Arizona Route 66 Side Trip to Meteor Crater

Fifty thousand years ago, a giant fireball streaked across the North American sky and crash landed into the desert that is now northern Arizona. Over fifty years ago, NASA used this same spot as one of its lunar training sites. What is this place? If you guessed Barringer’s Crater, more commonly known as Meteor Crater, you are correct! 

Meteor Crater is a natural landmark located approximately six miles south of Route 66 in Arizona’s Coconino County. A visit to Meteor Crater is number four on the list of “10 Things to See on Route 66 in Arizona.” When NASA was looking for places to prepare its astronauts for the lunar landing in the late 1960s, Flagstaff and some of the surrounding areas in Coconino County were chosen for a practice moonscape. The rocks and barren landscape, including Meteor Crater, became a learning lab for the astronauts.

We visited Flagstaff in July 2019 and one of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Meteor Crater, located 44 miles to the east off I-40 at Exit 233. Since we were visiting during Arizona’s monsoon weather period, we made sure to arrive at the crater early to beat the heat and to avoid any downpours. The weather turned out to be great and we had an enjoyable visit – more on our experience later.

Know Before You Go

• Meteor Crater Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Closed Christmas Day
• Limited hours on Thanksgiving Day – open from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
• Complimentary parking, including big-rigs and RVs
• Admission Prices (per person):
  • Adults: $18.00
  • Seniors (age 60+): $16.00
  • Juniors (age 6 to 17): $9.00
  • Non-Active Duty U.S. Military/Veterans (with I.D.): $9.00
  • Active Duty Military (with I.D.): FREE
• Regular admission includes access to the Discovery Center:
  • Interactive displays and information about meteorites, asteroids, impact cratering mechanics, and the formation of Meteor Crater; 
  • “IMPACT, The Mystery of Meteor Crater” movie shown in the Big Screen Theater;
  • See an actual Apollo test capsule;
  • Three Lookout Points featuring spectacular views of Meteor Crater and surrounding desert landscape; and
  • Guided Rim Tour (allow 45 to 60 minutes).
• Collision! 4D Experience Room is an additional admission fee of $5.00 each for adults and kids (age 6+). Kids 5 and under FREE if they share a seat with a family member.
• Discounted rates available for schools and groups of at least 15 people that schedule their visit at least two weeks in advance.
• Souvenir Gift & Mineral Shop onsite.
• Food and beverages available on site at The Blasted Bistro.

Meteor Crater’s History

Originally called Canyon Diablo, the crater was first discovered by American settlers in the 19^th century. In 1891, two scientists presented differing theories about the crater – one stated that there were meteorites of in Northern Arizona and the other one concluded that the crater was the result of a volcanic steam explosion. 

In 1903, Daniel Moreau Barringer, owner and mining engineer of the Standard Iron Company, staked a mining claim for 640 acres around the center of the crater. For the next two years, Barringer’s company conducted research focused on the crater’s origins. In 1905, Barringer and his team concluded that the crater had been caused by a meteorite’s impact that exploded with the force of two and one-half million tons of TNT.

After nearly six decades, research by Eugene Shoemaker in 1960 confirmed Barringer’s hypothesis and the skepticism from earlier geologists was finally put to rest. The public knows this spot as “Meteor Crater”, however its proper scientific name, which was determined by the Meteoritical Society, is The Barringer Meteorite Crater. In 1961, a simple visitor center was constructed on the site of the meteorite’s impact berm. More recently, a 3,000 square foot addition was completed along with interior and exterior renovations of the Meteor Crater Visitor Center. Barringer Crater was designated as a U.S. National Natural Landmark in November 1967.

Facts and Trivia about Meteor Crater

• The crater is about 1 mile (1,200 meters) wide and 57 feet (180 meters) deep, with a rim that rises above the plains another 148 feet (45 meters).
• It was created about 50,000 years ago, when a meteorite traveling about 40,000 miles an hour (64,000 km an hour) – 11 miles per second (18 km per second) – smashed into the Arizona desert. A shock wave of hurricane force winds flashed out in every direction, causing destruction for miles.
• Its interior was considered so similar to the lunar surface that NASA astronauts practiced there for the Apollo missions.
• The meteorite was made of nickel-iron and is estimated to have been about 150 ft (45 meters) across, weighing about 300,000 tons (270,000 metric tons).
• Over the years, geologists and other scientists have identified a lot of evidence 
• The crater and surrounding land are privately owned and managed by the Barringer family.
• The “Meteor Crater” name does not come from meteoroid or meteorite. It is named for the nearby town of Meteor.
• Most of the origin meteorite vaporized on impact.
• Holsinger Meteorite is the largest discovered fragment of the 150-foot (45-meter) meteor that created Meteor Crater.
• Latitude: 35.02719^™ N, Longitude: 111.02264^™ W

Exploring Meteor Crater – Our Visit

In summer 2019, we made a day trip to Meteor Crater during a trip to Flagstaff. After eating breakfast and a quick stop at the Flagstaff Visitor Center to pick up one of the new Route 66 passports, our drive took approximately 45 minutes and we pulled in to the parking lot at 9:15 AM. It was already getting warm. After paying for our tickets, we went upstairs in the visitor center and watched the “IMPACT, The Mystery of Meteor Crater” movie. Next, we checked-in for the Guided Rim Tour and followed our guide along the path to see the crater. Our guide, a local Winslow teacher on summer break, was excellent and we learned a lot from her. The estimate to allow 45 to 60 minutes for the rim tour was accurate. Check out this video virtual tour.

After Our Guided Tour

Next, we walked through the Discovery Center and looked at the different exhibits, some of them are interactive. One of the exhibit highlights is the Holsinger Meteorite. It is the largest discovered fragment of the 150-foot (45-meter) meteor that created Meteor Crater. If you collect pressed pennies, Meteor Crater has a machine and offers several designs – including a meteorite, an Apollo test capsule, and a Historic Route 66 sign.

Before we left, we made sure to visit the gift shop. The shop is a large space with many gifts and souvenirs – including rocks and minerals. We also checked out the café, The Blasted Bistro, that offers various snacks, beverages, and a menu from Subway sandwiches. Our final stop was to take some pictures at the Apollo test capsule that’s on display at the visitor center. Then we headed back to Flagstaff and explored some of the other places that NASA used in the 1960s to prepare the astronauts for the lunar landing mission.

Some Tips

• Plan to spend at least one hour to two hours at Meteor Crater (some people visit for up to three hours).
• Wear sturdy walking shoes.
• The top of Meteor Crater can be very windy – prepare for dust if you wear contacts and hold on to your hat.
• If you’re heading east after visiting Meteor Crater, be sure to visit Winslow (“Standin’ On The Corner”) and check out the Sipp Shoppe.
• A little further east, between Winslow and Holbrook, is Jack Rabbit Trading Post in Joseph City. Jack Rabbit is a must stop on Route 66!

Have you visited Meteor Crater? Did you know its history and connection to the lunar landing mission? Looking forward to hearing from you in the comments!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”