Recent Trip to Area 51

After months of reading posts I decided to take the trip myself left Vegas at 3:30 am and arrived in Rachel a couple of hours later at around 5:30 am only to find out that the Little A’Le’Inn did'nt open till 8:00am needless to say we didnt stick around we went back towards Groome Lake Rd!

Upon arrival at Groome Lake Rd we came across a colorful bunch of Guys on Dirt Bikes we stopped to talk to them only to find out that these hoodlums are out for nothing more than to piss people off which ultimately ended up in our arrest and detainment by Area 51 security.

Now Ive read numerous posts stating that the Cammo Dudes are complete assholes but they were not only after 30 minutes of questioning they believed our story about having nothing to to with the guys on Dirt Bikes and released us, yes they searched our vehicle but none of our property was confiscated or ransacked.

According to the guy I suppose was in charge they have had issues with these guys for about 2 years now and they are getting bolder all the time, just a warning to anyone out that way stay clear of the guys on Dirt Bikes and dont follow them down Groome Lake Rd it will result in a half hour or more of lost time exploring the surrounding area!!!

Where did they question you? In an outer facility? What type of questions? If I worked there I would definitely be worried about those dirt bikers too. It's a lot easier for them to go off road and slip past.

I guess there isn't much of a guide here for visiting the area. First of all, everything on the ET Highway from Crystal springs out to the intersection with US 6 is open range. Translation: big cattle are often found in the road. Suggested night time driving speed is 40MPH in the open range at night. I have seen cattle mutilations and car mutilations that happened IN THE FREAKIN' DAYLIGHT, as well as at night. Look at the skid marks on the ET Highway sometime. It's about 50/50 that your car will be drivable after an encounter of the bovine kind.

I don't consider the cammo dudes to be arseholes. I think in a sick way we mutually entertain each other. Now, if you didn't cross the line, then I have a problem with you being detained. There isn't much of a complaint department with the dudes or the sheriff. The Lincoln County Sheriff department acts as if they answer to no one. I avoid them at all costs. [Nye county is completely different.] Even the locals in Rachel avoid calling the sheriff at all costs. Ask a local about the sheriff department, and the kindest thing they say is they are all corrupt.

There is some real trash from Alamo on dirt bikes and ATVs. It's really a shame as most of the town is really nice, but I have met such characters. They get pretty uppity if they consider you are driving on THEIR land, which we know isn't the case. BLM land is OUR land. Visitors generaly tread lightly on the desert soil, but the Alamo kids just trash the place.

I ran into some dove hunters around Cedar Pipeline Ranch. They got a bit pissed at me driving around and disturbing the birds. Once I made it clear it was OUR land, they chilled out and told me about some of the nuts they have encountered over the years around the range. Once they met a pack of teenagers hunting in the same general area. These arseholes would shoot for the hell of it, birds or no birds, and all over the place. We're talking Dick Cheney style shooting. It was bad enough to make the "regular" (perhaps sane is a better word) hunters get the hell out of Dodge.

I've had the sheriff (deputy) chat me up once, but never the dudes. They generally don't want to interface with the public unless there is a trespass.

For nighttime viewing, there is a patch of gravel by the ET Highway. The dudes might light up your plate to record it, but they won't bug you. [The dudes "sweep" the highway maybe every 3 to 4 hours. It seems like a period spaced so far apart as to not be particularly useful.]

The dudes get a bit antsy at night. The nighttime scenario goes something like this. You drive down GLR. At some point, you will see a light turn on in the distance. The dude turns on his domelight to write up a log of a visitor approaching. The light goes out. Now when you get close, the dude may do nothing, or turn his headlight on, or turn on the red/blue flashers buried behind the grille. Most of the time they want to make it clear that they are out there.

At night, I suggest flashlight wars. You light them up, they light you up. Lots of fun. I've walked around the front gate and general area at night, and they probably don't like it. I had them spot light me once for maybe 10 minutes as I walked around.

I suspect if there are a lot of people at the border, the standard operating procedure changes. Probably some backup gets dispatched from the base. These guys have to exhibit force but not be too threatening. It's kind of tricky. So yelling and acting "in charge" is part of the act. In theory, if you haven't crossed the line, you can just ignore them. Now if they whip out a badge (remember, these guys are deputized), that is a different story.

We were pulled over Police style Red and Blue Flashers 3 trucks 5 men we were cuffed and put in seperate vehichles taken to what I would assume is the actual guardshack from what Ive seen on Google Earth, questioned in seperate rooms. Nothing really exciting we didnt have guns drawn on us, we were not thrown to the floor nothing Hollywood!

The list of questions was pretty mundane nothing special what are you doing in the State of Nevada, why are you this far from Vegas what are you doing coming on to a Military Base Rd, Do you know we could have you arrested for trespassing and the Big One right before they uncuffed me walked me back out to the truck and drove us again in seperate vehicles back to our vehicle was their are no Aliens and or U.F.O.'s here and if we catch you again charges will be pressed!!!!

As I also stated in my original post the guy I assume was in charge stated that they were having problems with the people on Dirt Bikes trespassing and have had them arrested on numerous times but more keep coming back, upon being dropped of at our vehicle I asked the guy driving if anyone had ever made it past the guardshack and he said on the rare ocassion that it does happen they are intercepted by Military police further down the road nobody unauthorized gets close to the base not even us!!!!!

Got any pics from your trip? Would love to see them.

reply to post by Electricgypsy


If you were cuffed, this is news. There are all sorts of hoaxers on this board, but I'd put your story in the true category. I suggest you email George Knapp and go on the record.

George Knapp

There are plenty of yahoos that get fined for crossing the border, but I don't recall any that got cuffed. Certainly not at the front gate. [Some dumb arse hunters went over the fence near Cedar Pipeline Ranch. I'm sure they were cuffed, not to mention disarmed.]

front gate
I have a panorama of the front gate guard shack this page. You will probably need irfranview to see the djvu high resolution image.

The photo is from Hawkeye Hill.

reply to post by gariac


Opps, George's email address got cut. It is the public address. I will try again without brackets:
[email protected]

If it get's cut out again, his email address is on this page:
george knapp

reply to post by gariac


It seems to me they would be able to tell you weren't with the crazy bikers. I am not sure why they would take you to the guard shack and not just talk to you on Groom Lake Road. I guess I gotta go with gariac. He would know what sounds right! -Desert Shadow

Hey guys, finally joined ATS. Ya i was thinking about making a trek to Nevada to see Area 51 so now i know wat to look out for lol. I would also like to see some of the pictures you took if you can post them.