• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Heart of Louisiana Logo

The Heart of Louisiana

  • Staycations
  • Regions
    • New Orleans Region
    • Capital Region
    • Acadiana
    • Southwest Louisiana
    • Central Louisiana
    • Northshore
    • North Louisiana
    • Bayou Region
  • 60 Second Road Trips
  • TV Stories
  • Buy Photos
  • Recent Posts
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Capital Area/Louisiana Meteor Crater
white pickup truck on highway that has a low spot

Louisiana Meteor Crater

Scientists working for the Louisiana Geological Survey believe they may have discovered a large crater caused by the impact of a meteor more than 10,000 years ago. The crater, more than a mile across, was discovered in a rural area of St. Helena Parish in southeastern Louisiana.

laser map image in green and yellow showing LA 37 road
Laser imaging shows a circular depression along LA Hwy 37, a possible meteor crater

Paul Heinrich of LSU and other scientists noticed a circular depression in a laser image along Louisiana Highway 37. Heinrich explained that “since there are no volcanoes in Louisiana and there are no salt domes in this part of Louisiana, we knew that something strange was happening.” Further research indicated that the feature was likely a meteor crater, possibly caused by a meteor impact that occurred more than ten thousand years ago.

Catastrophic Effects of the impact

The impact of the meteor would have been catastrophic, with the potential to similar to a small nuclear explosion. Heinrich estimates that anyone or anything within 20 to 30 miles of the impact would have been either killed or very badly injured. He estimated that the meteor was at least a hundred feet in diameter, similar in size to the meteor that made a crater in Arizona.

hammer being used to scrape earth to reveal clay fractures at site of Louisiana meteor crater
Paul Heinrich scrapes away topsoil to reveal fractures in the clay
red clay with light colored stripes along roadside ditch
Dramatic fractures in the clay of a roadside ditch along LA Hwy 37

The impact fractured the iron-rich bedrock and superheated water bleached the sediment. The evidence of the impact is visible near the crater’s rim, with tiny pieces of quartz showing similar shock marks.

granite fragments showing shock marks of meteor impact
Granite fragments show “shock marks” of meteor impact

exploring the louisiana meteor crater

While erosion and weathering in Louisiana’s soft soil have erased what was once a massive hole, the outline of the crater is still visible today. A St. Helena Fire Station is located on the western rim of the meteor crater, about 3 miles southwest of the town of Greensburg. Despite searching for fragments of the meteorite, geologists have had no luck. Typically, as much as 90 percent of the iron or rock meteorite would vaporize on impact. This type of meteor impact occurs every 2,000 to 6,000 years.

louisiana meteor crater featured on tv

Watch this Heart of Louisiana segment on the meteor crater

drive through the louisiana meteor crater

Louisiana Highway 37 runs through a portion of what is likely a meteor crater, located a few miles south of Greensburg. There is a fire station located on the western rim of the crater, and you will see the road drop in elevation to the east.

A dip in a Louisiana highway shows dip of suspected meteor crater
Photo taken from near the fire station shows a noticeable dip in La Hwy 37.

Explore Southeast Louisiana

colorful square quilt block outside window of florist

La’s Quilt Trail

    wooden trestle bridge of Tammany Trace bikeway crossing scenic Louisiana bayou

    Bike the Tammany Trace

      working beacon guides boaters to the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville, Louisiana

      Maritime Museum

        Written by:
        Dave McNamara
        Published on:
        February 22, 2023
        Thoughts:
        2 Comments

        Categories: Capital Area, Featured

        Reader Interactions

        Comments

        1. Rhonda

          February 25, 2023 at 1:45 pm

          My great grandmother & grandmother were born & raised in Greensburg, I’ve never heard this before, thank you, enjoyed

          Reply
        2. Paul James Norman

          February 26, 2023 at 4:34 pm

          It looks like a Tunguska-type impact. Had that been a solid impact just 10,000 years ago it would have formed a big creator / lake.

          Reply

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Heart of Louisiana logo

        Footer

        Copyright © 2023 Heart of Louisiana · Web Design

        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • About Dave McNamara
        • Contact
        • Advertising Opportunities
        • Archives
        • Privacy Policy
        • Site Map