Destination: Area 51

Huge BLM Land Grab Near Area 51 -Bye Bye Tikaboo Peak!

2026-07-03T23:59:24.473-07:00

https://theaviationist.com/2026/05/02/tikaboo-peak-area-51-spot-closed/

Area 51 Tours (coming soon)

2026-07-03T23:43:57.290-07:00

The Paradise Ranch Area 51 Tour Information

The Paradise Ranch Area 51 Tour is the all encompassing Area 51 experience. We will stop and visit all of the important sites on this tour. The first step will be arranging pick up and drop off at any hotel or location of your choice. The tours usually last between six and ten hours. The length of the tour depends on how long you choose to stay at each of the stops. After leaving Las Vegas, we head for HWY 93 and the Great Basin Highway. The following are the stops I recommend:

*Alamo, Nevada. Stop for gas and snacks at the Sinclair Station.

*Alamo, Nevada. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Annex to take pictures of the "white bus". The workers' "white bus" is usually parked there on the weekends.

*The intersection of HWY 93 and HWY 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway). This is a great spot to take pictures of the ET HWY sign and see where some of the Area 51 workers park their cars and ride the bus.

*The Alien Research Center. It is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. They have a wide variety of souvenirs to choose from.

*The intersection of the ET HWY and Groom Lake Road.

*The most exciting stop of the tour: Groom Lake Road warning signs, the security equipment, and the "Cammo Dudes".

*The Rancher's "Black Mailbox" (now painted white).

*The ET HWY sign near the town of Rachel, Nevada.

*The Little A' Le Inn in Rachel, Nevada for an Alien Burger and plenty of souvenir shopping.

*A quick tour around Rachel, Nevada

*The Area 51 Rachel Gate.

At this time, we can stop at any of the prime viewing areas to sit out for a little while and star gaze or head back into Las Vegas. All of the above stops offer a great opportunity to take pictures. If there are any other spots you notice along the tour, we can stop and take pictures there as well.

**The cost of the tour is $200 per person.

***I can take from one to three people per tour!

****I gladly accept cash the day of the tour or zelle.

email me if you have any questions: a51tours@aol.com

I am back! Desert Shadow has returned after 6 years!

2026-07-03T23:22:24.628-07:00

I have returned after 6 years of an absence and over 15 years since my last tour. Honestly, I miss the heck out of visiting the desert surrounding Area 51. I want to return to this part of our World. The lore, the desert beauty, and sharing this with friends from different corners of this Earth. For nearly 10 years, I did over 50 tours and met some incredible people. We shared exciting experiences in a very unique part of the Southern Nevada Desert. I want to start updating this blog and set up a page for tours. There are some real interesting things going on around Area 51. Come and take a ride with me and lets experience the mysteries surrounding the World’s most Top Secret famous military test site, Area 51.

Family accuses Air Force of lowball price estimate on land it seized near Area 51

2016-10-25T14:40:00.001-07:00

Family accuses Air Force of lowball price estimate on land it seized near Area 51

Air Force Land Grab! -Again

2016-10-16T22:39:00.001-07:00

Looks like the Air Force is preparing for another land grab near Area 51. This time it looks like some of the land they want to snatch is part of the National Wildlife Refuge.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/water-environment/questions-abound-air-force-s-bid-more-desert-national-wildlife-refuge-land

HELD AT GUNPOINT BY CAMO-DUDES @ AREA 51 SECRET BACK GATE!! 2wADV.com

2016-10-12T15:01:00.001-07:00

Ok! What are we missing here. This video is blowing up and it is interesting. It has been heavily edited. Quite a few believe it is fake. I am leaning to it being real. I absolutely cannot believe the behavior of the Cammo Dudes. In no way are they supposed to act like this. They were on public land as far as the video shows. The video never shows the bikers crossing into restricted area. Something doesn't seem right. There has to be more to this story. If there isn't more to this story, we are watching two Cammo Dudes who are going to be fired!

Professional tour company accidentally crosses Area 51 border!

2014-07-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

I use the term professional loosley! This is the serious trouble you can get into when you are on a tour with some driver getting paid $9 an hour! I have taken 100's of people out there and never come close to having an incident!

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/25980317/i-team-crossing-the-line-into-area-51-gets-caught-on-camera

New High Tech Security Barrier at Nevada Test Site

2014-01-05T16:32:00.001-08:00

Not! This is the new security barrier at Gate 2 of the Nevada Test Site. I am not sure what is more of a deterrent, the rusted cattle guard or the new wooden gate. There were a few others near this road that looked exactly the same.

George Knapp and I Team story about the Government Shutdown and Area 51

2013-10-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the story the I Team and George Knapp did about the Government Shutdown and how it is affecting Area 51.

Government Shutdown Affects Mysterious Area 51

Cool article from The Atlantic Wire!

2013-08-16T14:17:00.002-07:00

The Government Now Admits There's an 'Area 51'

National Security Archive / AP

Newly declassified documents, obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive, appear to for the first time acknowledge the existence of Area 51. Hundreds of pages describe the genesis of the Nevada site that was home to the government's spy plane program for decades. The documents do not, however, mention aliens.

The project started humbly. In the pre-drone era about a decade after the end of World War II, President Eisenhower signed off on a project aimed at building a high-altitude, long-range, manned aircraft that could photograph remote targets. Working together, the Air Force and Lockheed developed a craft that could hold the high-resolution cameras required for the images, a craft that became the U-2. Why "U-2"?

They decided that they could not call the project aircraft a bomber, fighter, or transport plane, and they did not want anyone to know that the new plane was for reconnaissance, so [Air Force officers] Geary and Culbertson decided that it should come under the utility aircraft category. At the time, there were only two utility aircraft on the books, a U-1 and a U-3. told Culbertson that the Lockheed CL-282 was going to be known officially as the U-2.

The next step was to find a place from which the top-secret aircraft could be flown.

On 12 April 1955 [CIA officer] Richard Bissell and Col. Osmund Ritland (the senior Air Force officer on the project staff) flew over Nevada with [Lockheed's] Kelly Johnson in a small Beechcraft plane piloted by Lockheed's chief test pilot, Tony LeVier. They spotted what appeared to be an airstrip by a salt flat known as Groom Lake, near the northeast corner of the Atomic Energy Commission's (AEC) Nevada Proving Ground. After debating about landing on the old airstrip, LeVier set the plane down on the lakebed, and all four walked over to examine the strip. The facility had been used during World War II as an aerial gunnery range for Army Air Corps pilots. From the air the strip appeared to be paved, but on closer inspection it turned out to have originally been fashioned from compacted earth that had turned into ankle-deep dust after more than a decade of disuse. If LeVier had atrempted to land on the airstrip, the plane would probably have nosed over when the wheels sank into the loose soil, killing or injuring all of the key figures in the U-2 project.

That's the first acknowledged mention of the Groom Lake site, according to Chris Pocock, a British author who's written extensively about the program and provided his thoughts to the GWU archive. Nor, it seems, has the low-contrast image that accompanies that section (below) been seen.

The name "Area 51," so evocative, was an accident of circumstance.

After consulting with [the CIA's] Dulles, Bissell and Miller asked the Atomic Energy Commission to add the Groom Lake area to its real estate holdings in Nevada. AEC Chairman Adm. Lewis Strauss readily agreed, and President Eisenhower also approved the addition of this strip of wasteland, known by its map designation as Area 51, to the Nevada Test Site. The outlines of Area 51 are shown on current unclassified maps as a small rectangular area adjoining the northeast corner of the much larger Nevada Test Site.

Recognizing that people might not be excited about moving to a place called "Area 51" in the middle of the desert, a new name was offered: "Paradise Ranch, which was soon shortened to the Ranch." It was less appealing, however, in popular culture.

The National Security Archive outlines other new revelations in the documents (all 407 pages of whichcan be downloaded from the site). Three new details:

More than three pages (pp. 153-157, previously deleted in their entirety) on British participation in the U-2 program. The authors note that President Dwight Eisenhower viewed British participation "as a way to confuse the Soviets as to sponsorship of particular overflights" as well to spread the risk of failure.

An account (pp. 231-233, previously redacted in its entirety) of U-2 operations from India, between 1962 and 1967, triggered by the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

An account (pp. 222-230 ff., almost entirely deleted in the previous release) of U.S.-sponsored Chinese Nationalist U-2 operations, including tables of the number of overflight and peripheral missions each year.

It also includes a notation regarding the most famous U-2 flight: The May 1, 1960, flight of Francis Gary Powers which ended when Powers' craft was downed by a Soviet surface-to-air missile. In another bit of overlap with modern surveillance, Powers' flight left from an airfield in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

Bob Lazar and the New Area 51? NOT

2013-07-14T00:17:00.001-07:00

It looks like Bob Lazar has closed his store front in Michigan, but is continuing sells on his web site. The interesting thing is that he is working on "secret stuff" in his new secured building. The gate looks like this might be the new Area 51 (NOT). I wonder what he is actually doing in there???

Bob Lazar's Untied Nuclear Building. The New Area 51

Helicopter at Creech AFB

2013-01-22T16:18:00.001-08:00

Here is a photo of a helicopter practicing "Touch and Goes" on the main runway. The photo was taken behind the casino in the truck parking lot on Tuesday around noon. The cool thing about Creech AFB is that the main runway is located so close to the freeway. Most of the new construction is farther from the freeway in the South East section of the base. This is a little harder to see. It looks like they have set up 10 to 15 tents on the North end of the base next to the freeway. The tents look like they will be there for a while. I am wondering if they will be building a set of buildings near where the tents are. Any day Monday through Friday you will likely see something in the air around Creech AFB.

Checking out the Drones!

2012-11-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

For some of you that are interested, checking out the drones at Creech AFB is easy and pretty cool. Just about sixty minutes North of Las Vegas, is Creech AFB in Indian Springs. There is one casino in Indian Springs and it has a parking lot in the back. Any Monday through Friday offers a really good chance that you will spot one of the the drones flying by. A lot of the time they are practicing the landings and takeoffs. I have never been hassled by the security, but I have heard of security checking on people recently. The base really has grown and is quite an interesting place. I highly recommend snooping around this area and further North around the Range. It is a real easy drive from Las Vegas.

Silly 12 Brits Arrested at the back gate!

2012-09-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Silly Brits! What did they think would happen. There is a trip report on DreamlandResort.com that shows and explains how 12 British citizens were arrested and detained at the back gate of Area 51 near Rachel, Nevada. I have to admit it is interesting reading, but dang these fools got what they deserved. Don't go past the gate or warning signs! Once you get to the site, click on the trip report button on the left side and click on the trip report dated 9/6/12: 12 Brits Breach Restricted Area

Atomic Testing Museum Area 51 Exhibit

2012-04-03T15:28:00.001-07:00

I have a whole different line of reasoning or feelings when it comes to the Museum. I would never go to the museum to see the Area 51 exhibit. I am sure it is put together very well and all who contributed did a great job, BUT each and every real piece of history from Area 51 chips away at the mystery surrounding Area 51. I completely understand those that once worked at Area 51 and who are now able to discuss programs, share pictures, and tell stories, deserve credit for a job well done. I by no means am belittling them for coming forward or casting any negative "juice" towards them for sharing. To my warped way of thinking, every little historical fact that comes out only chips away at the mystery that surrounds Groom Lake. With less and less mystery left, my interest seems to be slowly slipping away. I never took any of the 40-50 tours out there expecting to see any little green men or any flying saucer, but the shroud of secrecy allows for so much imagination! I can only hope and prey that they never open up the base for visitors! When I want to see cool stuff flying, Edwards is just a hop skip and jump down the road. I am sure there is a majority of the followers of this site that are completely dismissive of my ramblings because they are seriously into Black Projects and technology. I enjoy that as well, but Area 51 for me represents an enigma that is slowly but sadly being wrapped! Sometimes reality just aint all it is cracked up to be!

Two Sisters from Chicago visit Area 51

2011-07-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Two sisters from Chicago visited Area 51 in the beginning of July. A good time was had by all!

Recent visit to Area 51 6-27-11

2011-06-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

I recently visited Area 51 after almost a years absence. It was exciting to get out to the desert. Not a lot has changed. The few changes I noticed, were the new ET HWY signs when entering Rachel, the back gate to Area 51 in Rachel is now paved, there is a new weather station and Community Environmental Monitoring Program device at the Little A Le Inn, and there does appear to be a new device at the bottom of the large security camera on GLR. All of these new changes can be found in the video.

Structure at the Nevada Test Site

2011-06-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

This structure is in the North end of the Nevada Test Site near Armagosa Valley. I can't recall seeing it before. Maybe it has been there for a while and I just didn't notice it. The structure looks to be trailers, but they are too big to be trailers. The photo was taken from HWY 95 and is quite a few miles away. I am sure somebody who is into Google Earth can find it and see what it is???

JANET Terminal from the Luxor

2011-05-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

A very good friend of mine at work is moving back home. A few of us from work took him out for a great dinner and some poker. We were in the room at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip and I was watching the JANET planes land. There were two planes that landed back to back at around 6pm. It was Friday evening, so I am sure the workers were glad to be heading home for the weekend! Of course, everybody in the room was watching the game and drinking some adult beverages and I was watching the JANET Terminal. We were on the 13th floor and in the East Tower. The room did have a great view. I only had my cell phone so the photo is not great. There was actually a JANET landing when I took the photo. I need a life!

New Google Earth Image of Area 51

2011-03-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

It looks like Google Earth has updated the images of Area 51 and the surrounding area. The image was taken in June of 2010. It really has great resolution. There are a few new buildings, but no exotic jets on the runway!

Great Video of the A-12 at Groom Lake

2011-02-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a great video of the A-12 and Groom Lake. These pilots and workers were really something. Great shots!

A-12 at Groom Lake

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

From my family to yours, "Merry Christmas"! This photo was taken on January 26, 2010 after a two day snowstorm.

Rainbow over the Nevada Test Site!

2010-12-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

It has been raining for the past few days and I guess it is supposed to continue for a few more days. This type of rain is somewhat rare for this part of the state. It does make for some pretty photos at times. This photo is of a rainbow over the airstrip in the Nevada Test Site just before Mercury. That is an interesting airstrip. I have seen the lights on before and have seen a few small planes land there. You can see it pretty well from the Highway!

A Busy Las Vegas Morning!

2010-12-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

With the weather change, the contrails over Las Vegas really develop high above the valley floor. Each morning driving to work in Las Vegas, it is really a show high in the sky. The amount of passenger and military jet activity is impressive. I am glad the air traffic controllers know what they are doing!

Edwards AFB Research Laboratory

2010-11-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

With such a welcoming sign, who could resist driving down the road to see what is up? After heading home from a wonderful Thanksgiving, I decided to venture down a road that has always interested me. I promised the wife (after the unauthorized Nevada Test Site Tour) that I would NOT go down these types of roads any more with the family in the car, so I turned around after a few ominous signs. What is the security like farther down this road? Is there a gate, guards, or fences? How close can you get to the rocket engine testing site? I haven't spent much time around Edwards AFB or the rocket engine test site. I have a feeling that I should start spending a little more time snooping around this area. I drive by continually on the way to my parent's house, but rarely stop to snoop around. I think Edwards AFB needs a little more attention!