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Sunday, October 03, 1999
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Highway to the Heavens
Nevada Route 375 lures those interested in extraterrestrials
By Jenny Scheid
Photos by Jeff Scheid
Review-Journal
There were no little green men or bald, big-eyed creatures to greet us in Rachel -- the only pit stop on Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway -- just a small, raucous crowd smoking George Hamilton cigars in the town's sole bar. The cigars, which were supplied by a visitor from Las Vegas, were the only thing that lit up the sky that night.
The E.T. Highway, a two-lane stretch of road between Alamo and Tonopah, rivals its counterpart to the north, U.S. Highway 50, for the title "Loneliest Road." Chances are you won't see many other vehicles, let alone unidentified flying objects, on your drive through the desert. The only settlement on this isolated highway is Rachel -- a scattering of mobile homes that house the town's 98 residents.
Rachel gained worldwide attention in April 1996 when the 98-mile state Route 375 was officially designated the Extraterrestrial Highway. More than 200 reporters, politicians, celebrities and onlookers converged on the town for the dedication. Movie stars such as Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman were there as part of a promotional tie-in for their upcoming film "Independence Day."
Yet even before Route 375 received its official moniker, Rachel was a gathering place for UFO buffs. Its proximity to what has become known as Area 51, a classified military installation at Groom Lake where the Air Force reportedly tests new aircraft, meant that there were numerous reports of strange lights and odd-shaped crafts.
A self-proclaimed scientist fueled the fire in 1989 by publicly claiming to have worked with alien spacecraft at Papoose Lake, south of Groom Lake. Since then, Area 51 has turned into a popular symbol for an alleged U.S. government UFO cover-up.
Joe and Pat Travis own the sole bar/restaurant in Rachel and rent out a few rooms and RV spots to overnight guests. Their business, the Little A `Le' Inn, has been the primary beneficiary of all the extraterrestrial hoopla.
"This is a snowball and there's no end in sight," Pat Travis said.
But she is quick to point out that they're not the only ones to profit from the added publicity. "It's been good for everybody in the community in terms of tax dollars," she said.
Although traffic appeared sparse the July weekend we visited Rachel, Pat Travis claims that a few hundred visitors pass through the town every day, the majority of whom stop at the inn for a meal or to buy some souvenirs.
A surprisingly high number of those visitors are from outside the United States. The guest book at Little A `Le' Inn reveals addresses from as far away as Singapore, Hungry, Scotland, Ireland and Germany. Pat Travis happily pointed out references to the inn in some Japanese guidebooks that she keeps behind the counter.
The weekend of our visit, we met up with four young people from the Netherlands. In the States for three weeks, the group had traveled to Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.
Driving through rural Nevada, they heard about E.T. Highway in Alamo and decided to stop in Rachel for breakfast. The foursome, who reside in Europe's most densely populated country, were more impressed by the state's open spaces than by the prospect of seeing otherworldly beings.
"It's just amazing that there's this place out in the middle of nowhere," said Cynthia vanden Heuvel. "In Holland, wherever you go there are buildings."
Her friend, Mirjana Pantelic, perused the gift shop shelves before settling on an alien sheriff's badge to take home as a memento of her visit to Rachel.
Souvenirs -- adorned with aliens or the words "E.T. Highway" or "Area 51" -- are big business for the Little A `Le' Inn, which stocks more than 200 different items. The amazing array includes dolls, pendants, sunglasses, pillow cases, aprons, drinking cups, key chains, test-tube slime, drink insulators, doormats, spoons, bells, money clips, thimbles, stamp pads, lollipops, gum balls and gum-ball machines.
The Friday night of our visit, a group of 12 tourists from New Orleans drove in around 10:30 p.m., shopped for about half an hour and spent more than $300 in souvenirs.
"I'm not ashamed to say we've made money off merchandise," said Pat Travis, adding that the inn earns more money on merchandise than from the bar/restaurant.
That's not surprising considering that a burger and fries cost only $2.75. Rooms rent for just $31.50, but then overnight guests stay in basic trailers and share a bath.
The Travises purchased the property in 1988, known then as the Rachel Bar & Grille. The 10 previous owners couldn't make any money on the small drinking establishment in the middle of the high desert, but Pat and Joe Travis found success by catering to the public's growing interest in the paranormal phenomena.
"Every business needs a gimmick," said Pat Travis. "I always believed that there was something here."
They changed the name, expanded the restaurant and put in some mobile homes to house overnight guests. Since '88, the owners have gone from one part-time worker to nine employees, most of whom are recruited from charitable shelters in Las Vegas.
But while extraterrestrials may be the main tourist draw, the town's biggest appeal is the warm welcome given to visitors. "Come on in and make yourselves at home," said Pat Travis, greeting two motorcyclists who hesitated at the door of the restaurant.
Like many other rural Nevada towns, Rachel is full of people who aren't shy about talking to outsiders. Whether it's to give directions or an opinion, the townsfolk are open and friendly.
Two children directed us to the trailer of Jack Emory, whose son, Don, oversees the Area 51 Research Center. Although it was past 5 p.m., Jack Emory was only too happy to open up the center for us.
Founded by Glenn Campbell, who now lives in Las Vegas, the Area 51 Research Center is for serious truth-seekers. The center sells maps and books about Area 51, government secrecy and certain UFO claims.
However, the "alien in a jar" for sale on a shelf seems incongruous with the mission statement posted outside: "We sell only books we have confidence in and that we would buy ourselves. We do not sell most `alien' merchandise, which we believe is incompatible with serious research."
Jack Emory, who moved to Rachel a year ago, isn't one to dispute claims of strange sightings. One night, he caught a glimpse of a huge, extremely bright, oblong shape hovering over the mountaintop.
Pat Travis has another story of an unexplainable occurrence. She and her husband witnessed a light shoot about 6 feet through the center of the restaurant's door, illuminating the entire room.
"I've been told by psychics that there are aliens here," she said.
Before we headed back to Las Vegas, we took the obligatory drive out to the "black mailbox," an actual mailbox where people have reported numerous UFO sightings. Now painted white and covered with graffiti, the mailbox is about 19 miles east of Rachel on a desolate dirt road.
We continued on to Groom Lake Road, which leads to the restricted border of the air base. There isn't much to see as the boundary is in a valley between two hills. A large sign warns against trespassing; surveillance cameras and guards in white jeeps are there to ensure compliance.
According to Emory, the only view of Area 51 -- and a very distant view at that -- is atop Tikaboo Peak. The 7,800-peak is not accessible by vehicle, so hikers should be prepared for a rugged climb.
If you go: Rachel is about a 2 1/2-hour drive from Las Vegas. Head north on Interstate 15/U.S. Highway 93. After 22 miles, U.S. 93 branches off I-15. Follow U.S. 93 through the scenic Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge to state Route 375, aka the Extraterrestrial Highway. Rachel is about 40 miles down E.T. Highway.
The Little A `Le' Inn is the only place in Rachel to go for a meal and bed. Call (775) 729-2515.
This and other travel stories by Jenny and Jeff Scheid are available on the Internet by accessing www.lasvegas.com/travel/postcards/.
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Printable version of this story
Inside AREA 51
The Extraterrestrial Highway is a two-lane stretch of Nevada road between Alamo and Tonopah.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
The Little A `Le' Inn in Rachel has been the primary beneficiary of all the extraterrestrial hoopla.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
A signpost outside the Area 51 Research Center gives distances to such places as Roswell, N.M., and Tokyo.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
Aliens from this world and beyond can gas up at the Quik Pik in Rachel. The closest gas stations are 111 miles northwest in Tonopah or 45 miles southeast in Ash Springs.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
The "black mailbox," now painted white, has been a location for numerous UFO sightings.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
"Aliens" in jars peer down from a shelf at the Area 51 Research Center in Rachel.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
The Extraterrestrial Highway, state Route 375, received its official designation in April 1996.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
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