Colorado River Valley Field Office (Bureau of Land Management CO) · Open Access
7,073 ft
Elevation
We cannot watch this one yet. It is not reservable through recreation.gov. Nothing here will alert you — browse what we do watch.
Dotsero Crater is a 700-meter wide by 400-meter deep maar volcano located in Dotsero, Colorado near the junction of the Colorado River and the Eagle River. It is classified as a scoria cone with evaporitic rock, basaltic tephra, and oxidized sandstone. Erupting approximately 4200 years ago, it is the youngest volcano in Colorado.Crater caused by Dotsero eruption. the site is a point of interest for hikers. This Holocene volcano erupted in the year 2220 BCE, give or take 300 years. When Dotsero blew, it created small scoria cones that were constructed along a NNE-SSW line on either side of the maar. The eruption date is based upon radiocarbon dating of wood found underneath some of the scoria.
It is one of the youngest eruptions in the continental U.S. and it produced an explosion crater, a lahar, and a 3-kilometer (1.9 mi) long lava flow.
Interstate 70 cuts across the lava flow. The main industry at Dotsero for years consisted of making cinderblocks from the volcano
Getting there
The site is located near Dotsero, Colorado. From Interstate Highway 70, take the Dotsero exit. Go east along the highway access road to road 8460 and drive north on this road to the recreation site.
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 12 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
Fees and stay limits
No fee
From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.
Member photos
Common questions about Dotsero Crater Rec Site
Can you reserve a site at Dotsero Crater Rec Site?
No. Dotsero Crater Rec Site is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.
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