Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

First thing I did was stop at the visitors center to pick up my usual souvenirs, a magnet, ornament, and tokens! Then I continued onto the Lava Flow Trail which was an easy 1.3 miles loop for me. Views throughout the monument were fantastic, with the Volcano in one direction and snow capped mountain peaks in the other. I visited Dec 30th, 2025 to a beautiful 40 something degrees sun shining day.

I stopped here to take a break on my way from the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff. Honestly, this place was more amazing than I expected. Walking the trail, I could really see and feel the volcanic traces. The view of the San Francisco Peaks was absolutely beautiful.

This was a beautiful area with great views of the natural landscape. It was very interesting to see the lava fields in person. Then also reading the plaques about the astronauts using the lava fields to practice for the moon missions. The drive is great with a fair amount of pull offs and photogenic views. If we had more time we probably would have tried the hiking trails instead of just the paved walkways. Anyhow it was a great time. Definitely come and check it out for yourself.

It was my first time seeing the aftermath of an inactive volcano. Truly an incredible experience watching how Mother Nature has been healing and recovering ever since that eruption thousands of years ago. Suggestion: Lenox trail at sunset time has great views

Arrived as the snow started falling. Amazing views!! Highly recommend for anyone wanting to see a volcano. You can see wonderful scenery and even get a glimpse of a mountain where the snow never melts.

The preserved lava flows in this area are amazing! This area including accessible parking and restrooms are well taken care of with lots to explore and all kinds of vantage points. It was a shame to see how much had been destroyed by fire though.

Highly recommended! It is very interesting landscape. We enjoyed walking in Lava Flow Trail. It's easy walk.

It was a beautiful place, and it was still cool when we went in early June 2025. We briefly stopped at the visitor center, which was actually closed. The ranger was putting out the flag and was kind enough to give the kids an activity pamphlet to fill out to get a badge. We got the badge when we arrived at Wupatki National Park after driving through Sunset Crater Park. The black lava remains around the park and is pretty near, and it speaks to the size of the volcanic eruption at the time.

All of my years coming to Flagstaff and this my my first time at Sunset Crater. What a site to see in person. From vast pine trees to trails carved around the volcanic rock. It was beautiful to see the bits of red where new trees are seeding. There are so many trails to check out and the ride through is beautiful. We passed an area to camp inside as well.While short I did love the A'a Trail. It really gives you an idea how fast the flow was. Bring good shoes and the lava rock is pretty jagged. The sand is a bit hard to walk through. Hiking shoes preferably, but can be done in vans like me in some area. Just use caution.

Part of our America the Beautiful Pass, we were able to avoid paying the $25 entry- we stopped at the visitor's center to obtain a map for exploring the various trails- We decided to opt into walking the Lava Flow trail, then into the Leonox Crater loop- The views were outstanding, a different beauty of AZ, compared to the red rocks we had been hiking earlier in the week- the forest's destruction, the slow regrowth over the years- it was fascinating to see & learn about via signage along the trails- They were all easy walks, incline along the Leonox Crater, but nothing vigorous- Overall worth the visit

I was kind of hesitant at first to pay the $25 entry fee! But was I surprise. We spent hours walking around the crater. It was the most amazing Feet I've ever seen!

Worth a stop to take pic of sunset crater and the visitor center has ton of info about volcanoes in the area. Also don't forget to get your little one their Jr ranger booklet. There were trails to hike but we were unable to due to time constraints and my mom who can't walk too far.

I was driving through Flagstaff and made a stop here at Sunset Crater National Monument. It is one of three national monuments in the area. Sunset Crater is a great stop if you want to see lingering effects of volcanic activity in Northern Arizona. Years back, lava flowed from this volcano and produced a layer of ash and lapilli in the area. The crater itself is black in color with a red rim and stands 1,120 feet. Today the Sunset Crater Volcano is extinct. I enjoy hiking whenever I visit national parks and monuments and wanted to do some hiking here despite the snow. You can't hike up to the crater anymore because of erosion caused by hikers over the years. But you can hike the one-mile self-guided loop trail around the base of the crater. I ended up doing that and enjoyed my time looking at lichen on the rocks and the plant life in the area. There is a nice visitor center at the entrance. The Tunnel Fire burned over this entire area in 2022. The Monument reopened about a year later but the Lenox Crater Trail still remains closed. Lava's Edge Trail is a hike along the jagged edge of the Bonito Lava Flow. After you are done exploring Sunset Crater, head up the road and check out Wupatki National Monument where you can see several ancient Native American dwellings.

Beautiful small monument dedicated to the previous existing volcano. Last active around 1200 AD. There is a nice large trail snaking around the lava that's now solid. Recently a forest fire made some parts look more char than usual. There are campgrounds in the park. Cute visitor center with lots of info. Small amounts of gift items though, no t shirts?!? Please expand the gift shop!

This was the beginning of a long loop 2 lane road of learning about volcanoes in Arizona and the native Indians that occupied the land before and after. The eruptions are thought to last more than a year. The ash fallout went for Miles. And yet the Hopi and Zuni survived 1000 years ago. The volcanic activity is equal to Maui or mt. st. Helen's or Pompeii. Devastating.

We visited on a weekday and had the visitor center and trail nearly to ourselves. The displays in the visitor center were very informative as were the staff. My kids loved the junior ranger activities and learned a lot. This is a great stop if you're staying in Flagstaff.

We were here many years ago and to be honest I forgot most of what we saw in the 90's. We were surprised to learn of the massive forest fire that hit this area last spring. I don't recall reading about it but then again the west has suffered from many fires in recent years. We did a number of small hikes along some newer paths that were all paved and very nice. The signage was very educational. The fires have closed a number of hiking paths so there is not much hiking to be done at this time. It is lucky that all of the fires spared the visitor center. I really liked all of the information on how they used the lava flows to train NASA astronauts for the moon. It was interesting to see how the crater cone has slowly recovered over the last 50 years since they stopped people from climbing it. Overall worth a detour if you are in the area visiting the Grand Canyon.

Another gem to visit if you're in the Flagstaff area. There is a nice visitors center that gives you an overview. Then there are various trails to hike. We went to a beautifully paved trail. That trail gave us spectacular views of lava fields and valleys. We veered off on a trail that took us down into the lava and then joined up with the main trail again. Beautiful scenery.

We did the driving loop. It's about 30mins apart driving. $25 entrance fee per car and you can enter through Sunset Crater entrance or Wupatki entrance. The Sunset Crater Volcano opens 24/7 and the Wupatki entrance is from sunrise to sunset. We went to Sunset Crater Volcano first. Visitor center is closed but it's open for restrooms. Bring your passport to get your passport stamps! They have 3 types of stamps that you can stamp yourself. Next we followed the path to the crater parking lot. Another set of restrooms here but it's the built in portable ones and not as clean. We parked and followed the paved path along the Lava Flow Trail. It says 1 mile loop but we didn't do the entire loop and just went out to the overlook and back. Try to tap into the energy and meditate. I felt an overwhelmed of sadness and anxiety here. But on the flip side through all the black charcoal background, there are signs of life and colorful wildflowers growing. Truly an amazing place and full of history. Stayed here for about 15 mins then drove 30 mins along the loop to Wupatki, stayed there for 15 mins then took the loop back and exited where we came from to stay off the busy highway. You must see both and it's handicap accessible with the paved and dirt walkway for both. There are no food eateries, gas stations, or hang out spots. The nice restrooms are at the Visitor Center at both places and the portable ones at both parking lots.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a cool stop during any road trip! After checking in at the ranger station (there is a fee unless you have an applicable membership card, like the National Parks Card), you immediately hit the visitors center. It's a must stop to get caught up on your volcanic and regional history. From there, it's straight away to one of the hiking paths. I believe they can all be accessed from the same parking lot. We opted for the longer Lava Flow trail (although it was windy and blustery cold, so we didn't go all the way down the trail). The scenery is beyond what you would expect from a volcanic eruption... and there is plenty of greenery that has grown through the lava in the last 800 years or so. You'll notice the lichen everywhere bringing an air of color to the surroundings. Lichen, after all, are the organism that first appears after a volcanic eruption as it can survive conditions that most other organisms cannot! Many ponderosa pines have also appeared throughout the years! I only knock off one star because you cannot hike to the top of the crater and look down into it. Volcanic rock has a tendency to erode and they closed the paths 50 or so years ago. ****FOUR STARS****

Went o. A weekend trip to the Flagstaff Cinders and checked out Sunset Crater with our grandson. He really loved it. Very clean park.

Two primary sections. The southern entrance has two to three short trails in the lava overflow area. Dark crusted earth in contrast to the snowy mountains. Note there is NO access to the actual Sun Crater. You can view it at the base from afar at a viewing platform. The northern section is 20 plus miles away. A drive through barren land until you near the second visitor center. The Wupatki trail has one of the largest well preserved villages I have encountered. If you stop by the desk, they give you a map of numbered sections of interest. The other pueblos are not as interesting. A lot of driving if you want to do both and prepare for lots of sun exposure, so start early if attempting both spots.

Beautiful and serene. There are a few short trails in this area. We asked a volunteer which trail we should do (if we only had time to do one) and he recommended the Lava Flow Trail. There's a paved area (for wheelchair access) as well as a longer trail. It ends up being a mile or so total. It was an easy and lovely stroll. We were national monument hopping so we decided to skip the next recommended trail (Lenox Crater Trail) in the interest of time. It didn't sound like it was all that different or had anything particularly unique to offer. I'm sure it's also lovely so if you're spending more time here, you should totally check it out. Overall, this is a quick visit so paying the high admission fee ($25) seems less than ideal. I highly recommend buying the annual pass but there might also be a discount if you're visiting all the national monuments in the area. I recommend checking out all the local ones, if you have the time. Both Wupatki and Walnut Canyon are great stops. If I had to choose one, I'd recommend Walnut Canyon (it's beautiful and fascinating).

This place is cool af. You pay $25 admission and get access to both Sunset Crater and Wiupatki National Monuments for seven days. Sunset Crater is a volcano that erupted over 1000 years ago. Walking amongst the ash on the hiking trails was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Most of the hikes are fairly easy but I wouldn't consider them wheelchair or stroller friendly. There is one paved trail that would be appropriate - the lava flow trail. There is parking, as well as bathrooms, as the trailhead. It is a paved 0.3mi loop. There's also an unpaved 1 mi loop as well. The visitor center is nice as well. They have a lot of educational material, snacks, and souvenirs available.

Absolutely stunningly beautiful views. I recommend going when the trees start turning their Fall colors. There are signs along the trail with interesting stories of how the crater came to be. Honestly, pictures don't even do it justice. You have to see it for yourself.

Never did I ever think I would hike through a volcanic rock, lava flow field! As we were driving through the park I spotted the lava flow & got excited! I wanted to go explore, but there wasn't anyplace to pull over- until there was! Hooray. I hopped out of the car so fast! No time for reading information signs- I was in the trail. I discovered quickly, many of the rocks don't move- aka, lots of trip hazards! Step carefully as you make your way through jagged rocks. There's a path, but there is still set volcanic rock that isn't moving! The nice lady who took our picture turned & tripped! Thankfully, she caught herself- but it was a reminder to all of us in the trail to be careful. Stop walking to look around. The volcano when it erupted covered hundreds of miles with lava from inches deep to 100+ inches deep! Very cool experience & happy to use that National Park Pass again!

Sunset crater is about 25 mins north of downtown Flagstaff and we gave it a go. It's a $25 entrance fee which is good for all the national parks or $80 for 1 year unlimited entrance. If you decide not to do the $80 then you can put your $25 entrance fee towards it within the 7 days which is neat. The trails are clean and lots of little information signs along the trail. You are not able to drive up to the actual crater as there was too much wear and tear on it. It's still a beautiful place to learn about history and see all the lava rock and petrified land. The cinder hills are located here as well so you can take your ATVs or can-am out and camp as well. Beautiful park and we will make it back soon!

I didn't even know that this place existed until recently, so we decided to make the trip up to check it out. In February, the weather was pretty nice which allowed us to get out and walk around. It was a Friday, so it wasn't very crowded either. We spent about 2-3 hours here. As we entered the area, we stopped at the visitors center to use the restrooms and take a look around. Due to COVID, the "museum" section is closed but the store is still open. Only 3 people are allowed inside at one time. Staff are wearing masks and there is plexiglass separating you from behind the register. The restrooms are nice, but only one person is allowed in at a time (unless you are traveling together). There are stalls inside. I believe we did the lavas edge trail, which was a pretty mild hike (if you're like me and hiking isn't your thing, you'll be fine). It was as fun though and provided some nice views. There is also a small loop (Lava Flow trail?) that is paved above the rest of the trail for those who may be unable to do the larger loop. There was a guide at this trail who was able to answer questions and point you in the right direction if you needed anything. We have a National park pass that allows us to get into national monuments as well, so for us the trip was totally worth it. I'm not sure what the price is to enter if you don't have a pass, but others have mentioned that it's $25 per car which may feel a bit steep if you only walk one or two trails. However, they need money to preserve the area so I also can understand. Either way, we enjoyed our trip, although I'm not sure I would need to return again.

Driving from the desert side, we looped into the black sand and rocks with a touch of yellow grasses of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. This 34.5 miles point-to-point trail and scenic drive is surrounded by the Coconino National Forest. * Not only were we amazed of the transition between the two parks but the piles of lava remains is unbelievable! We hiked the easy A'a Trail (a Hawaiian word for "stony rough lava") and the moderate Lava Flow Trail with rough and loose surfaces that loops across the base of Sunset Crater Volcano. These two trails are the best hiking trails to explore if you can only do short hikes at Sunset Crater. They are open year-round with great campsites. Note that the lava rock is sharp and brittle so be careful. * We liked it here; the landscape captures your imagination with its unique and violent geologic history. We spent our sweet time walking the trails, enjoying the scenery - felt like you're in a different planet! * For more outdoor adventures, follow @Bodintures

This was a stop on our tour (Sedona to the Grand Canyon) and about 15 miles outside Flagstaff. I never knew this existed or that Arizona had volcanic activity and lava fields. It really looks like you are on another planet! I could really imagine "other world" movies being filmed here. The museum part is closed in vivid times. If you want to spend any amount of time here, bring your own drinks & snacks as there is no concession. This is a must see if you are heading to Wupatki National Monument.

This park was such a pleasant surprise. Who would think there is a line of volcanos in Arizona! Sunset Crater erupted about 900 years ago so, in geologic terms, happened yesterday. Lava flowed over hundreds of square miles, in some places over one hundred feet thick, others just mere inches. While there are no trails on Sunset Crater itself there are many trails, some paved and easy and others more strenuous over the open lava fields. The black lava rock is everywhere and such a different environment.

As of a few months ago, Sunset Crater was a large black lava flow surrounded by dense pines. It was surprising to know that the volcanic eruption occurred 900 years ago because the lava was so intact it looked like it had solidified yesterday. The lava was hard and sharp. It made me wonder if the Native Americans in the area used the lava stone as tools. If not, then maybe it was because the rock was too hard to form. Thinking back on the view of the lava surrounded by large pine trees, it reminded me of a time capsule camera where one objects stays the same while the vegetation appears to grow rapidly. The lava has not changed in 900 years while large pines have grown around it. I imagine that after the eruption, all of the trees and plants died. Only the areas that were not covered in 5 feet of lava have grown back. Now that the most recent April 2022 fire has killed many of the trees in the area, it will take significant time for them to grow back. In the meantime, the lava will stay the same.

Located about 15 miles north of Flagstaff, there lies a cinder cone volcano amongst a field of hardened lava flows. Upon entrance into the park from Highway 89, you'll see a payment booth and then the Visitor's Center immediately to the right shortly after. In the Center, there's tons of interactive displays as well as information visuals where you can learn about the surrounding area. I believe the entrance fee is $25 per vehicle; we had the America the Beautiful Annual Pass which covered our entrance fee. If you're looking for the entrance sign with the name of the monument, it's actually located towards the end of the park near the Cinder Hills Overlook; it's visible when you're driving west towards the Visitor's Center. There are several easy hiking trails that takes you through the different lava flows. The A'a Trail and the Lava Flow Trail were pretty flat and easy while the Lenox Crater Trail takes you on a slight incline. The rocks created from the lava flow were very interesting looking. Overall, this place was cool to learn and look at all the different lava flows and rock formations. It is also a great place to see stars at night. We went back at night to do just that and the sky was just amazing.

Very cool park and walking trails Loved the displays and film showing the process that took place and impact to the native americans

Other worldly! Highly recommend getting out and hiking about a bit. It's so incredibly quiet and peaceful. Despite the lava flow being quite sharp and craggy the path is well marked and easy to follow. There are quite a few as well. Hiking to the crater is no longer available but a self guided trail at the bottom is open.

Do not waste your time , money and energy seeing this place , park ranger was not helpful visitor place was close too.

While you can't climb to the top and peer down into the extinct volcano, there is at least one viewing area where you can park and take photos. Stop at the visitor center for info.

The last time I was in Flagstaff we went into the lava tube cave which was a very cool experience so I was excited to hear that Sunset Crater also offered some views of volcanic activity from nearly a millennium ago. Sunset Crater is about a 30 minute drive from Flagstaff. The entrance fee is $25 per vehicle and includes admission to Sunset Crater and Wupatki Monument which is about a 30 minute drive further north. You'll pay at the visitor's center where you will also get map of the area, brochure on the area and your receipt. There are several trails you can go on in varying distances. We went on part of the Lenox Crater Trail (1.6 miles) and the Lava Flow Trail (1 mile). For us it was difficult to follow the trail we wanted due to some ambiguity in the signs. In general I think it's easy to stay on path at the Lava Flow Trail but it was hard to figure out if we were actually on the Lenox Crater Trail (One of the reasons we only went on part of it). We still had fun trekking through the lava rocks, taking in all the scenery. Details: -Entrance Fee $25 per vehicle -Fee includes entrance to Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument -Pay at the Visitor's Center -Visitor's Center open every day (Except Christmas) from 9 AM- 5 PM -Fee Free Days available. Go to https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm for more info

Sunset Crater is a great place to stop for some geological history and sight seeing. The walking paths are well marked and provide information/education along the way. Some of the trails are currently closed but we were able to walk the larger main trail right at the base of the Crater. We loved it - seeing all of the volcanic lava leftovers in Northern Arizona was so interesting! Recommend for families.

The staff were so nice and helpful. We were disappointed that many of the trails were closed due to the last wildfire. But there were others to go on and the views were absolutely amazing. Perfect place to go In Springtime. Since shade is not really there and especially due to the fire, I don't recommend going in days above 80. Bring plenty of water. Wirth the trip! Enjoy

We spent an afternoon hiking around this area. It was really neat. The lava rock seems so harsh and inhospitable, but life finds a way. Lichen, flowers, shrubs, and trees are all fighting for a place to live amongst the charred lava rock. The visitor's center had clean restrooms and friendly rangers. Deeper into the park, there were structures with non-flushing toilets inside. The best hiking was deeper in the park, though. The day we went, it was windy and 49 degrees. Plan for the weather!

I hike the O'leary Peak Trail and it was AMAZING. Fantastic hike up a volcano. You're going uphill for 5 miles, but it's not especially steep. The trail is a fire road all the way to the observation tower. I hiked it on Feb 6, 2021. The small parking lot was full, but I only passed about 10 people over the whole hike. You definitely don't want to do this trail in street shoes, even though you're on a gravel road most of the way. There was some snow on the trail, but it was mostly hard and easy to walk over. There was also some mud. At the top you'll find a forest service lookout tower. If the tower is closed, you can still climb 3/4 up the nice stairway. Read up on the geology of O'Leary Peak before you hike, and you'll get even more out of the experience.

Clean, beautiful and serene! I mean so peaceful and quiet. The past frozen in time with future growing through. Try it at least once if you're not the outdoors type. It'll change your mind I promise you. Happy trails.

My husband and I really enjoyed visiting Sunset Crater Volcano National Park. Sunset Crater is a cinder cone volcano that is located north of Flagstaff. I learned in the visitors center that it is the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. There are several ideas about when it erupted and for how long. The person that I spoke with said that the date is somewhere between 1040 to 1100 and that it stayed active for a few months. There used to be an open trail leading up to the top of Sunset Crater but it was closed about 46 years ago. They closed it because of the erosion and damage caused by having so many visitors using the trails. This was the first time that I have seen a volcanic area with ash hills and lava flows. I found it intriguing and loved spending hours climbing around the black rocks and walking the trails.

Admission to this park includes visitation to the adjoining Wupatki National Monument and I would recommend seeing both at the same time ( including the 20+ mile back county road connecting the two).. We fit this in before the Grand Canyon, and glad we did but keep in mind that we only spent half a day at the GC. It's about 2 hours worth of hiking, driving, and exploring. Tips - If you plan to hike the Lava Flow trail, make sure you hike the real trail and NOT the handicap acceptable trail. The real trail is off the cement path so keep your eye open for it. - There are other trails around this park, all can be hiked by a family.. - Accept 4th grade pass.

This place was so worth the visit especially with our grade school children that just started to learn about volcanoes and geographic forms. We were able to use our 4th graders National Park Free Pass to get the whole family in for free. Look that up if you doing know what it is. You can't hike into the volcano but you can hike around the base. One of the coolest thing we experienced was hiking the A-Trail through the Lava Lake. Definitely a must do with kids.

Only 30 mins away from Flagstaff, great place to visit when you are in Flagstaff. $20/car entrance fee covers both sunset and Wupatki. Rangers at the information center is friendly, and displays at information center about earthquake and volcano activities were quite interesting. Across from the information center, operated by the US forest service is a Bonito Campground. They have plenty of snow on the ground, no one at the camp ground, we enjoyed playing in the snow for a while. Elevation is 8,000'. I think it will be cool to come back here in the summer for some camping. Hike around the lava flows was fun. Remembered walk I did at the Hawaii Volcano Park a while back... except this place had snow in December. They have some short hikes available, good place to come and learn about volcanic avtivies and how it might have affected where we are now.

It was interesting to walk among the lava fields and observe the few trees that had managed to flourish in them. FYI = some trails were closed due to the fire in Spring 2022. Also, you cannot hike to the top of the volcano - due to extensive damage in the past from visitors, they closed those trails and filled them in with cinders. I recommend getting the trail book from the Visitor Center - it's a couple of bucks but worth it for the explanations of the various markers. It had snowed the day before - inch or so - and the area was calm and quiet. Lovely!

I have to be honest, I've seen many craters all pretty much looking the same, and wasn't sure what to expect but my NAU student told me to definitely go visit it while recently in town. I do not for a minute regret it! It was spectacular, and not like any other crater I have seen. It's amazing to think approx 1,000 years ago this volcano erupted, and left so much destruction in its path. That the lava flow, and old magma is still available for us to see. One of the most exciting parts of the trail is a bit of a view into a cavern that was created my the volcano and lava flow. You can tell that the cavern goes far down and all the lichen growing in and around the cavern is pretty amazing. We went during fall so not many of the flowers were in bloom. It's very impressive tho regardless. For me the thing that really makes it amazing, is seeing the destruction and knowing that Earth is capable of such destruction. That although this volcano is not currently active, it could possibly become active one day. There's just no telling. I wish that the erosion to the peak of the cone hasn't damaged by prior hikers and that there was a way to preserve the cinder cone volcano. I'd love to take a trek to the top and see it up close & personal. It'll truly blow your mind visiting this natural wonder of the world!

Sunset Crater Nat'l Monument is so awesome. One of the many road trips we have taken and Arizona has been one of my favorites to date. Flagstaff has 3 National Monuments to explore. Sunset Crater is one of them. Here are some fun facts about this National Monument: * Youngest, least eroded cinder cone in the San Francisco Volcanic Field * It's covered by lava and volcanic cinder deposits * Eruption was about 900 years ago If you are in the Flagstaff area, this is something you need to check out. Especially because it is one of the coolest things to be able to walk on lava rock. There are a ton of places to hike to as well which offer different views of the crater.

Well worth the drive. This was an EPIC experience!! We didn't even realize you could see something like this without going to Hawaii. The forest around the volcano makes it even more awesome. We LOVED IT!!!

Flagstaff and Northern Arizona were the site of major volcanic activity in the past. The San Francisco Peaks dominate the landscape, but were part of a larger volcano that blew its top long ago. Sunset Crater National Monument is just outside the eastern edge of Flagstaff preserving a piece of this legacy. The monument houses Sunset Crater and several other domes and craters. It is accessed off Highway 89 with a short drive into the facility. The entrance fee has jumped to $20 per vehicle, but it also includes access to Wupatki National Monument further down the road. I have spent a lot of time in this area hiking the lava fields and taking lots of pictures. As the name would suggest, sunset is a great time to visit with the low sun really accentuating the colors of the area. You need to visit the visitor's center to pay your fee, but the center also has a nice display on the volcanic and cultural history of the area. Overall facilities are somewhat basic, but the main areas have pit toilets and water. I really appreciate the federal government's recognition of the native people's views and history included in the overall presentation. Nevertheless, geological features are king here with a unique ability to see preserved lava flows in Arizona. Sunset Crater is well placed for a visit. It is an easy day trip from Flagstaff, and is also easily incorporated into visiting the other National Parks in the region. Driving between Sunset Crater and Wupatki is a beautiful view of the Colorado Plateau and changing landscape. The main crater area can be easily walked on an accessible trail in less than one hour with the ability to add on extra places as you see fit. I have always enjoyed the area and hope you will too.

Very cool find! We were visiting flagstaff and were looking for something to do. I thought "I wonder if we could drive up and check out the volcano." After a quick google search I found Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument information and we headed that way. We did not have to pay to get in, though I've read that they charge about $25 a car. There was a park ranger to great us at the gift shop and provided us with maps. I did not have proper footwear on for hiking but we were able to navigate the Lava Flow Trail with no issues. It was seriously cool. Definitely check out Sunset Crater if you're in the area.

Sunset Crater is a must see. When it comes to road trips, I am a meticulous planner. For months I researched my cross country tip planning every little detail. But as Scottish Poet Robert Burns wrote in 1785: "But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley," Unlike the next verse of Burn's poem, the failure of my original plan didn't lead to grief and pain, but instead led me to this amazing national monument that affected me significantly. This may be the point in your review where you're asking yourself what in the hell am I talking about, but if you bear with me, I will explain myself. I never expected I would see the Sunset Crater National Monument. What led me to this area was the prospect of an off-road trail that just so happened to be across the road from the entrance to this park. For unknown reasons the off-road trail was closed, so rather than waste such a long drive, I steered the Jeep to Sunset Crater. Looking back I thank my lucky stars that I ended up here. After stopping at the visitor center, we stopped at the lava flows. As a lifelong resident of Louisiana, my only experience with lava had been when I splashed roux on my arm and it burned through my flesh like molten rock. Unlike the roux experience, this lava flow was truly life changing. Words cannot accurately express just how awe inspiring the flow was. We were the only people for miles around and there we were walking the one mile trail through a nearly thousand year old lava flow. The evidence of just how violent that eruption was could be seen wherever we looked. Along the trail were trees that had been uprooted and burned. I could almost not believe what I was seeing. Next to the trail were large chunks of rock that had come from the side of a mountain that looked as if mother nature had peeled it open, dug at the solid rock core, and tossed giant boulders away from the mountain. Standing in that lava flow I was nearly overcome by emotion. It was that moving. After the lava flow we drove along the road leading to the Wupakti National Monument. While the view wasn't as moving as the lava flow itself, it ranks as some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever witnessed first hand. If you're in the area, or if you're planning a road trip, I strongly encourage you to include this on your list of must see places.

Our first full day in Flag got a little chopped up because we had travel issues the night before and folks (like myself) needed to recover lost luggage etc... We decided it wouldn't be worth the drive to and from the Grand Canyon so we put that off until day two and kicked locally on day one. After a delicious lunch and a day of spelunking the Lava River Cave, we had some extra time on our hands before calling it a day. Based on the name, we figured sunset would be a must at this national monument and we were only about 30 minutes away. We really had no plan and didn't stop for more info on this park. We kinda just drove in and then eventually stopped to walk around for a bit. After coming from the Lava River Cave just before this was a little more tame, but we ended up with some great photos and checked another advenutre stop off our list.

After visiting Walnut Canyon national monument we drove straight to Sunset crater Volcano national monument. Another great park. Enjoyed the hiking on many trails. The Ranger was very nice and accommodating especially because I wanted my passport to get stamped. No one at the park ,no crowds due to Covid and winter conditions. Very interesting to see the different stages of activity that a volcano has.

If you like NASA, alien planet scape's, volcanoes, caves, bats, squirrels, hiking, nature, picnics in trees & cinder rocks & just plain neat stuff. Its a very "hands on" pack your own lunch adventure. Bring a camera or no one will believe you. It's next to a giant mountain in Northern Arizona!!! 7k feet!!! Snow on mountain tops. Stay in FLAGSTAFF. Lots of places to eat, drink & shop!!!!