Road trips we love: The Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada

An RV trip in the USA is on many Australians’ bucket lists, and for those who like uncrowded roads and quirky attractions, Nevada is a top choice. One of my favourite road trips in Nevada is the Extraterrestrial Highway. But then again, I named my firstborn child after a classic alien sci-fi film.

The Extraterrestrial Highway isn’t just about potential sightings of otherworldly visitors. It’s about celebrating the quirky and unusual and just going with the cheesiness of it all. On this Nevada road trip, you’ll meet a fortune-telling Alien Trump, visit the Little A’Le’Inn featured in the movie Paul, drive past the well-known Area 51, visit the iconic Black Mailbox, and probably stock up on a whole lot of kitschy Alien souvenirs. So without further ado, here are the quirky highlights to be found along the E.T. Highway in Nevada.

The Extraterrestrial Highway

• Starts: E.T. Fresh Jerky, Hiko, Nevada
• Finishes: Tonopah, Nevada
• Highways: 375 and 6
• Distance: 240km (149 miles)

#1. E.T. Fresh Jerky, Hiko

Yeah, you’ve had jerky before, but I bet you’ve never had Alien Jerky from Nevada. If masticating dried meat is not your style, there are also plenty of Alien-themed lollies and souvenirs here to set you up for the rest of the Extraterrestrial Highway road trip. Don’t miss the Martian-Poop flavoured soft drink (or soda, as they call it here) and, if you like it hot, the jalapeno pistachios.

Although the highlight here isn’t really the food, it’s the Alien Trump fortune teller that you’ll find inside the E.T. Fresh Jerky shop. Feed him a US dollar bill, and he’ll say something ‘profound’ like,  “I’m going to build a wall, and Mexico is going to pay for it”. He’ll even give you you a souvenir ticket to soften the blow that you ain’t getting that dollar back.

Outside the shop, you’ll find plenty of photo opportunities, including a large alien-themed mural on a wall and a crashed UFO. If we’re being honest, the mural is a bit amateurish, but it kind of adds to the fun of the Extraterrestrial Highway road trip cheesiness. Oh, and if you need to go to the loo, now is the time to do it because E.T. Fresh Jerky boasts the “cleanest restrooms in Area 51”.

#2. E.T. Highway Sign, Hiko

It wouldn’t be an RV road trip if you didn’t snap a selfie in front of the official Extraterrestrial Highway sign. You’ll find it a minute’s drive past E.T. Fresh Jerky along Highway 318. It’s also where you’ll veer off onto Highway 375, the official ET Highway. If you have a spare sticker with you, slap it on one of the two signpost poles…everybody else has.

#3. Alien Research Centre, Hiko

The Alien Research Centre is a further two-minute drive past the E.T. Highway Sign on the Extraterrestrial Highway. You can’t miss it due to the ridiculously tall alien you can see on the right, gleaming in the desert sun like an actual UFO. This giant two-story silver alien stands at the gateway to a large silver Quonset hut, otherwise known as the Alien Research Centre. It’s not really a research centre, though, but rather a shop full of Alien souvenirs, interesting tidbits and road snacks. If you’ve got any burning questions about where to spot a UFO and where to find the entrance to Area 51, ask away. Although you may or may not get an answer to the latter.

#4. The Black Mailbox, between Crystal Springs and Rachel

Around 30 kilometres (18.7 miles) past the Alien Research Centre along Highway 375, you’ll find the black mailbox. It’s easy to miss, and you might have to backtrack. This iconic mailbox has been the meeting place for extraterrestrial-obsessed road trippers for decades.

The original mailbox was owned by ranch owner Steve Medlin, who doesn’t believe in aliens and says he has not seen any air traffic beyond US military flights coming and going from the nearby base. As his mailbox kept getting stolen and vandalised by those seeking alien contact, he moved it further away from the highway. This one has been left along the Extraterrestrial Highway for you to slap your sticker on it and leave a scribbled message for otherworldly visitors. 

What was in the mailbox when we visited? A cheeto and a meatstick, neither of which were in a packet (gross), quite a few notes to our ET friends, and a half-eaten packet of medicated gummies. Would I have seen an alien if I ate the rest of those gummies? Maybe!

#5. Area 51, Nevada

This is what Travel Nevada has to say about Area 51 and its long history of reported UFO sightings:

It’s also the only photo I can share as, technically, you’re not really supposed to go looking for it, and if you do find an entrance of sorts, there are plenty of signs warning not to take photos of the entrance… erm, so I’m told. However, if you have a quick peek at Google Maps – you might get an inkling of where it lies in Nevada. But surely they’re clever enough to have a decoy Area 51 on Google? And why do I have phone reception everywhere (and I mean everywhere) in Nevada except here? I think those medicated gummies have made me paranoid.

What we do know is that Area 51 exists. The US government finally admitted this in 2013, and as it’s part of an active military base, it’s guarded by pretty heavy security. A little further research will tell you that it was built in 1955 to serve as a testing site for the U-2 spy plane. Other well-known aircraft reportedly tested at Area 51 include the Archangel-12, the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, and even the X-Men’s preferred mode of transport – the SR-71 Blackbird.

Area 51 is a no-go zone

At the end of the day, you can’t visit Area 51 along the Extraterrestrial Highway. It remains a top-secret facility that the US government don’t want you near. The closest you can get in a vehicle is still around 24 kilometres (15 miles) away, and the airspace is so restricted that even sending a drone up will garner an immediate response that won’t go in your favour. 

Since I couldn’t snap you a photo, here’s an AI-generated image of an alien standing in front of a black mailbox in Nevada instead:

#6. The Little A’Le’Inn

Around 32 kilometres (20 miles) further along the Extraterrestrial Highway, you’ll find the Little A’Le’Inn in the tiny town of Rachel. With a population of around 54, it’s the closest town to that secretive US Air Force Base we were just talking about.  If you’re a fan of the movie Paul, which came out in 2011, you’ll recognise its likeness from one of the iconic scenes in the movie. If you haven’t seen it, stop reading this and go watch it now. I promise you won’t regret it. 

The Little A’Le’Inn is a top place to grab some more souvenirs and is the best place (the only place) around to grab some grub. Inside you’ll find first-person UFO accounts and photos adorning the wall, quirky swag, and a vintage Pacman game that still works if you’ve got a few US quarters in your pocket.

The locals are friendly, and if you’re interested in spotting little green men or want to get as close as legally allowed to Area 51, hang around for a longer chat. Outside, you’ll find plenty of quirky photo opportunities. 

#7. Clown Motel, Tonopah

With 175 kilometres (109 miles) of nothing but an amazing landscape between the Little A’Le’Inn and your final destination, make sure to get your caffeine fix before this last leg of the Extraterrestrial Highway. 

When you finally do reach Tonopah, the last quirky attraction is the world-famous Clown Motel. Also known as ‘America’s Scariest Hotel’. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a super creepy clown motel that has been drawing in die-hard horror fans for quite some time. You don’t have to stay here to enjoy the clowns, though. The lobby boasts one of the largest private collections of clown figurines and memorabilia under the sun, and anyone is welcome to pop in and check them out. If you’re lucky, the staff will happily show you some of the themed rooms, one of which includes Pennywise from Stephen King’s classic horror story, “It”.

If you do decide to stay here, rumours abound that certain horror-themed rooms are haunted, and its location next to the historic Old Tonopah Cemetery certainly adds to the creepy atmosphere. 

Where to stay along the Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada

Let’s be honest, you can do this trip in your RV in one day. But where’s the fun in that? You’re on holiday, so take your time and stay somewhere overnight so you can stretch out those breakfasts and lunches and linger longer for cheesy photos in all the fun places. 

Little A’Le’Inn: Park your RV here for USD $30 per night. Drive through sites, power and water are available but no sewerage hookup.

Tonopah: Ditch your RV for the Clown Motel if you dare, or park at Tonopah RV for USD $35 per night on the edge of town. Here you’ll find pull-through sites, full hook-up, WIFI, and clean laundry and shower facilities.

Useful information on hiring an RV in Nevada

RV hire

We went with Cruise America and picked up and dropped off our motorhome in Las Vegas. Our 30ft RV was the largest on offer, and while it seems large by Australian standards, we were often the smallest by far in Nevada campsites, which were chock full of large American vehicles pulling even larger fifth-wheelers, or large buses flat towing Jeeps or ATVs on a trailer. Most people are happy to show you their amazing rigs!

Road conditions

Of course, you’ll need to get used to driving on the right-hand side of the road pretty quickly in the USA, but in general, the roads in Nevada are excellent by Australian standards. Even the not-so-excellent ones are easily managed in a large RV.

With roads built for RVs and RVs built for comfort, hiring an RV in Nevada is a trip worth remembering for all the right reasons for Aussies!

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