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Major city · United States

Rachel

Go only as a half-day stop on the Extraterrestrial Highway between Las Vegas and Tonopah: 1–2 hours on foot, one motel, no gas after dark.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Rachel is a 54-person village on Nevada Highway 375, the Extraterrestrial Highway, and the closest settlement to Area 51. There is one bar-motel, a gift shop, a general store with gas, and a lot of alien signage. Treat it as a leg-stretch and photo stop on a long desert drive, not a destination with a sightseeing list.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jun–Aug (desert heat), Dec–Feb (ice and wind on NV-375)
Airports
LAS · RNO
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Rachel911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Nevada road conditions (NDOT 511)511

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Rachel, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or a soft drink at the inn$3–6
  • Beerdraught or bottle$5–9
  • Budget bedCamping or RV site nearby, a night, per personUS$15
  • Mid-range bedLittle A'Le'Inn room, a night, per roomUS$130
  • High-end bedLittle A'Le'Inn room, a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial HighwayLittle A'Le'Inn bar and motelAlien-themed signs and gift shopsBlack Mailbox siteMilitary aircraft overhead
Airports
LAS Harry Reid International, Las Vegas (About 3 h by car via I-15 and NV-375; the usual arrival point.) · RNO Reno-Tahoe International (Longer approach from the northwest via US-95 and US-6; check road conditions.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    13°C (55°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  5. May

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    36°C (97°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    35°C (95°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    31°C (88°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

Best: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Avoid: Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (36°C (97°F)), coolest Jan (−4°C (25°F) low), wettest Jan (4 rain days), driest Jun (2). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Rachel: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

10°C (50°F)

−4°C (25°F)

4 rd

Feb

13°C (55°F)

−2°C (28°F)

4 rd

Mar

18°C (64°F)

2°C (36°F)

4 rd

Apr

22°C (72°F)

5°C (41°F)

3 rd

May

28°C (82°F)

10°C (50°F)

3 rd

Jun

33°C (91°F)

14°C (57°F)

2 rd

Jul

36°C (97°F)

18°C (64°F)

3 rd

Aug

35°C (95°F)

17°C (63°F)

4 rd

Sep

31°C (88°F)

13°C (55°F)

3 rd

Oct

24°C (75°F)

7°C (45°F)

3 rd

Nov

16°C (61°F)

1°C (34°F)

3 rd

Dec

10°C (50°F)

−4°C (25°F)

4 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

On foot. The village is a few minutes across; the store, gift shop and inn sit along or just off NV-375. You need a car for everything else — there is no public transport and no rideshare.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Alamo and Ash Springs

go

Door to door: About 1 h

North on US-93 by car

Fuel, food and a motel fallback if Rachel is full.

Pioche

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

NV-375 east, then US-93 north by car

Historic silver-mining town; too far for a return leg on the same day.

Panaca

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

NV-375 east, then US-93 and US-319 by car

Mormon settlement and one of two Nevada towns that bans gambling.

Tonopah

go

Door to door: About 2 h

NV-375 west, then US-6 by car

Halfway between Las Vegas and Reno; the natural next stop west.

Beatty

go

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min

NV-375 west, then US-95 south by car

Gateway to Death Valley; fuel and rooms.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Little A'Le'Inn, NV-375

The only motel in the village: bar, restaurant and rooms in one building. Book ahead; rooms are few.

Alamo or Ash Springs

About 1 h north on US-93; more rooms and a fuel stop if Rachel is full.

Tonopah

About 2 h west; a full-service town if you are driving the highway end to end.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–100 excl. bed
Mid
$100–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Little A'Le'Inn room1 × 1 night × US$130US$130
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110US$220
Rental car, one day, compact1 × US$70US$70
Fuel, Las Vegas round trip on NV-3751 × US$70US$70
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$52
Trip total≈ US$286 per person per day, bed includedUS$572

check

2026 estimate in US dollars; you need a car. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or a soft drink at the inn$3–6
Burger or bar plate$12–20
Beer, draught or bottle$5–9
Gas, per gallonHigher than Las Vegas; check$4–6
Alien souvenir T-shirt or mug$15–35
Motel room, one nightcheck$90–180

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The village itself is quiet and safe. The real risks are the desert — heat, dehydration, long empty stretches of NV-375 — and the Area 51 boundary, where trespassing is treated as a serious offence.
  • Do not approach or cross the Area 51 boundary. Signs are watched by cameras and armed guards, and entry is treated as a serious offence.
  • Desert heat and dehydration: carry more water than you think you need, especially May–September.
  • Fuel and food are limited. Fill up in Alamo, Ash Springs or Tonopah; the Rachel store keeps shorter hours than the pumps.
  • Cell coverage is patchy along NV-375. Download offline maps before you leave Las Vegas.
  • Sonic booms and low-flying military aircraft are normal here — not an emergency.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Nevada road conditions (NDOT 511)
511

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

RachelRachel

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Little A'Le'Inn, 1 Old Mill Road, Rachel, NV 89001To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Nevada road conditions511

Embassy

No consulates in Rachel. Nearest consular offices are in Las Vegas; embassies are in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Las Vegas → Rachel, by car: about 3 h, roughly 150 mi on I-15 and NV-375 (check)
  • Rachel → Tonopah, by car: about 2 h on NV-375 and US-6 (check)
  • Rachel → Alamo, by car: about 1 h north on US-93 (check)

Say or show

  • Where's the gas? — Where is the gas station?
  • Are you still serving food? — Is the kitchen still open?
  • How far to Tonopah? — How far to the next town?
  • Do you take cards? — Can I pay by card?

Fuel up before you leave the highway towns; pumps and kitchens here keep short hours.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Rachel. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jun–Aug (desert heat), Dec–Feb (ice and wind on NV-375) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LAS: last rental-car desk hours, drive time to Rachel, overnight rung.
  2. Walking cluster with rescue anchors: Little A'Le'Inn, the general store, the gift shop.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Little A'Le'Inn, Alien Cowpoke, Alien Research Center) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Desert and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources