Odessa Meteor Crater

Odessa, Texas

Texas Bob Communes with the "Crater"

Since I was born and raised just a few short miles from the infamous "Crater" I had to include it my "Travels".  The "Crater" can only be appreciated by the serious meteor junkie.  The road was well paved and the parking area had two cars in it when I arrived.  That's a lot just to see a hole in the ground.  There are brochures available at the visitors shed and the a well mark trail runs through the "Crater" and up the west rim and back.  The trail has very good markers describing the various features.

Right in the middle of the crater is a 165 foot deep shaft that was dug by the WPA during the depression.  They were looking for the meteorite, estimated at 70 tons, that caused this depression.  They didn't find it.  It is now known that the meteorite was traveling at such a high speed it vaporized on impact. 

The shaft  was lined with timber as it was dug.  Sometime in the early 1950's somebody threw a lit tumble weed down the shaft to get a better look.  The timbers caught fire and the shoring was all destroyed.  The shaft is  now sealed with a cement cap.

Before I left a I had the opportunity to talk with Japanese tourist "Akima".  I asked her, "Why did you come to  the Crater?".   She told me, "I heard about this place and wanted to see it".

"TOUCHDOWN!!" Odessa Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Odessa Meteor Crater

 has been designated a National Natural Landmark

This site possesses exceptional value as an illustration of the Nations heritage and contributes to a better understanding of the environmental 1965 National Park Service United States Department of the Interior.