Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

New Extraterrestrial Highway sign appears in place of defaced one

Extraterrestrial Highway

NDOT

A new sign advertises state Route 375 as the Extraterrestrial Highway, in Crystal Springs. The road borders the Nevada Test and Training Range, the location of Area 51.

Earthly visitors will once again get to pose in front of the iconic Extraterrestrial Highway sign near the secretive Area 51 military test base in rural Nevada, highway officials announced Wednesday.

The landmark, located in Crystal Springs, was taken down Sept. 12 during alien-oriented festivities that drew hundreds of enthusiasts that month, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation. The sign is a popular stopping point for visitors to take photos, which can snarl traffic.

The previous sign was made unreadable by graffiti and stickers, the department said. To prevent further vandalism, the sparkling new sign — complete with an image of a stealth bomber — now stands taller and less accessible.

It sits at the junction of state routes 318 and 375, northwest of U.S. 93 in Lincoln County, on a stretch of road that borders the Nevada Test and Training Range facility, which has been the subject of lore and conspiracies.