Rachel

Getting there

By car Rachel is 3 hours north of Las Vegas going along Nevada Highway 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway).

Getting around

Rachel is an unincorporated rural town in Nevada located off of Nevada State Highway 375 (which is also known as the "Extraterrestrial Highway"). The theme around the town is an alien/space theme, because of Rachel's proximity to Nellis Air Force Range and Area 51. There is not much to do around the small town, however, although it enjoys some tourism from people interested in UFOs, aliens, and aviation.

On foot Rachel is small enough to be explored on foot. Be mindful of weather conditions.

See

Tourist infrastructure is virtually non-existent in the village. There was a large logo for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on the ground in the northern part of town which claimed to be the first logo to be seen from outer space. There was an Area 51 Research Center operated in the late 1990s by UFO researcher Glenn Campbell, but it is now closed. There is one motel. The area remains popular for geocaching.

1 Black Mailbox. Used as a gathering place for UFO seekers. The mailbox has been stolen and replaced at least once; as of 2025 it is no longer there, but the site is still a gathering point of sorts. (updated Jul 2025) Extraterrestrial Highway signs. The Route 375 signs, more commonly known as the Extraterrestrial Highway signs are notable for the marks placed by tourists, the UFO/F-117 Nighthawk symbols and that they don't use the Highway Gothic font for the main text. The Extraterrestrial Highway also features occasional alien-related graffiti, like a boulder that says "Let's Get Abducted". (updated Feb 2017) If all the UFO stuff doesn't do it for you, enjoy the landscape: very barren to the west of town, rocky hills dotted with Joshua trees to the east. You might see antelope and cows crossing the road. Rachel often sees extreme flying from military aircraft, "an airshow every day" as one resident puts it. Don't panic if you hear sonic booms or see planes flying just a few meters above the ground.

Do

You can walk around Rachel on foot. Aside from the geocaching and signage, the Little A'Le'Inn (a bar, restaurant, and motel) on State Highway (or State Route) 375 is a popular destination with tourists.

Buy

There is a gift shop in Rachel on Canyon Road.

1 Alien Research Center, 100 NV-375, Hiko (35 miles south of Rachel), ☏ +1 775-725-3750. (updated Jun 2019) 2 Alien Cowpoke, 8300 Grant St, ☏ +1 775-729-2144. Gasː 24 hrs. Storeː 9AM-5PM, daily. Gas station and general store, alien-themed like everything else around here. (updated Jan 2026) E.T Fresh Jerky, 12600 US-93, Hiko, ☏ +1 775-725-3677. 9AM-6PM, daily. Wide variety of jerky, nuts, and dried fruit, with big alien murals out front for the photo op. (updated Jan 2026)

Go next

You will most likely step out within minutes or hours of arriving. If you want to get out, take Extraterrestrial Highway.

Panaca – approximately 98 mi (158 km) northeast of Rachel on the NV-375 (Extraterrestrial Highway), US-93 (Great Basin Highway), then US-319 is Panaca. Panaca is a Mormon settlement and one of two places in Nevada that forbids gambling (the other being Boulder City). Pioche – approximately 108 mi (174 km) northeast of Rachel on the NV-375 (Extraterrestrial Highway), then US-93 (Great Basin Highway) is Pioche. The town that means pickaxe in French was built to mine silver and has plenty of historic buildings still standing today. Tonopah – approximately 109 mi (175 km) west of Rachel on the NV-375 (Extraterrestrial Highway), then US-6 (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) is Tonopah. Tonopah is a former silver mining town that is about halfway between Las Vegas and Reno.