Fifty thousand years ago, a meteorite hurtled through space heading straight for Earth and what is now Northern Arizona just outside Winslow.
Traveling 26,000 miles per hour and weighing 300,000 tons, the iron-nickel meteorite crashed with a force 150 times greater than an atomic bomb. The resulting impact crater is as deep as the Washington Monument is tall, almost a mile wide and available for viewing everyday at Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum.
Considered the best-preserved impact site in the world, Meteor Crater is a national landmark and a must-see gem when traveling through Arizona.
The crater is massive and various stats are offered to help understand its scope. One employee shared that 20 football fields could fill the crater floor and more than 2 million spectators could line the crater’s sloping sides. According to exhibits, the crater’s circumference is over three miles.
The size and scale of Meteor Crater is impressive and can be admired from multiple observation decks at different elevations and during guided walking tours along the rim. The public is not allowed to venture down into the crater bowl.
The visitor facility is top notch, especially the Discovery Center & Space Museum. It features quality exhibits and hands-on activities explaining the science of meteors and the history of this specific impact site. There is also a small theater, which shows a well-produced movie about the crater at regular intervals.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the crater is its long association with the U.S. space program. In the 1960s, NASA prepared its Apollo astronauts for moon exploration at the bottom of Meteor Crater.
Why? Because the moon is covered in impact craters, so Meteor Crater's rough terrain is perfect for emulating the moon’s surface. In fact, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, who became the first to walk on the moon during their historic 1969 trip, trained at Meteor Crater.
Placed at the very bottom of the crater is a six foot mannequin in a space suit representing an astronaut. It looks like a tiny white dot, daunted by the crater’s massive size. You can see the “astronaut” and other special features within the crater by looking through fixed telescopes at the observation decks.
Additional onsite features include an actual Apollo 11 training space capsule; a gift and mineral shop; and Meteor Crater Mining Company, a coffee house/lounge with snacks, drinks and grab-and-go food items.
Meteor crater is a stop worth making. In addition to seeing and learning about this unique, natural wonder, it’s clean, well-run, and looks brand new – a major plus for any tourist destination.
Tips for Visiting:
• Open daily, 8 am - 6 pm (open until noon on Thanksgiving; Closed on Christmas Day)
• If you're short on time, 90 minutes is plenty for a quick visit.
• The facility is easy to navigate. There are some stairs, especially outside, but accessibility options are available.
• Ample parking.
• Pets aren’t allowed into the facility, but a secure, shaded pet area is available.
This story is part of a series that highlights some of the historic, kitschy and beautiful sites when driving coast-to-coast along 1-40 and Route 66, aka the “Mother Road.”
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