“Uncover the Astonishing Tale of Meteor Crater: Witness the Legacy of a Colossal Meteorite Impact in Winslow, Arizona.”
“Unveil the Secrets of Meteor Crater: Journey to a mesmerizing ancient impact site nestled near Winslow, Arizona. Discover the awe-inspiring story of a colossal meteorite collision over 50,000 years ago, creating a vast, bowl-shaped cavity known as Meteor Crater. Learn how this cataclysmic event shaped the landscape, leveled forests, and formed a desert oasis. Explore the Meteor Crater Visitor Center, offering immersive indoor and outdoor viewing experiences, guided tours, and fascinating insights into the impact’s aftermath. Unearth the mysteries of Earth’s history and witness the power of nature at this designated Natural Landmark, where every step unveils the wonders of our planet’s past.”
Off exit 233 on the 1-40 near Winslow, you can find Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, the result of an ancient meteor strike.
Over 50,000 years ago, space and earth came together when a huge iron-nickel meteorite, approximately 150 feet wide and weighing several hundred thousand tons, impacted an area outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, with a force 150 times greater than an atomic bomb. The result of this impact was devastation for miles and the creation of the giant bowl-shaped cavity we call Meteor Crater, which measures 550 feet deep and almost a mile wide.
The impact occurred during the last ice age, a time when the Arizona landscape was cooler and wetter than it is today. The plain around it was covered with a forest, where mammoths, mastodons, and giant ground sloths grazed. The force of the impact would have leveled the forest for miles around, hurling all life unfortunate enough to be nearby across the plain. Over time, the landscape recovered.
Nestled on its north rim, Meteor Crater Visitor Center is one of the most popular attractions in Northern Arizona. You can experience the Crater spread across the landscape in an air-conditioned indoor viewing area, outside on one of the observation decks and self-guided trails, or a guided tour along the rim. If you have pets, the facility offers an outdoor Pet Ramada for their safety while you enjoy the attractions.
The meteorite weighed 300,000 tons and traveled at a speed of 26,000 miles per hour (12 kilometers per second). When it struck the earth in what is now northern Arizona, it exploded with the force of 2½ million tons of TNT. The desert that we see today has helped to preserve the crater, by limiting the erosion that might otherwise have blurred or erased the traces of the ancient impact.
A lake formed in the bottom of the crater, and sediments accumulated until the bowl was only 550 feet deep. Then, with the ending of the ice age, the climate changed and dried.
In 1968, Meteor Crater was designated a Natural Landmark by the Department of the Interior.
If you’d like to see this amazing site firsthand, tickets can be purchased online and used on any day. They are nonrefundable and never expire. Tickets include access to the Discovery Center & Space Center, the Collision! 4D and Impact! Theaters, along with guided rim tours of the crater. While there, check out the coffee house and gift shop.
Adults (age 13-59): $27
Seniors (age 60+): $25
Juniors (age 6-12): $18
Non-Active-Duty U.S. Military / Veterans with ID: $18
Active-duty U.S Military Personnel is Free!
Hours:
Daily: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Open until 12 PM on Thanksgiving Day & Closed Christmas Day
(928) 289-5898
www.meteorcrater.com
