Location: Carson National Forest, New Mexico
The Official Story: In 1967, the Department of Energy detonated a 19 ton nuclear explosive at a depth of 4222 feet. It was not a weapons test – it was an experiment designed to test the theory that an underground nuclear blast could stimulate the release of natural gas.
While You’re There: The rarely-visited site in the picturesque national forest is marked by a simple plaque. But be aware, drilling is not allowed within 600 feet of the site.
Quote: “It didn’t really work–it made the gas all radioactive.” — Frank Szasz