Secrets of The Desert: Exploring the Extraterrestrial Highway and Area 51

LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — Everyone loves a good road trip and this week we pick up our series, “Secrets of the Desert.”

This time we head into alien territory, just north of Las Vegas on the Extraterrestrial Highway.

As highways go, Nevada’s State Route 375 may be the most curious in the country, stretching nearly a hundred miles from Crystal Springs north of Las Vegas, to Warm Springs near the town of Tonopah.

Officially renamed the “Extraterrestrial Highway” back in 1996 by the state, the mostly desert stretch has signs posted along the way that caution of low flying aircraft – military aircraft often associated with the adjacent government air base.

But some swear there’s a lot more to what’s being seen in the sky.

“Seventy-five percent of people on the planet believe that we’re not the only species,” said George Harris, whose brother owns the roadside Alien Research Center.

The sheet-metal warehouse, it turns out, is really more of a tourist attraction selling all things alien, from alien t-shirts to alien tequila. However, Harris says it’s also a prime location for studying UFOs.

“Literally right over the hill from us is the world’s most top secret air base called Area 51,” said Harris.

Like many, we were curious to see how close we could get to the restricted government facility. A dirt road off the highway leads you to a back entrance, and that’s about as far as we got.

Once there, it was clear we were being watched with cameras positioned all along the perimeter and signs everywhere warning of immediate arrest should we commit any violations.

Area 51 is technically part of Edwards Air Force Base, within the Nevada Test and Training Range. While its primary purpose for years was publicly unknown, recent declassifications point to the development of experimental aircraft and weapons by the U.S. Air Force, including the so-called U-2 spy plane.

But Harris and others believe we’re only being told part of the story.

“It’s also where they have two spaceships from Roswell, New Mexico,” said Harris. “There’s aliens here, there’s unexplained cattle mutilations in the area. I mean, this is serious stuff.”

To this day, Harris says people contact him or come into the center with tales of strange encounters.

During our visit we also met a resident by the name of Ken Langley who claims 10 years ago, he may have been the victim of an alien abduction.

“As far as where the 40 minutes went,” said Langley, “that would be absolute speculation because I have no idea what happened.”

Langley believes his unexplained memory loss was more likely the result of a top-secret experiment, some type of advanced technology being tested at Area 51.

Locals talk of a number of odd occurrences along the Extraterrestrial Highway, which is also part of the allure.

For Harris, UFOs, he says, are part passion, part project. While he enjoys the lore, he also hopes someday to also find answers.

“Do I believe in aliens? Yes! Are there extraterrestrials? Yes! Are they gray? Yes!” said Harris.

As for Area 51, it will always remain one of Nevada’s top mysteries, and for that matter, one of our “Secrets of the Desert.”

Secrets of the Desert is a series where we explore haunts and hideaways, road less-traveled, and the interesting and unusual in our region. If you have a spot you’d like us to check out, please contact Gerard Ramalho directly at gramalho@sbgtv.com or send him a note on Twitter.