The Sunset Crater Cinder Cone

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument can be reached by driving north out of Flagstaff on highway 89 for about 12 miles until you come across a very well sign posted loop road, this road is roughly 35 miles long and is also used to access Wupatki National Monument right on the fringe of the Painted Desert.

At the visitor centre paying one fee gains you access to both parks, there is also a campsite here functioning on a if its full hard luck basis.

Inside the centre films on volcanoes and earthquakes are on show as well as a fully operational seismograph and a helpful park ranger is always at hand to answer any questions that you may ask.

This area of the san francisco volcanic field erupted in 1064AD spitting fire hundreds of feet into the air that could be seen for miles, volcanic ash would have been carried by the wind for hundreds of miles across northern arizona from the thick cloud above the volcano.

Local natives would have fled in terror as molten rock was tossed upward and would have rained down heavily on them on their return to earth, the carnage was such that all vegetation was obliterated in a five mile radius.

Lava flows from the east side of the volcano called Kana-a seeped for six miles and from the west side named Bonito for nearly two square miles.

Periodic activity was reported for many years until a final burst around 1250AD pushed the volcano to about 1000 feet in height and giving the cinder cone its unique shaping, with iron oxides and silica decorating the top in its current sunset red colour.

There are trails that you can take around the lava flows and you used to be able to take a trail to the cone itself but this was stopped in the early 1970s as the cone is only about 100 feet thick and too much damage was being done.

A cave that is permanently packed with ice near one of the lava flow trails has had to be closed due to a collapse and has been deemed unsafe to the public.

The san francisco volcanic field has many many cinder cones but none anywhere near as spectacular and perfect as this one.

Here you can view ancient multi storey pueblos that many experts have discovered were inhabited during and after the main volcanic eruption of 1064AD.

Over 2000 of these dwellings have been found with the biggest and best maintained being open to the public for you to view.

Scientists know that the drought of 1215AD would have made life very difficult for the natives but cannot say for certain why just 10 years later these people just upped and left without any trace.

Thats something for you to think about on your drive back to Flagstaff, that was a good day out dont you think?

Return from Sunset Crater to Painted Desert