Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument - Arizona

Address:6400 North Hwy. 89
Flagstaff, Arizona
Tel: (928) 526-0502

Sunset Crater, the youngest volcano in the Colorado plateau, is a cinder cone in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. Minor volcanic activity in the 13th century added reddish-orange rocks to the volcano's rim resulting in the name "Sunset Crater." The San Francisco Peak's multiple lava flows and cinder fields dot the arid landscape and provide an unforgiving habitat for the rugged animals and plants that are able to withstand the aridity. Wolves, elk, and several other mammals and birds call the pine forest around the park their home.
A scenic drive or a beginner's-level hike are two great ways to take in the exceptional views. Caution is in order, as the lava is sharp and brittle and can be difficult to navigate. The steep Lenox Crater Trail lets visitors actually climb a cinder cone.

Sunset Crater is the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. The volcano's red rim and the dark lava flows seem to have cooled and hardened to a jagged surface only yesterday. As plants return, so do the animals that use them for food and shelter. And so do human visitors, intrigued by this opportunity to see nature's response to a volcanic eruption.