Alien America
By Aimée Dowl
Posted May 15, 2008, at 1 p.m.
They've landed! According to thousands of Americans, aliens have touched down, crashed, performed experiments on humans, and in one case set up a UFO base in some of the country's most scenic areas. Small-town America in particular has had its fair share of extraterrestrial contact, and locals have created museums and memorials to honor their most famous close encounters, as well as some lesser-known E.T. moments. Roswell in New Mexico and Nevada's Area 51 are the world's most famous landing pads, but several less-known sites host fewer tourists and still deliver the aliens.
'UFO Watchtower' and Sangre de Christo mountains, Hooper.
© Karl Lehmann. Lonely Planet Images.
Aurora, Texas
Aurora, a hamlet of 853 people in northeast Texas, has one claim to fame: the world's first reported UFO crash, in 1897. The pilot of the alien craft is said to be buried in an unmarked grave in the local cemetery, where a plaque commemorates the incident. Many town folk believe that a local judge fabricated the story to put the unheard-of little town on the map, but expert studies by MUFON, one of the largest UFO investigation organizations in the country, revealed some metal remnants at the site that leave believers hanging. The UFO and the remains of the alien pilot have never been found.
Hooper, Colo.
With a middle-of-nowhere location and almost zero light pollution, the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, is world-class UFO-watching territory. Former cattle rancher Judy Messoline built the domed gift store and 10-foot metal watchtower — which is really more of a platform — a few miles north of Hooper, Colo., on Highway 17. It only costs $1 to mount the observation deck and tour Messoline's Vortex garden, which displays visitors' offerings to a parallel universe. The San Luis Valley is rife with lore about nighttime UFO landings, so it's best to pitch a tent at one of the watchtower camp sites and lay in wait for the expected visitors — or at least watch them flying across the heavens. In the light of day, guests can catch big-sky vistas of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range or desert formations at the nearby Sand Dunes national monument.
Davis Mountains State Park and Marfa Plain from Park Scenic Drive.
© Witold Skrypczak. Lonely Planet Images.
Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a small town in the west Texas desert where travelers flock to witness colorful, shimmering lights that appear after dusk. Those in the know believe that the lights come from extraterrestrial phenomena. Although University of Texas studies have ruled out any alien origin of the lights, believers have converged on Marfa for decades to see them glowing and prancing across the horizon. The town has built a large viewing deck for the many pilgrims that travel to Marfa to camp and watch the lights. And for those who miss out on the aliens, the star-gazing is a satisfying consolation prize.
Mt. Shasta, Calif.
For native Americans, Mt. Shasta in northern California is a sacred site with healing powers. For others, it's the home of a race of super-humans called Lemurians. But for alien aficionados, it's the site of many UFO landings and alien encounters. A few folks even believe that an extensive network of tunnels leads to a UFO base inside the mountains. The glacier-topped peak soars just over 14,000 feet near the Oregon-California border and is threaded with winding caverns where alien seekers claim to have encountered peaceful almond-eyed visitors. Talk of the aliens dates back to a 19-century book by Frederick Oliver called "A Dweller on Two Planets," which describes the author's meeting with the subterranean extraterrestrials. Since then, sightings of UFOs hovering over the peak have occurred frequently, leading some believers to speculate that the aliens are commuting between their home planet and ours.
Roswell, N.M.
This ufologist mecca features museums, monuments and tours that focus on an infamous 1947 incident in which a UFO crashed at a local ranch and was allegedly covered up by the U.S. military. The "Roswell incident" inspired dozens of books and decades of investigation and is easily the world's most famous UFO sighting.
Rachel, Nev.
Rachel is the only town near the remote, top-secret military installation called Area 51, which has been associated with UFO sightings for decades and ranks as America's second-biggest E.T. destination. The "Little a Lee Inn" (pronounced "Little Alien") is a bar, restaurant and hotel with Formica countertops, photos of UFO phenomena and alien burgers. The sign on the front door reads, "Earthlings welcome."
Bio: Aimée Dowl is a freelance writer and editor living in Quito, Ecuador. From her home at 9,200 feet above sea level, she has written for Ms., Bust, Yoga Journal, Lonely Planet Publications and various anthologies.
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