We must have passed the entrance to this place dozens of times on our way to somewhere else. It’s crazy that in all of the years we’ve spent in Arizona, there are so many sights we haven’t seen. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument was one of those destinations.

Located just outside Flagstaff, Arizona, this outing was more of a field trip than a hiking expedition. The trails are short, scenic, and educational. And, thanks to the current pandemic, there were no entry fees.

Sunset Crater is the youngest cinder cone volcano on the Colorado Plateau. It erupted sometime between 1040 and 1100 AD. At 1,000 ft tall, it spans a mile at the base and has a crater that is 300 ft deep. Legend has it that John Wesley Powell named the volcano for its rim of red and yellow—the glow of sunset. By the early 1900s, the crater became popular with hikers and tourists alike.

In 1928 a movie company, wanting to film a landslide, proposed blowing up Sunset Crater. A public outcry for protection ensued— resulting in Herbert Hoover’s 1930 establishment of Sunset Crater National Monument.

Upon our entry to the park, the trees quickly gave way to a large, grassy opening—complete with a herd of frolicking antelope.

Dave and I chose the Lenox Crater trail as our starting point—a short 300 ft hike through sparse patches of shady, ponderosa pines to the summit.

How unexpected—we were anticipating a mostly exposed and barren landscape. During the eruption, this area incinerated. Geologists tell us it took about 400 years before signs of life reappeared.

Our next stop was the A’a Trail—a short walk through the Bonito Lava Flow. The expansive flow was sharp, jagged, and inhospitable—only to be visually broken by solitary pines and some struggling brush.

We followed with an informative walk through a field of cinders on the Bonito Vista Trail. This short, paved stroll was accessible, and family-oriented.

Imagine covering that much ground in a little over two hours! Dave suggested we continue the loop back to 89A to take in a pueblo or two. Heck yeah, why not? So we headed onward—towards Big House (a.k.a. Wupatki).

Next up: Wupatki.