Ever wonder what the Earth was like 50,000 years ago? Meteor Crater gives you the opportunity to look into the past. Also known as Barringer Meteroite Crater, the crater created when Earth was struck by an iron-nickel meteorite is widely viewed as the best preserved meteorite impact site in the world. Though the meteorite (known as the Canyon Diablo meteorite) was estimated to be a mere 80 feet in diameter, once it collided with the terrain, it left a crater nearly one mile across and about 550 ft high. If you want to get up close and personal, you can take a stroll along one of the outdoor observation trails. The fully air-conditioned visitor center offers a widescreen theater, an interactive discovery center, a gift/rock shop and an indoor crater viewing area. Located about 3 hours NW of Phoenix, 35 miles east of Flagstaff, Meteor Crater has been a source of intrigue for many through the ages, from the ancient Native Americans to its scientific discovery in the 1800′s to NASA and tourists today.
I went here years ago with my young daughter and believe me that anyone can find something interesting about this site. To think that a meteor only 6 miles wide killed all the dinosaurs, this one did significant damage also! Learn about the probablility of the next meteor colliding with Earth! Great photo op and education for the kids’ school projects! Worth the trip….