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LAVA FLOW TRAIL
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Moving south ---and about 2000 feet uphill-- from Wupatki
National Monument, scenic "volcanoes and ruins"
loop road enters the tortured terrain of Sunset Crater National Monument. Complementing a bevy of scenic view roadside pullouts for casual
sightseers; two hiking trails delve deeper into the otherworldly landscape. First up: the Lava Flow Trail. This hike-by-numbers trek uses a guide
booklet available in a box at the trailhead or the visitor center down the road
to describe various volcanic features along the route. The trail has a .25-mile
section that's paved and barrier-free, but the remainder of the trail requires
sturdy (closed toe) footwear as it moves over some rough-around-the-edges
lava. Just under a mile in length,
the trail manages to get hikers into the guts of a massive lava flow that
issued from the base of Sunset Crater some 900 years ago. In terms of geological time, this
is newborn rock. Unfettered by the ravages of time, the molten crust that squeezed, belched, oozed and sprayed
from the belly of the earth retains its wild, "fresh from the
smelter" veneer. All around the trail, a
placid sea of black cinders peppered with hardy tree sprouts laping at the base of Sunset Crater Volcano
belies a history of fire raining from the sky.
LENGTH: 1 mile
loop
RATING: easy
(some loose rock and steps)
ELEVATION: 7,000' - 7,050'
PETS: are not allowed on any park trails in buildings.
Please do not leave pets in cars---heat
can be fatal.
FACILITIES: restooms, vending machines and water at the visitor center
GETTING THERE:
From Flagstaff, travel north on US 180 to milepost
444.5. Turn right and continue
29.5 miles to the turn off on the
left. Roads are 100% paved. Alternate access: enter the park from US 180 at milepost 430 and go 5.5 miles to the trailhead.
INFO: National Park Service, 928-679-2365
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