Meteor Crater Winslow

Relive a smash hit and explore the crater left by a crashed meteor

The town of Winslow helped inspire an FM-radio hit that rocketed up the charts. Nearby Meteor Crater, meanwhile, showcases the handiwork of a massive meteor that fell from the sky. Located only 26 miles apart, this pair of quirky attractions in the southern Arizona desert deserves the attention of music lovers and astronomy buffs alike.

Alan Levine

Winslow: The Eagles Have Landed

For a small railroad town between Flagstaff and the New Mexico border, Winslow has certainly worked its way into the nation’s popular consciousness. Winslow and its tourist board were more than happy to capitalize on the town’s cult status when the Eagles’ 1972 song, “Take It Easy” blared from radios across the country with lyrics that contained the line, “standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.” The town established an official Standin’ on the Corner Park (on the corner of Second Street and Kinsley Avenue), which features a bronze statue of the song’s protagonist, a young man who catches the eye of a girl in a “flatbed Ford.”

But not everything about the statue is easy. Controversy rages as to whether artist Ron Adamson’s guitar-toting musician is Jackson Browne (who wrote the song) or Glenn Frey (the Eagles member who sang it). However, there’s no mistaking the painting that adorns the building behind the statue: It’s a big “window” reflecting the female mentioned above driving a Ford truck and looking flirtatiously at the young musician.

Alan Levine

Meteor Crater: A Major Hit

Some 44 miles east of Flagstaff and 26 miles west of Winslow, Meteor Crater, nearly a mile across and over 500 feet deep, takes a while to get your head around. The colossal hole resulted from a massive rock plummeting to earth from outer space at a speed of 26,000 miles per hour (that’s 10 times faster than a rifle bullet). As roadside attractions go, this one truly delivers.

Hour-long hiking tours explore the rim of the crater, and there’s also an observation deck and a small museum overlooking the hole. Highlights of the museum include a 1,400-pound meteorite and an Apollo test capsule.

For More Information

Meteor Crater Enterprises

800-289-5898

www.meteorcrater.com

Arizona Office of Tourism

866-275-5816

www.arizonaguide.com