One of my favorite places on earth is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, and who knew that there was a similar place to explore in Northern Arizona? Sunset Crater National Monument is fascinating and completely not what I was expecting to find in AZ. Trails through lava flows just like in Hawaii, ecosystems in the rocks, and really cool geology to geek out over, Sunset Crate National Monument is a treat.
I imagine you’re already planning on visiting Wupatki National Monument on your Arizona road trip, so Sunset Crater National Monument is an easy addition to the plan. If you need suggestions for more cool natural wonders or historic sites to check out in AZ, just let us know. Please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more, especially about a place a cool as Arizona!
Sunset Crater Volcano Lava Hiking in Arizona
I love getting to share such an interesting place as Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It’s just so different from anything else that you will see in Arizona. It’s that perfect blend of unique landscape and science-geek-ness that I love. Yes, it can be hot like the surface of the sun, but visiting doesn’t mean doing all of the trails in their entirety. You’ll see why this beautiful place is one of my favorite random stops in Arizona.
Why Sunset Crater Volcano is So Interesting
So much of Arizona is desert or high prairie that you don’t expect to see forests or mountain peaks, but they’re there! Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument has them. I love the diversity of the landscape here. You’ll find hiking trails through the woods and over lava beds, very similar to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. I can’t stress enough how different this part of Arizona is. Nearby you might have visited Wupatki National Monument, Montezuma Castle or Walnut Canyon, these are cool areas for seeing ruins from the Sinagua civilizations, but once you’re here at Sunset Crater Volcano NM it all starts to make sense why the ruins are just that: ruins.
The development and eruption of the Sunset Volcano is what they attribute the reason for the Sinagua peoples to have had to migrate from their settlements at Toozigut and Wupatki. The ash and catapulting rocks from the volcano threatened their lives so they had to move. These were a people with well built, compound townlike buildings and farmed crops. It must have been quite the series of eruptions.
What Type of Volcano is Sunset Crater?
First of all, to set any minds at easy, Sunset Crater is now a dormant volcano, meaning that it is not active and has not been in a thousand years. The last eruption is estimated to have been around 1085 AD. This is a cinder cone volcano, but as you can see by the variety of landscapes around, it spewed more than cinders. Lava flows, large rock bursts, ash and stone pellets all came from the volcano. Sure, it’s not as bit as Mount Rainier in Washington or didn’t leave a geologic footprint like Mount St Helens’ 1980 eruption, but Sunset Crater had a huge impact on the land and its people at the time.
Is Sunset Crater still Active?
Nope. It’s been nearly 1000 years since the Sunset Crater last erupted. As you go through the trails and stop into the visitor center, you’ll be able to read about the eruptions and how that impacted the ancient people of the high desert of Arizona. Sunset Crater’s eruptions when it was active were violent and shifted the way of life and where people could safely live at the time. Today, it’s not active and there’s no perceived threat of volcanic activity.
Things to Do at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
There are quite a few cool things to do at the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. If you’re coming from the north, from Wupatki National Monument, you’ll come to the hiking trails first. If you’re entering from the south/Flagstaff the first thing you’ll come to is the visitor center. I recommend starting at the Visitor Center if you can. I love geology and getting some insights into everything you’re going to see when you go hiking in Sunset Crater Volcano makes it even better once you’re out on the trail. This is also a great time to get your National Park Passport stamp and ask the Park Rangers for trail recommendations and to see if there are any closures.
For outdoor activities, you’ll see there are several hiking trails at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument that you can check out.
- Bonito Vista Trail – super short and paved, accessible trail
- A’a Trail – yes, a’a just like in Hawaii! Very easy but not wheelchair accessible
- Lava Flow Trail – 1 mile loop, paved, very easy – if you can only do one trail, do this one
- Lenox Crater Trail – 1.6 miles through the forest and lava flows, there’s a little elevation gain, but it’s still not difficult
- Lava’s Edge Trail – 3.4 miles round trip, it’s not a difficult trail, but the distance paired with the hot conditions make it a challenge on warm days.
Each of these offers a different perspective of the lava and volcanic events. If you’re like me, you basically geek out with each walk.
Being Prepared for Lava Hiking at Sunset Crater
The environment of each trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a bit different. You’ll have a few walks with shade from the pine trees and then others that are just in direct sunlight with heat radiating off the lava. Depending on the time of year, this can be one of the hottest places to hike. The Lava’s Edge trail really can be toasty, much like hiking in Saguaro National Park.
With any hike or walk, we always bring plenty of water for each person, and a few snacks for longer hikes. Be sure to pack out whatever you bring on the trail with you. The trails at Sunset Crater Volcano are well maintained, but for the longer Lava’s Edge or the Lenox Crater trails, I would recommend hiking boots or sturdy shoes. The shorter trails can be flip-flop trails if you want, but in any case, always be mindful of your footing and watch for rattlesnakes. I also like to bring an umbrella for shade when I’m hiking in Arizona. I’m all about sun protection and sun-safety.
Parking and Accessibility at Sunset Crater National Monument
There is plenty of parking at both the visitor center and the Lava Flow trail. If you’re visiting on the weekend in the fall or spring when the hiking season is at its peak, you might struggle getting a parking spot at the overlooks or at the east end of the Lava’s Edge trail. If there’s not parking, the Lava Flow trail parking area is good size and you can just add the short walk to the Lava’s Edge trailhead to your jaunt.
Operating Info at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
To complete your planning, here is all the information to plan your adventure. And remember, visiting in the summer mean high temperatures, so plan accordingly with water, shade and safety.
- Operating Dates/Season: year-round, 24 hours for outdoor spaces; visitor center 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
- Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle OR covered by your National Parks Pass Get your National Parks Pass here!
- Visitor Center office phone number: 928-526-0502
- Official website: National Park Service site
- Visiting address: 6082 Sunset Crater Road
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Other Volcanoes to See in Arizona
Did you know that Sunset Crater isn’t the only volcano in Arizona? There are actually more than 600 volcanoes and geologic hot spots in Arizona, with most of them being in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, which is a part of the Colorado Plateau. Not all of them have the dramatic and clearly visible signs of volcanic activity like Sunset Crater does, but there are still so cool areas to visit.
San Francisco Mountain, a stratovolcano (like Mt Rainier or Mt Fuji), is measured at 12,633 feet tall. It hasn’t had an active volcanic eruption for 100k years or more, so it’s considered an extinct volcano, but its worn down rocks are still beautiful off in the distance and has some cool hiking in the summer. In the winter people come here for the skiing at San Francisco Peaks. Yes, skiing in Arizona is possible because of the high elevation from the ancient volcanoes that shaped the state.
As you explore Northern Arizona and the San Francisco Volcanic Field, you’ll come across other volcanoes and mountains to hike. You’ll see that time has worn down most of them, but if you pay attention to the rocks at your feet and the shifting landscape, you can make out the interesting geologic history of the area.
More Interesting Sites to Visit in Arizona
The indigenous cultures of Arizona are just as much a beautiful element of the area as the landscape, and they both historically and presently play off the landscape in their art, dwellings and lifestyles. As you do an Arizona road trip, you’ll have lots of opportunities to support local indigenous artisans from the Navajo, Apache, Hopi and Paiute Nations. For historic context and ancient structures, here are some great sites and National Parks to visit in Arizona that really tell the story of the land and the peoples of the area:
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
- Casa Grande National Monument
- Saguaro National Park
- Toozigut National Monument
Each of these is actually a part of the National Park Service system, so you’ll have access to interpretive exhibits and rangers for any questions or learning opportunities at the different ruins.
Are you excited to visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and the other cool parks of Arizona? I hope so; I think this is one of the most interesting areas in the USA and such a treasure to get to experience. If you have any questions about visiting this spot or planning an AZ road trip, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
