Groom Lake Road - The Line You Do Not Cross

Stop on Area 51, a free self-guided tour.

Watch the shoulder for a dirt road heading west from the highway. This is Groom Lake Road, the public way toward the most famous fence in America. It runs about 13.8 miles across the desert to the edge of the restricted area. It is dirt, so the full drive suits a high-clearance vehicle and a full tank, and it is entirely optional.

Why would anyone bother? In 1955 the CIA chose Groom Lake for Project AQUATONE, and designer Kelly Johnson saw a dry lakebed that made a perfect natural landing field. The U-2 spy plane flew here first, then the A-12 OXCART, whose first flight came on April 26, 1962.

At the end of the road, orange posts mark the boundary, warning signs promise fines or arrest, and cameras are watching you. Do not cross the line, and do not fly a drone.

Getting here: Continue west on State Route 375 for roughly fifteen miles from the Alien Research Center. The turnoff is a lone dirt road between mile markers 34 and 35, easy to miss, so slow down.

Trivia: What was the CIA's code name for the 1955 U-2 program at Groom Lake?

Nearby: None. Bring water and a full tank; the nearest food and fuel are back in Alamo or ahead at the Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, which serves meals.