Trinity Site — Attraction in Four Corners States

This is THE spot. History is replete with turning points, but this was one of the biggest; the world's first nuclear explosion was detonated here. July 16, 1945, at 5:29 a.m.

This is the event that, in my opinion, brought humans into the modern age.

There is, almost literally, nothing to see here, as historical sites go; there is a dark stone obelisk about 12' tall built at the very site marking Ground Zero, directly beneath where the first nuclear bomb was being held at the top of a 100 foot tower, which was destroyed with the explosion (there is a small piece of one leg of the metal tower that remains, and can be seen near the obelisk). The area is almost one mile altitude, and the sun was notably more intense at this elevation than my home at sea level, so a hat, water, and sunscreen, is advised.

There were several food vendors at the parking area. Porta-potties were also available. No running water, no utilities here.

There is also at this location a metal structure, a small building, mostly below ground-level, that was built to protect a part of the glassy crater floor that was formed when the extreme heat of the nuclear blast turned the surrounding sand into a radioactive glass; however, in the ensuing years, the glass, visible through square portals in the 'roof' of this low building, has been naturally covered over by blowing desert sand, and it has been left this way, so there is nothing to see inside now.

The glass that covered the entire area immediately surrounding the blast area was removed by the government a long time ago and/or covered by sand, except what was preserved in the small metal building nearby, so fragments of 'nuclear glass' are not visible when you visit and walk around looking at the ground for it. Lots of people looked for it anyway, but this is sternly forbidden to remove, with due penalty if you are caught.

I had to laugh when I noticed a few people had brought geiger counters to test for 72-year old residual radioactivity from the blast; a slight increase was noted from the surrounding area, but nothing to be concerned about.

The site is miles within a US government test range, and access is restricted. The Trinity Site is only accessible to the public twice per year; the first Saturday of April and October. I estimated (pure guess) that there were about 400 people there during the two hours I spent there. I was in the line of cars waiting for the gate to open at 8 am, and my car was #56 in line! The desert sunrise while waiting in line that cold morning was stunning.

Again, once you reach the test site, there is very little to see other than the obelisk, a small piece of metal sticking out of the ground, and sparse dry grass and sand, but those that come here are not looking for a theme park experience, and you certainly won't get it here. What you do get here is the awe with understanding that here, at this tiny spot where you are now standing, THE EARTH CHANGED. This event was truly a watershed event in human history, and you can feel it as you walk the grounds. The immediate areas is flat desert, but mountains partially surround the area some miles away, and it gave me a chill to realize that, 72 years ago, all of these distant mountains were lit up by a light much more intense than the sun. When you walk around the First Ground Zero, deep inside you you'll feel awe, dread, astonishment, and hope. It is a visceral experience, a solemn experience, not a fun one, and not really sensible. But if you have some understanding of what the Trinity event means, then you must come, you must make a pilgrimage here, once in your life. No matter your feelings of nuclear weapons, good or bad, one cannot help but feel the immensity of history concentrated at this one small spot. And you can actually stand there. It was awe-inspiring to everyone there, it seemed to me. Everyone who goes there, to some degree or another, understands. And they had to be there.

For those people who understand, or are just curious, it is not just recommended,...

If you're not interested in the history of the atomic bomb effort in World War II, then the Trinity Site won't mean much to you. But if, like me, you've read about the Manhattan Project, the scientists involved in the effort, and the resulting cold war and find it fascinating, visiting the Trinity Site is simply a must-do. Truly there's more to see than you expect, from the historic markers to the long-abandoned ranch house used to assemble the plutonium implosion device. There are also many guides helping you understand the locations and things that went on in 1945.

From doing a good bit of research online and calling the public information office at White Sands Missile Range, here's what we put together for our visit. It worked well, so here are some suggestions:

Plan to enter the Range through the Stallion Gate on the north side, which is about 12 miles east of San Antonio, NM. You'll want to line up fairly early, by 6:30-6:45AM at the latest. The closest town with hotels is Socorro, where there are several good choices. (We used the Econo Lodge and found it to be very nice.) Leave Socorro at 6:00-6:15AM and you should be fine. Bring a bottle of water if you want one.

The gate opens at 8:00AM, and the security personnel get people through very quickly. Then you drive about 20 minutes to the Trinity Site parking lot. You'll probably want to hit the relief stations, then immediately go get on one of the buses that take people to the McDonald Ranch House, when it will be less crowded. Be sure to talk to anyone there who can tell you about the house and the device assembly on the test day.

Then take the bus back to the test site, and walk the 1/4 mile to ground zero. There are informative signs posted around the perimeter fence, a commemorative obelisk, and a model of Fat Man, the core of which was the device tested there.

If you've planned correctly, you should easily be finishing your visit before the large caravan from Tularosa arrives, bringing hundreds...

Notes: bring a hat, sunscreen, and lots of water. Even in April we were burning up. If you’re in a wheelchair, you’re going to have a really tough time here. The ground is rocky and uneven in a lot of places.

We took the Trinity Site tour from The Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. You pay for round trip coach, water and lunch. It was worth every penny. The military escorted us through White Sands Missile Range to the Trinity Site—something that only happens 4 times per year. Once at the site, it was a bit crowded, but not so much that it was overwhelming.

When you first arrive, I’d suggest going straight to the McDonald Ranch House. You need to wait in line for the white military busses to drive you from the parking lot to the house. It goes quickly. Standing where the bomb was assembled was sobering. Don’t miss out on the photos outside the home. Read the captions. It really helps you understand and feel the urgency and weight of this project. The house itself is wheelchair accessible, but getting to the house on the (school) bus and the walk from the bus to the house will be difficult.

The walk to the blast site from the parking lot is about a quarter of a mile. It goes fast. Pretty easy for most people, including kids. But it’s not wheelchair friendly. I don’t know if the military police can drive you to the blast site in their cars if you’re disabled—I didn’t ask.

At the site they have good signage about the history of the bomb and the men who helped make it. Get there early if you want a picture with the obelisk marker.

Overall, I really learned a lot. I have a new found respect for the scientists and personnel that worked on this project. And being able to stand where this bomb was tested...