Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park

I think Death Valley has everything.  From salt flats to rugged mountains and now a crater formed by volcanic eruption.

Eric turns onto the access

road for Ubehebe Crater.

He stands at the rim to
look down into the crater.

My God, it's windy here!

Ubehebe Crater is half a mile

wide & 600 feet deep.

Hot magma rising toward the surface came into contact with water.   Super heated water releases steam, which expands until pressure is released in a huge explosion, resulting in the Ubehebe Crater.  

Cinder from explosions cover the area.  The rim of Ubehebe Crater has cinders 150 feet thick.  The farther from the crater, the thinner the cover of cinders.  The multicolored stone is older rock through which the steam eruptions occurred.  There are smaller craters south and west of Ubehebe Crater.  

Visitors can hike to the smaller craters.  There's also a trail to the bottom of Ubehebe Crater.  Eric and I are leaving for The Racetrack.