"Project Faultless" Atomic Explosion Site
Warm Springs, Nevada
This spot was supposed to replace the more famous Nevada Test Site when the Test Site's nearby Las Vegas neighbors began complaining that underground atomic explosions were jiggling their casinos (which was bad for the roulette wheels and craps tables).
The U.S. government, ever accommodating, opened this site with much fanfare and detonated a one-megaton nuke here, less than a mile underground, on January 19, 1968. Unfortunately for the government, it created a shallow crater of about 4,000 square feet. This upset the local population even more than the Las Vegas casino owners, and all further tests were canceled. The shaft was plugged, creating an unintentional "monument" on which a memorial plaque was later affixed. It also warns against any digging, or taking away any dirt or rocks for souvenirs.
"Project Faultless" Atomic Explosion Site
- Address:
- Warm Springs, NV [Show Map]
- Directions:
- From the intersection of US 6 and the western end of Hwy 375 ("The Extraterrestrial Highway"), travel east on US 6 until you see a sign to Moore's Station near mile marker 76.5. Turn left (north) onto the dirt road for about 12.5 miles. When you come to the stop sign, continue straight for another 1.5 miles to the Monument. You will need a vehicle with high clearance for this last stretch, and this is a remote location, so be prepared to survive an emergency in case you go.
Nearby Offbeat Places
- Herman the Mouse, Manhattan, NV - 47 mi.
- The Little A Le Inn - Area 51 Bar, Rachel, NV - 73 mi.
