Meteor Crater

The only way to actually set foot outside the complex and hike the rim of Meteor Crater is to take the guided walking tour. We took the final tour of the day, which left at 2:15.

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The half-mile path led us around the west side of the rim, giving us spectacular, unfettered views of the crater.

The rules say you must wear closed shoes, and the guides are meticulous in enforcing that rule. While it isn't an extremely difficult hike, the path is tricky and covered with these powdery rocks and pebbles, which were created by the shock of the meteor's impact and blasted out of the crater.
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I huffed and puffed up the first hill (there were many small hills), but after that I did well and managed to stay at the front of the pack. There were more than a dozen of us in the group.

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The guide stopped several times to point out interesting sites and lecture about the history and geology of the crater. It gave us all a chance to catch our breath.

While it's not as breathtakingly awesome as the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater is an incredible monument to the power of nature.

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I tried to imagine the magnitude of the impact, how the ground must have rumbled and rolled, how powerful the sound of the blast must have been. All life within 20 miles of the impact would have been killed.
The tour stopped for a final photo op at the outcropping of red rock I pointed out in my last post.

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The guide offered to take this shot of Dylan, Sarah, and me on the ledge above the crater floor.

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The first picture on this post, with Dylan seated on the red rock, was also taken here.

After hiking the half-mile back to the museum (my cardiologist would be proud of my 1-mile trek!), we continued our workout on the paths behind the complex.
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The steps on the left lead up to the highest observation deck, while the path on the right leads to the lower platforms. Here, Dylan and Sarah wrestled over the telescope.
We walked down to the lower decks first. There were plenty of telescopes available on these platforms, no need for wrestling matches!
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At the bottom of the crater are unsafe mine shafts that have been fenced off. An American flag and a 6-foot tall plywood Astronaut are attached to one fence, but they aren't visible from the rim with the naked eye.

Dylan's favorite subject is science, so he enjoyed the crater. However, he's still a 12-year-old boy and was often distracted by lizards near the path.

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He managed to capture one, but it escaped. Here he is pursuing it off the path. I reminded him that nasties like scorpions also inhabit the area!
Finally, we climbed a long flight of steps to the top observation deck. My legs ached, but the view was amazing!

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The high-desert plains stretched out more than 40 miles in all directions. In the further distance were the volcanic mountain ranges so common in this area. Gorgeous!

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In this shot you also see one of the lower platforms.

We shot pictures on this highest ledge, posing alongside visitors from England, Australia, Germany, and Japan.
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The wind had really picked up by this time. Dylan was leaning into the wind, shouting, "There's nothing but air behind me, Mom. You might wanna hurry up and take the picture!"
Sarah opted to put the boulder between herself and the ledge. I love her hair here, a testament to the strength of the wind!

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You'd think wind erosion would be a concern (it reaches 100+ mph in this area), but it doesn't disturb the interior too much. They receive less than 7 inches of rain annually, which helps prevent water erosion.

I also liked this pensive moment, with Sarah sitting on the rim and contemplating the world at her feet.
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It was a great, impromptu day trip, an opportunity to see the hand of God in the world around us.

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And time well spent with my children!