Groom Lake (salt flat)
Groom Lake is a dry lake, also described as a salt flat, in Nevada. It is used for runways of the Nellis Bombing Range Test Site airport (KXTA). Part of the Area 51 USAF installation, it lies at an elevation of 4,409 ft (1,344 m) and is approximately 3.7 miles (6.0 km) from north to south and 3 miles (4.8 km) from east to west at its widest point, and is approximately 11.3 miles in circumference. Located within the namesake Groom Lake Valley portion of the Tonopah Basin, the lake is 25 mi (40 km) south of Rachel, Nevada.
| Groom Lake | |
|---|---|
Groom Lake | |
| Location | Nevada, United States |
| Type | Dry lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3.7 miles (6.0 km) |
| Max. width | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Shore length1 | 11.3 miles (18.2 km) |
| Surface elevation | 4,409 ft (1,344 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The nearest publicly accessible vantage point is Tikaboo Peak, 26 miles to the east. There were two closer vantage points, dubbed "Freedom Ridge" and "White Sides", but they were closed to public access in 1995 to prevent people from taking pictures of the installation.