Meteor Crater

Meteor Crater is considered a National Landmark, under the protection of the Dept. of the Interior. It is 'owned' and governed by a private group of people including area land owners and the family of the man responsible for researching the area, Daniel Barringer. Mr. Barringer was not the first person to investigate or mine the area.

50,000 years ago a meteor fell to the earth creating 

this hole between Winslow and Flagstaff AZ.

Scientists have estimated the meteor traveled at a speed 

of 26,000 mph as it came crashing to the earth.

The crash created a hole over 4,000' in diameter, 550 feet deep, 

and 2.4 miles in circumference. Twenty football games could 

be played on the crater floor, simultaneously, while more than 

two million observers lined the slopes...THAT IS BIG!

NASA has used the crater for training Apollo astronauts because it is

 the closest thing on earth to resemble the surface of the moon. 

It is still used by NASA today as a training and research facility.

The center of the crater is filled with 700–800 ft of rubble 

lying above crater bedrock. One of the interesting features 

of the crater is its squared-off outline, believed to be caused by 

pre-existing regionaljointing (cracks) in the strata at the impact site.  

(Wikipedia)

The eastern slope

The western wall

The large boulder on the left is said to be as large as a house.

Some close-ups of the nearby rock

 Interesting patterns in the rock

Correctly identified: sandstone

Daniel Barringer, a mining engineer from Philadelphia,

 believed a large meteor was buried beneath the crater floor. 

He came to this area initially to mine for iron and was the first to label

the hole as a meteor impact sight, not a volcano as was first believed.

Many shafts have been drilled below the surface. There is no meteor buried.

There have been and still are minute pieces of meteor in the crater and the area.

View of the landscape to the north of the crater.

The winding, curvy line in the center was the paved road

(6 miles) we traveled from Interstate. 

This is a research and training site as much as a tourist attraction.

The view to the east

Maybe one of the rancher land owners????

Flat, flat area because it is a mesa.

Cows to the northeast

Barren, barren land

It was interesting to learn that MOST meteor impact sights on

earth have been leveled by erosion. Thus the importance of the

Barringer Crater or Canyon Diablo Crater.

A viewing window in the north wall

Not sure of the mountain range

This little machine was in the parking lot when we were ready to leave.

Too unique not to take a photo!

Then it was onto stop #3 of the day...Sunset Crater National Park.