Lunar Crater National Natural Landmark

The Lunar Crater National Natural Landmark is a good side trip if you ever find yourself traveling across Nevada on US 6. These are not meteor craters but do resemble craters you would find on the moon. Lunar Crater Volcanic area covers over 100 square miles at the southern end of the Pancake Range, 75 miles east of Tonopah in the center of Nevada. There are cinder cones, lava flows, elongated fissures, ash hills and two deep craters. The largest is the Lunar Crater at 430 feet deep. No trail drops into the craters but one could make the trek if they really desired. Wildflower season is said to be nice thanks to the volcanic soils. The Lunar Crater Back Country Byway is a 24 mile loop that passes through the entire area and is shown on the topographic map below. To do the entire loop be prepared for all types of road conditions, especially after rain but the access to the main sites are well graded.

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Access:

Between Ely and Tonopah on Highway 6 is a BLM sign for the Lunar Crater. A six mile unpaved but well graded road takes visitors to the Lunar Crater. The only turn left a few miles in takes one to the Easy Chair Crater. Traveling beyond Lunar Crater will take you to Lunar Lake, which could have water depending on the recent rains.

Nevada Sights

Lunar Crater from viewpoint one

Lunar Crater from viewpoint two

Easy Chair Crater

Easy Chair Crater Peak from the north

Road to Lunar Crater

Lunar Crater Natural Historic Landmark Scenic Byway

Big Sand Springs Valley Lava Flow from a distance

The Wall - Pancake Range

Parking area for the lava flow

Lava flow

Road along the edge of the lava flow

Trail to the Easy Chair Crater goes up this small hill

Short trail to the Lunar Crater Observation Point

Looking down to the car from the Easy Chair Crater viewpoint

Lone seat at the Lunar Crater

Wildlife

Sign marks the crater