Now you can hike to the bottom of Meteor Crater. It's not for newbies

• Meteor Crater in Arizona will begin offering guided hikes to the crater floor starting in May.
• The trail follows the same path Apollo astronauts used to train for moon landings.
• These advanced hikes are only for experienced hikers and take place on Saturdays.

Only 12 people have walked on the moon. Now, you can train like one of them.

No, you won't launch from a rocket-powered shuttle at Cape Canaveral and land on the moon. But you could experience similar conditions to the lunar surface at the place where the Apollo astronauts trained for moon landings.

Starting in May, Meteor Crater will offer guided hikes into the crater's floor, allowing visitors to follow the paths NASA astronauts used to simulate walking on the moon's surface.

This is the first time people who visit Meteor Crater, one of the nation's best-preserved meteor impact sites, can follow this path. They'll do so with an expert who will share information on the crater's geology, its mining history and astronaut training.

Be warned that the hike involves steep and uneven terrain. It's only for experienced hikers of advanced skill.

Can you go inside the Meteor Crater in Arizona?

Since Meteor Crater opened to the public, the floor of the crater was off-limits. But with the debut of the floor tour, it's now accessible — though just on Saturday-only guided tours.

The floor tour at Meteor Crater, which staff describes as "a rare bucket-list experience," includes the following:

• A guided hike into the crater floor via the Astronaut Trail.
• Expert interpretation on crater geology, mining history and astronaut training.
• Access to rare areas inside Meteor Crater not available on standard tours.
• Admission to the Meteor Crater Discovery Center.
• Access to exhibits, theater presentations, observation decks and the 4D experience.

Each tour can accommodate up to 35 people — close to triple the number of moon walkers in the Apollo missions.

How long does it take to visit Meteor Crater?

Floor tours last about two hours round-trip.

After guests check in at the visitor center, the experience will begin with a safety briefing and tour introduction, followed by the hike into the crater.

Upon returning to the visitor center from the crater hike, guests can explore the museum exhibits, theater, gift shop and cafe.

Can anyone hike to the bottom of Meteor Crater?

No. Meteor Crater staff said the hike to the crater floor is an advanced hike and not for beginners.

Hikers who embark on the floor tour must be experienced and comfortable with steep and uneven terrain.

When do floor tours begin at Meteor Crater?

Floor tours leave at 9 a.m. every Saturday starting on May 16.

How much is the floor tour at Meteor Crater?

Meteor Crater's floor tour costs $125 per person. The cost of general admission, which is $29 per person, is included in the price. Space is limited. It is recommended that you book ahead of time via the website.

Details: Interstate 40, Exit 233, Winslow. 928-289-5898, meteorcrater.com.

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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected].

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