rachel is home to friendly locals who are happy to share their personal experiences of the unknown. It reminds you that sometimes, roadside stops or gateway towns can become destinations in their own right.