Sneak A Peek At The Legendary Area 51 With Beautiful Desert Scenery From A Hidden Nevada Summit

Have you ever wondered what's really in Area 51? The notorious government black site in Nevada and the existence of a mysterious UFO-related program is one of the United States most enduring curiosities dating back several decades. Although getting inside the military complex is illegal and practically impossible for anyone without high-level security clearances, there is one great place where you can still sneak a glimpse: Tikaboo Peak.

This hidden summit amid the Nevada mountains is the best place to get a look at the infamous dark site and is essentially the nearest place to the mysterious Area 51 site that you can get — legally, anyway. Located just over 100 miles from Las Vegas, the summit at Tikaboo Peak overlooking the mysterious military base is a must for any adventurous soul wanting to sit down and let your mind wander about what might exist in the stars, the sky above, and within the secretive Area 51.

To know what's really happening at Area 51, you'd probably need special access only given to top government insiders. The government only even confirmed the existence of the site in 2013 after the release of an unsealed CIA document that said the location was used in the 1950s to test a new type of spy plane.

But for years some have speculated that the enigmatic Area 51 site is home to the remains of crashed alien spaceships and its inhabitants, along with secret programs related to everything from reverse engineering extraterrestrial tech to the development of all sorts of different otherworldly advances. Regardless, the site's infamy has reached mystic proportions in modern society and pop culture over the years and has inspired everything from movies and books, to the widely covered viral 2019 Internet meme in which millions of people confirmed a 2019 Facebook event called "Storm Area 51," although only a few thousand people actually showed up, and no one made it inside.

A better option for outer space fascinated tourists who want to investigate the mystery of Area 51 for themself, without storming the site and getting in trouble with the law, is definitely Tikaboo Peak.

To get to Tikaboo Peak, no doubt your scenic otherworldly Nevada road trip will include the so-called Extraterrestrial Highway, a roughly 100-mile loop known as State Route 375 that goes from the Nevada Test and Training Range to the Nevada National Security Site that includes Area 51.

Once in the area, reaching Tikaboo Peak isn't easy, but it's worth it. First, proceed to a 25-mile dirt road located off the Great Basin Highway just north of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, but make sure you're in a vehicle with four-wheel drive. Next, put on your hiking boots and prepare for a steep hike just over a mile or so to the peak. If you're looking to stay overnight in the region before or after your adventure, one great option is the quaint, alien-obsessed town of Rachel roughly an hour from the entrance to Tikaboo Peak.

If you're interested in experiencing some additional extraterrestrial tourism in different states, definitely go search the cosmos at one of Colorado's most unique roadside stops with otherworldly vibes: The UFO Watchtower in Alamosa, San Luis Valley. Another unique option is traveling to the quiet Florida town of Cassadaga. The world's 'psychic capital' is a spiritual mecca in the South with serene parks and Victorian homes.