Big Crater

Big Crater is one of the largest craters in the monument. It has a unique color of red, brown, and black. The Big Craters are a series of spatter cones and open fissure flows. The slope of each cone is 50 to 60 degrees near the summit and decreases to approximately 30 degrees near the base. The upper slopes are sharp and rough but the lower slopes are smoother and are similar to cinder cones. The cones range in height from 12 to 20 meters and have chimney like vent areas. Most of them have collapsed and are now filled with rubble. On the northwest portion of the Big Crater area are two vents that remain intact.