lunar crater back country byway

If you enjoy taking those off the main highway tours, then take a trip on US 6 in central Nevada and turn off to the Lunar Crater. There are no services but tons of geological stuff to see, great for kids. It's like walking on the surface of another planet. Nearby is the volcanic field, also worth seeing. Just be sure to take sturdy hiking boots, water, warm clothing for evenings, food. This is the high desert and a long way from any sort of town.

This is a volcanic crater but looks just like a meteor hit - huge and beautiful. Does involve a 18 mile round trip gravel, washboard road but worth it.

We were driving from Goldfield to Jackpot when we came by this byway and decided to go for it. We have a 4WD SUV so the road did not intimidate us, but I'd think twice if I was in a passenger car as the road is a little rough. The road is a loop so if you go in from the west (you are traveling east) it is only about four or five miles to the crater, and if you keep going the road will take you back to the highway. The crater was very interesting and isolated. We were there in March and had the entire valley to ourselves. We walked almost halfway around the rim of the crater but there is no established path once you get a hundred yards or so past the observation point.Farther past the crater is a side road that directs to "The Wall" which is one mile. Don't drive past the parking area as the road gets really rough and it dead-ends at the top. From there you get a panoramic view of the next valley over. From there you can also see the large dry lake bed that you drive past on the way out.This was a highlight of that day, but it is so isolated out there, just seeing another car can also be a highlight.If you enjoy geology, or just like being in the middle of nowhere, then this place is for you.No restrooms, no cell phone service, no other people. Don't break down out there.

The Lunar Crater and it's surrounding terrain looks as though you stepped onto the moon. You don't have to take a space shuttle to get there. However, it's only accessible from HWY 6. Hwy 6 is a rural desolate & beautifully landscaped two lane route that runs from Ely to Tonopah. There are NO rest areas, restaurants and NO gas stations for nearly 150 miles. Be advised depending on your mobile service provider, you may not have cell service (I did not). The Crater has no physical address, I used GPS coordinates: 38° 23′ 2.29″ N, 116° 4′ 9″ W38.383968, -116.069167You will see a LUNAR CRATER sign on the left approximately 3-6 miles from the Black Rock Summit Sign (if you depart from Ely). There are 2 entrances and another section on the right that takes you to the Black Rock Lava Flow.The road that takes you to the crater is a Rugged, ridged, pitted, rocky dirt path. It is NOT recommended for rental vehicles. Depending on the time of year, you should check previous weather (recent rain or snow) as it can get really muddy, and this is the last place I would want to be stuck without mobile service. It will probably be a long while before you see another visitor. (I went in February). It is 12 miles one way from the road to the crater. It took me about 35 minutes. There is a sign marking the crater, as well as a bench to sit and enjoy the scenery. Be advised there are NO restrooms, water stations, fire pits/grills, picnic tables/shelters. It's an open field basically in the middle of nowhere. The crater is actually one of two maars, in the volcanic field near the Pancake Range. A maars is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater that is caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption, which is an explosion caused by groundwater coming into contact with hot lava or magma. A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow crater lake. It is approximately 400 acres in size. This landmark can be seen in as little as 2 hours or you can make it an all day/evening visit. I would love to come back at night to see the stars.What to bring: WATER, a GPS, snacks, sunscreen, camera & comfortable walking shoes.I loved seeing the open terrain, the crater & the mountainous landscape. I enjoyed the quiet peaceful remote location. If I had any complaint, it was no cell service.This attraction is ideal for someone that enjoys remote locations "off the beaten path". It's a hidden gem worth the trek.