Biggest Pit in the World

Herriman, Utah

The Bingham Canyon Mine holds the coveted title of "Biggest Pit in the World" -- and it is a major tourist draw. Why bother with the way-the-heck-out-of-the-way Grand Canyon when you can gaze at something just as spectacular only a 90 minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City?

The Kennecott Copper Corp. has been digging this hole for over a century -- and it is proud. Signs on the site boast: "A mountain once stood where this huge bowl is now." One-half mile deep and 2.5 miles wide, if it were a stadium it could seat nine million people.

Kennecott digs approximately 250,000 tons of rock out of the pit every day, so this is one attraction that gets bigger and better every time you visit.

The overlook and Visitor Center were wiped off the face of the earth on April 10, 2013 by a 145-million-ton landslide -- a not uncommon event on the edge of a giant pit. Beginning in 2019 visitors could take a bus to a new observation site, which includes informative signs and photo ops (and costs $5). Or, in the summer months, they can drive for free to an unofficial overlook on the southwest edge of the pit.