There could be something going on but I don't think it is anywhere near what Popular Mechanics reported in its June 1997 issue.

Three buildings sit on the south side of the road going out to the missle base. Each has signs saying they contain explosives.

     Popular Mechanic's article stated that Area 51, America's top secret military base located at Groom Lake on the massive Nellis Air Force Range in Nevada, had been abandoned and had been relocated to an old missle base just out of Green River, Utah.

     Area 51 has been the center of much modern folklore in the United States for several years. There are rumors that aliens and their spacecraft are stored at the Groom Lake complex. Recent movies like "Independence Day" have fueled the fire. A few years ago, the borders of Area 51 were expanded by four extra miles by an act of congress to keep people from hiking to the top of adjacent mountains to view the base. And just recently, ex workers at the complex sued the United States government over sickness they believe was caused by burning hazardous wastes at Area 51. Up until then, the government wouldn't admit that Area 51 exists. The federal courts refused to hear the cases citing it might jeopardize sensitive military secrets.

Weather balloons were launched from this building before the missles were launched.

     The area referred to by Popular Mechanics outside of Green River is designated on flight charts as R-6413. The designation means it is a restricted airspace area. That restriction requires the government to put out a notice to airmen (NOTAM) twenty four hours before they plan to use the airspace. Otherwise, private and commercial pilots can fly directly over the area. Looking at flight charts of Area 51 shows a much different situation. Private and commercial flights are not allowed to ever fly over the area. Even the roads around Area 51 are heavily guarded and posted with signs warning of deadly force to trespassers, to prevent entry. It seems unlikely that the United States government would relocate such a top secret facility to, just a mile off of, Interstate 70.

     Each year the Red Rock Fourwheelers of Moab, Utah sponsor their Easter Jeep Safari. I had been a part of that year's events, fourwheeling between Moab and Green River, Utah on the Crystal Geyser trail a few weeks before Popular Mechanic's story broke. I had not seen a "secret" military base and had sure never heard of one. The next available opportunity I got, I was off to Green River with cameras in tow. Green River lies in Central Utah, a very small town, just to the north of Interstate 70. It didn't take me long to find the base. It is not very big and doesn't look like much. Apparently, the base was used in the early sixties to launch the Athena missle to White Sands Missle Range in New Mexico and was a pretty busy place at the time.

      Leaving Interstate 70, a paved road takes you past three buildings on the south side of the road that have signs that say they contain explosives. They are fenced off and locked up tight. Further down the road and to the south a quarter mile, is another building. There are no fences around this one. I learned later that this building was used to launch weather balloons before the launching of the

The launch complex control room is heavily vandalized.

     Athena rocket. Further to the east lies the main complex. The road leads right up the gates of the base which were open when I arrived. I stopped and surveyed the area and did not see any "No Trespassing" signs. With visions of military police shoving automatic weapons in my face, I reluctantly drove into the complex. The base has been heavily vandalized over the years and not much of what is left looks very salvageable. There were certainly no signs of life other than a jackrabbit that trotted across the field. In the center of the base lies an earth covered control center. Covered cable trays lead to other areas of the complex, including the building that housed the rockets and the launch pad. A few photographs were snapped and as quietly as I had entered the complex, I left.

Cables run throughout the complex in a series of covered cable trays.

     I made another trip to the base and there was a new chain on the gates into the complex but they were open. I took some more photos of the control room since I had not taken a flash with me on my first trip.

     After posting the photographs on my personal website, I have received some interesting e-mail about the base. One person even suggested that the new Area 51 may have been built underground. A high school student from Green River recently told me the base had been locked up and it seemed some things were going on. Fox 13 News in Salt Lake City ran a story about the base recently. In their report, the Mayor of Green River said they had been storing some things on the grounds but had been asked by the United States government to remove it, without being told why.

This is the old launching pad for the Athena missles.

     Could there actually be something going on at the missle base? Just a couple of years ago public hearings were held by the government about reopening the complex to shoot more missles to the White Sands Missle Base in New Mexico. There was a major concern by locals though, because of the population and tourism in Moab. One thing is for certain though, the United States government has not moved Area 51 to Green River, at least not yet.

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