Valles Marineris in 3D

Mars · on the rim of Ius Chasma

Along the equator of Mars, east of the Tharsis bulge

Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system in the solar system. On the rim of Ius Chasma the floor lies about 6 km below you, three times the depth of the Grand Canyon, and the far wall is some 20 km away. Layered deposits in the walls hint that water or ice once filled parts of these canyons; how much, and for how long, is still argued.

Where: Along the equator of Mars, east of the Tharsis bulge
Length: About 4,000 km, a fifth of the way round Mars
Depth here: About 6 km below the rim
Formed: As the crust stretched over the Tharsis bulge, then widened by landslides

Walk Valles Marineris in 3D

A real-time 3D model, shaped to published NASA and USGS elevation measurements. Loads 1.4 MB when you start.

Works in VR on Meta Quest and other WebXR headsets: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR.

Valles Marineris rendered in real-time 3D

Walk it yourself. Works on this phone.

Part of the Beyond Earth pack: a one-time unlock in this browser.

Shaped to NASA and USGS elevation measurements · a 3D reconstruction, not a photograph

Hear the guide

The narrator from the app reads each tour stop. Transcripts below.

Seven kilometres down
Known0:20

The floor of the chasm is about 6 km below this rim, three times the depth of the Grand Canyon. The far wall is about 20 km away; in the wider chasmata to the east it is 100 km off and lost in the haze.
A crack in the planet
Known0:17

Valles Marineris runs about 4,000 km along the equator, a fifth of the way round Mars. It opened as the crust stretched over the Tharsis bulge, then widened by collapse and landslides.
Water in the walls?
Theorised0:14

Layered deposits and sulphate minerals on the floor suggest standing water or ice once filled parts of these canyons. How much and for how long is still argued.

How we built it

A procedural model shaped to published NASA and USGS elevation measurements (MOLA, HiRISE). It is a reconstruction, not a photograph.

Open Valles Marineris in Farstep

The full site on your phone: a narrated guided tour, passport stamps, offline, and smoother graphics than a browser can give.

Narrated guided tour, stop by stop, in nine languages
Passport stamps for every hotspot and finished tour
Works offline once installed
Stonehenge free; other sites are one-time packs. No ads, no subscription.

Open in Farstep

Get it onGoogle Play Download on theApp Store

On iPhone the button opens the App Store.

Valles Marineris: questions and answers

How big is Valles Marineris?

About 4,000 km long, a fifth of the way round Mars. On the rim of Ius Chasma, where this walk stands, the floor is about 6 km below.

How did Valles Marineris form?

The crust stretched and cracked as the Tharsis bulge rose, and landslides widened the troughs. How much water helped is still argued.

Can I walk around Valles Marineris in 3D?

Yes, in your browser. Everything on this page is free to read. Walking Valles Marineris in 3D is part of the Beyond Earth pack: a one-time purchase with no subscription, and signing in with the same account unlocks it in the Farstep app too.

Can I walk Valles Marineris in VR?

Yes, on a Meta Quest or another WebXR headset: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR. The left stick walks, the right stick turns and the trigger opens the fact cards.