visitarea51.com

Glen Campbell originally blazed the trail to Freedom Ridge in 1993, and at the time it was the best place to view the Groom Lake base. In 1995, the Air Force seized both Freedom ridge and Whitesides, and now the closest you can get to Freedom Ridge is what is called Road Block Canyon.

Before they were able to seize Freedom Ridge, the Area 51 border security, known as the cammo dudes, blasted rock on the road to Freedom Ridge. This made it impossible to pass, until someone moved dirt around the rocks so that an extremely high clearance vehicle could pass.

Now that they own Freedom ridge, you can only travel 0.3 miles past Road Block Canyon before you reach the warning signs.

External links:

• LazyGRanch page on Road Block Canyon
• A great New York Times article about Glen Campbell and Freedom Ridge