Looking for the location of a huge, little-known sinkhole in Kaibab Knolls near Ash Fork (not Dante's Descent) (Prescott: 2014, home)

[always az]

Have heard of a tremendous natural sinkhole in this area that was featured in Natl. Geographic once (supposedly) as world's deepest. I grew up in Kaibab Estates West and have been to Dante's Descent, but never could track down the "rumored" (???) Big One. Northern AZ has many legends, is this one of them?

[Ash Fork Rat]

I still live in KEW . have not heard of a big sinkhole other than your mentioned one . what might give you an answer is , have you ever been to "Grand Canyon Caverns " West of Seligmen . I have been there and have taken my visitors there for a tour . the guides spiel for years has been , that an exploration was made and smoke bombs were released . story is that in a couple of weeks smoke was seen in Grand Canyon and attributed to the explorations smoke bomb . that goes to show that the ground underneath our feet is honeycombed with caves . most likely the ground above one section caved in .I have lived here for 20+ years and will talk to some older guys to see what they might know .

[JakeKreckman]

I've been to a sinkhole that's 200ft across and it took a rock the size of a soccer ball 7 seconds to hit the bottom. I have property by ashfork. It's on dirt roads back about 5 miles

[rambrush]

Ashfork is full of History, they also have a great visitors center/Museum.

Anyway nobody has mentioned Johnson Crater or the Historical Railroad tunnel up in Johnson Canyon.

Some of the craters are on private land and visitation is not welcomed.

[always az]

Originally Posted by JakeKreckman

I've been to a sinkhole that's 200ft across and it took a rock the size of a soccer ball 7 seconds to hit the bottom. I have property by ashfork. It's on dirt roads back about 5 miles

Hello, JakeKreckman! I found your reply very intriguing, although it took me a long time to find it. I'd given up months ago on ever getting any feedback on my thread. Sounds like you know of the hole I'm thinking of, one that a certain lady offered to take me to years ago (never got the chance, though). By your figures, if the seconds elapsed were reasonably accurate, I figured the depth at about 750 feet, taking into consideration sound travel time. That's impressive; Dante's Descent is about 350 to 400 feet deep and no more than 100 feet wide. Have you been to that one? By the way, I read on one of Ash Fork's websites that the State has now closed the Descent to the public. A little unfortunate, but maybe that will stop the trash flow into it!
Where is the sinkhole that you referred to located? I'm still a bit of a buff for caves in Northern AZ, even though I currently reside in the Midwest. However, if it's "classified" I won't push for any info. I hope to visit Arizona in the near future for a Grand Canyon hike with some friends, and might swing through my old "stomping grounds."
Rambrush mentioned Johnson Crater, a pretty neat place that's NOT on private land! Worth a visit if you enjoy things like that. Listed in some guides as a volcanic crater, but I believe it's actually a meteor strike site. Someone we knew told the story of the ranchers who watched the meteor impact there, then went out to see the damage the following morning, finding the rocks around it still glowing red-hot, their horses stamping from the heat. While I have no verification for this account, it seems possible. And I've also been to the railroad tunnel on the abandoned Johnson Canyon line, incidentally while searching for a rumored cave. Someone told us that you can still find the wreckage from the train disaster that closed that section of the Santa Fe, lying in the canyon bottom near the tunnel. Someday I hope to go look for myself.
Best wishes!

[Wecave2]

As someone who has rappelled AND organized a cleanup of Dante's quite a few times- 20+ years ago, I'm also intrigued by this other pit you're looking for. Heck. I can't find Dante's now. Lol! If you're interested in caves and caving, join caves.org, the website for the National Speleological Society. Cave softly!

[azbchiker]

Wecave 2, this is always az that started this post in 2014.

I have not looked at this forum for years and have even lost my user account... But your response from Aug. of '16 interests me. I have also been to Dante's Descent a few times. My dad worked at a stone quarry several miles north of the 'hole and took me out there a few times. During one of my last visits, there was a team of rapellers finishing up at the pit. I have heard that the sinkhole is now closed.

You can actually see Dante's Descent on Google Maps satellite. Go to the I-40 exit for Crookton Road, the first one west of Ash Fork. Just pan north from there and a bit west. You will see a black dot; that's it!

As a boy, growing up in Ash Fork, I went to the Prescott grotto one time; back then I loved all things caves! At the time, the grotto did regular cleanup at DD. Perhaps you were connected with them? A friend of ours used to discuss rumors of caves to keep my interest piqued. One of my dreams is still to see Cathedral Caves in Juniper Woods (off AZ Road south of I-40). A caving group has it now, hoping to eventually offer tours. We own some property back there beyond the caves, 12 miles from pavement.

One rumor we chased for years is a fact... That of an elusive cavern near the abandoned rail line and tunnel, mentioned by rambrush earlier in this thread. My dad and I finally located this spot. There is indeed a cave running back into the canyon wall at least 50 feet (and further if you want to act like a mole, er, caver). Hope to return some day!

[curly5759]

Here is a couple of photos of Johnson crater that I took in 2017. My camera couldn't get the entire thing in one pic.

[ceakins]

Here's a google maps link to the location. It seems like someone posted the wrong location. I fixed it. I just bought property in Kaibab West estates myself. Interested in talking to locals. I'm originally from AZ, have a cousin that owns Ransom International in Prescott Valley. Love this area, have always felt at home here, so when I had my chance I scooped up a piece of it.


https://goo.gl/maps/n9oXnA1H5kBFz5Jk8


I'm interested to know what this crater is called, can't find any info on it, but it's about 5 miles from my property. So I'm guessing it's on private property. On Catalina road.

https://goo.gl/maps/7ia1r86f7p36gMhp9

[azbchiker]

Originally Posted by ceakins

Here's a google maps link to the location. It seems like someone posted the wrong location. I fixed it. I just bought property in Kaibab West estates myself. Interested in talking to locals. I'm originally from AZ, have a cousin that owns Ransom International in Prescott Valley. Love this area, have always felt at home here, so when I had my chance I scooped up a piece of it.


https://goo.gl/maps/n9oXnA1H5kBFz5Jk8


I'm interested to know what this crater is called, can't find any info on it, but it's about 5 miles from my property. So I'm guessing it's on private property. On Catalina road.

https://goo.gl/maps/7ia1r86f7p36gMhp9

Interesting, I've had my eye on that crater for a while too. Johnson Crater, mentioned by another post further up, seems to have been a meteor impact site in the early 1900s (per local lore). I have identified several other craters with similar characteristics, incl. this one near Dante's Descent: (highlight and "go to" on Google):

https://goo.gl/maps/Ph8prL5cAqJLTxjX6

Here's the link for Johnson Crater, a neat place I've been to many times:

https://goo.gl/maps/ASBUxN5CRBu5EfZH8

And another crater several miles from that one, in the wall of a small canyon it appears:

https://goo.gl/maps/JGZ5vFJMxZbsfYvM9

There are a few others visible on satellite imagery too. Would be neat to get some research on this apparent meteor impact field.