Alien mugs, ashtrays and shot glasses are among the extraterrestrial trinkets for sale at the Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel, Nev. (Laura Rauch / For The Los Angeles Times)
A mural on the side of the Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel, Nev., reflects the establishment’s proximity to the U.S. government’s top-secret Area 51, one of the most famous regions in UFO lore. (Laura Rauch / For The Los Angeles Times)
A road sign near Rachel, Nev., indicates Extraterrestrial Highway, the official name the state gave Highway 375 in 1996. Visitors, chiefly UFO enthusiasts, have added stickers to the sign along the two-lane roadway, a desolate desert stretch near Area 51. (Laura Rauch / For The Los Angeles Times)