Barringer Meteor Crater

This meteorite piece weighs 1400 lbs.

Bud & I have gotten hooked on the Science Channel's "Meteorite Men" this winter. I can't decide whether I like Steve Arnold better or Geoff Notkin; though Geoff does wear a P. Skeets Navajo ring like mine and his last name is only one letter different from Doug's. They make a good team. Would we have stopped at Meteor Crater were we not fans of the show? Maybe. But we've been past it before and never stopped.

Meteor Crater aka Barringer Meteor Crater is located six miles south of I-44 west of Winslow, AZ. We overnighted in Winslow on our way to Lorrie's near Phoenix, so the Crater stop was an early morning one. It was COLD on those viewing platforms outside - strong NW wind really dropped the windchill factor - but there was plenty to see on the inside.

An early geologist investigated the sight and concluded it was the result of a volcanic explosion. In the early 1900's, Daniel Barringer, a mining engineer, theorized it was an impact crater. He formed a company expecting to get rich from huge iron ore deposits. He did find a large piece of the meteor which kept his investors from pulling out. But in 1928 when a new mine shaft hit water in quantities that could not be pumped out by equipment on hand, Barringer sought additional investors. By then too many other learned men had debunked Barringer's theory of a large quantity of iron ore and his board of directors suspended all further mining operations.

Meteor Crater is approximately a mile across and 550 feet deep. You can hike the rim, but not into the bottom. From a viewing platform you can look through a telescope and see the remains of mining operations as well as a picture of an astronaut. During the 1960's, NASA astronauts trained in the crater for the Apollo missions to the moon. The Crater is believed to have been formed 40,000 to 50,000 years ago. It is an interesting and worthwhile stop I recommend to everyone.