Sedan Crater

Sedan Crater is a crater from a subsurface atomic test in Nye County, Nevada, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The circular depression spans 390 meters across and reaches 98 meters deep, with walls displaying distinct bands of uplifted desert soil.

The crater formed on July 6, 1962, through an underground atomic explosion of 104 kilotons that hurled roughly 12 million tons of rock and sand into the air. The detonation was part of a test series investigating civilian uses of atomic bombs.

The name comes from a program that explored peaceful uses of atomic explosions for engineering projects like harbor or canal excavation. Visitors can still see glassy, melted soil layers along the rim, formed by the intense heat of the blast.

Guided tours run once a month, allowing visitors to view the site from marked observation points at a safe distance. Advance registration through the Department of Energy is mandatory, and the location lies within a tightly controlled military test zone.

The explosion caused the highest radiation exposure to the American public ever recorded from a domestic test. Part of the radioactive cloud reached the east coast of the country at the time.

Location: Nye County

GPS coordinates: 37.17694,-116.04611

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:45