Impact craters are formed when a meteorite, asteroid or comet collides with the Earth’s surface. While not as common as other geological features, some national and state parks do have impact craters within their boundaries.
The National Park Service (NPS) and state park agencies have a responsibility to protect and preserve these geological features as part of the natural resources within the parks. They may have regulations in place to protect the impact craters from damage or disturbance and may also conduct monitoring and research to understand the impacts of human activities on the craters.
Some examples of impact craters that can be found in national and state parks include:
- Meteor Crater, located in Arizona, is a well-known impact crater that is preserved as a National Natural Landmark.
- The Manicouagan Crater in Quebec, Canada is considered one of the most well-preserved impact craters on Earth, and it’s protected in the Manicouagan-Uapishka World Biosphere Reserve.
- The Gosses Bluff Impact Crater in Northern Territory, Australia is protected in the West MacDonnell National Park.
Visitors to these parks can learn about the formation and geology of impact craters through ranger-led tours, educational programs and interpretive exhibits.
Overall, Impact craters are an important part of the geological history of the Earth and national and state parks play an important role in preserving, protecting, and interpreting these resources for future generations.