Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Reviews

Variety of trail lengths and types so anyone can enjoy! Beautiful and unique features. Convenient facilities. Endless opportunities for photos with or without us in them. Not crowded or overrun with people. Key formations and features explained by short and easy-to-read permanent signs, so no guide necessary.

This is an amazing place, a place that you have to see and witness yourself befor eyou can or will believe it! Good hikes or just drive through whatever you prfer and whatever time allows but it really is a must see place

Take the Lava Flow trail to see great views of the lava field and get up close with a cone and other features. Most of the trail is paved, and a small section (which you can skip) involves uneven ground and is dusty. It's doable in sneakers but hiking shoes are better. The signs give context to what you are seeing. Definitely worth a stop if you are heading to the Grand Canyon or enjoying Flagstaff.

My wife and I enjoy a stroll. When you are the stunning backdrop of the park then it adds to the experience. It's moments off US89 and if you plan to go to 3 or more parks on your visit then get an America the Beautiful pass for 80USD.

This was an impromptu visit since we bypassed the meteor crater . The lava fields were fascinating. The visitor center had an outstanding movie explaining the system of volcanoes, the types of eruptions, the indigenous peoples who lived in the area at the time, and how the eruption impacted the landscape, wildlife and the culture of the people. We have seen at least one hundred “visitor center” films.... this one was the MOST informative.DO NOT MISS THE FILM!!
Were were very impressed with this little side trip.

One thousand years ago the area north of Flagstaff changed dramatically when Sunset Crater was born, spewing lava and ash over the area. If you like taking pictures, the geological newness of the cone and lava flows is a rewarding challenge. After the scenic views of the cinder cone, turn to the short trail through the Bonito lava flow for contrast shots of ponderosa pines and white aspens against the dark lava. My gear was a DSLR with a zoom lens. After getting home, some post-processing was needed to refine the contrast. Also, experiment with stitching to capture the cinder cone and individual trees. A caution, the trail is uneven and lava flows can actually be sharp. Watch your feet.

Not worth the money to see in person. Most expecting part was seeing the lava flow lake and walking the circle trail. The walk took a couple minutes. You can see pictures online and save the money spend to visit.

I was very surprised on this place. I wasn’t sure what to expect-but glad we made the trip. Nice trails

We traveled to the top of Sunset Crater and walked the Park Trail around the site. The trail follows along the side of the crater where it exploded and is covered in fine volcanic ash. There are also many trees in the area that have been hit by lightening and burned and regrew in strange shapes, Note that it is a high elevations spot and can be snowing this time of year. It also has a rustic bathroom available at the park sight for men and woman. The views are great and it is worth the ride.

Traveling around we have seen so many beautiful views, rock formations, canyons, gorges and mountains. Now a volcano crater. It was unlike anything we had seen before. Large swaths of black lava rocks and formations. Yes, there was greenery and trees, but the black lava flows is what caught out attention. We did not have enough time here, but glad we stopped.

First of 3 monuments that we visited near Flagstaff. There is a driving loop and you look for the visitor center. When you drive out, the first stop is the A’a loop trail. You walk on a sharp, old lava field. There are flowers growing in the cracks that made for beautiful pictures. Next, on the drive is the Bonita Lava Flow parking area. The Lava Flow Trail is located here off the paved accessible path. An easy 1 mile loop. Get back on the loop and drive to Wupatki.

Sadly, the summer fire caused the best trail to be closed due to unstable burned trees so there was really only lava to see but if you've never seen lava, then go. If you've seen lava, pass until the best trail is open.

I spent the afternoon hiking through this national monument. Firstly there's a short trek about a 1/16 of a mile when you first arrive, it gives you an imagination how the lava flowed , you trek down just a little bit. The other hike we did was paved and you could see the crater and also a nice lookout. The lava is also smooth like sand too here which formed hills. A couple of hours is enough spent here
I combined with wuptaki monument as I had 1 day in flagstaff .

A great place for a walk, I recommend everyone to come here and visit this place, it is important to take food and drinks with you

Drove the loop drive, took about 3 hours with sightseeing and short hikes. Relatively new lava displays too older. Saw people enjoying a bike ride starting at the visitors center mostly down hill after an initial climb. Think they parked another vehicle at Wapatki national monument .

Great to walk among all sizes of lava chunks that are quite light to pick up because of the sponge like air holes. You have a variety of possible hikes. Make sure you check out the back viewpoint. Read all the signs to get a better grasp of what happened here and the significance to a wide expanse of surrounding area.

The area is well marked and appears to have several interesting walks/hikes through and around the lava flows. You can see quite a bit from the car if mobility is an issue.

This was supposed to be a filler side trip in between hikes in Sedona and the Grand Canyon, but turned into one of the best surprises of the week long trip. Really interesting examples of past volcanic action and a very pleasant and informative short hike around the grounds which fit our needs perfectly. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Very pleasant (unplanned) diversion from our road trip. From Flagstaff towards Page (north) we see a fork on the right and we decide to take it. We unexpectedly enter a Park (free of charge if you already have the Parks card, recommended) and immediately discover its beauty and charm: paths on lava flows; expanses of flat, black soil, typical volcanic; fairly close volcanic craters; coniferous forests.
An atypical show that is truly worth a visit.
I don't give 5 dots because we saw magnificent parks on our trip, but they would have deserved them. Just a nice detour.

Great views, and several paths with different levels of hiking. Learn about the volcanic eruptions around 1080 CE, and their effects on the people who lived here. It is part of the same loop as Wupatki National Monument, and we viewed both. Interesting to see the changes in the land as you approach Sunset Crater from the north. The ground is still covered in cinders, which affected the way people farmed the land.
You are not able to hike up the volcano, but there are concrete trails around the base with information about the volcano. The A'a trail goes down into a lava field, with steep and slippery slopes. Be careful not to cut yourself on the volcanic rocks--they are sharp and will scrape you up if you fall. We viewed them from the overlook, which was amazing enough. The gigantic waves of volcanic chunks of rock give you a glimpse of the power of the lava.
There is a small museum, with restrooms, and a few gift items.

Really interesting national park. Have been to other volcanoes (e.g., Mt. St. Helens, Crater Lake), and this is very different. Some nice trails through some of the old lava flows. Also enjoyed the drive from Sunset Crater to Wupatki NM.

We very much enjoyed our visit to Sunset Crater Volcno National Monument. This was a once active volcano with lava fields. There is also a visitor center. We did some hikes and enjoyed the views.

I’m so glad I took the time to see this lava formation still in existence after all this time! DOI is remodeling the visitors center so if your doing the passport program Wuatki visitors center has the stamp.

This park presents a great opportunity for geologists and geology followers to discover the physical effects of a relatively recent volcanic eruption closeup. Depending on where you're coming from there are two main accesses to the crater area: via the Wupatki ruins to the north or just about a 15 minute drive north of Flagstaff on the 89. Whichever way you arrive from, you should stop at the VC first. It's small and the parking could be tight on busy days, but there's essential information regarding the lava field and the eruption that you probably should know about before you begin your tour. You can just drive the few minutes through the park area for the views, but that would not be very fruitful. Stopping at the designated pullouts and walking several of the short trails into the lava field or to the views of both the flow and the crater would be a better suggestion. There are several paved accessible trails by the lava flow parking. For a richer, almost full day hiking experience, start from the VC, cross the road and follow the level trail north past the camping, under a pine forest, into the lava field. It'll take most walkers about 40 minutes one way. From there continue to explore the lava a bit more near the parking area and then cross the road and hike up Lenox Crater, a much older eruption, going to the right. There is an upgrade here, but if you stop and take it slow, it's not that challenging. Some forty minutes later, coming down the slope you can connect to the Lava Flow parking area where you'll find the other trails into the lava flow. Also an amphitheater facing the south slope of the crater. Bring food and water. There are toilets at the Lava Flow parking. You can easily spend more than an hour at this site. For hikers concerned about getting lost, there are trail signs posted at trail entries and deviations. The walk back to the VC would be about an hour on the easy grade, basically retracing you steps on the pathway inside the lava flow. Of course you also can drive this short route, park and walk. But you really will miss the experience of walking through the bottom of the flow.

I was surprised how much we enjoyed all three of the national monuments around Flagstaff. At Sunset Crater, we hiked the A’a trail and Lava Flow trail. Both were fascinating and very easy; they get you right up close to the black lava. We hiked up Lenox Crater as well, which is a 1.1 mile loop with an elevation of 278 ft. This is a pretty hike on black gravel/sand, with a gentle uphill climb, mostly through trees. At the top are views of the San Francisco Peaks, still snow-covered in early April. Flagstaff is at a pretty high elevation (6900 feet), so we ended up having to hike this more slowly than we expected; take your time if you’re not used to the altitude. There’s a small visitor center here as well, with flush restrooms. The road through Sunset Crater continues on into Wupatki National Monument, which is another great stop.

Another great stop on the way from Grand Canyon to Flagstaff. Included in your Wupatki admission is the source of the reason from Wupatki's development.

Easy hike and really pretty scenery. Love the panoramic views offered on this walk. Highly recommend to all those in the area.

Very nice park with a variety of natural sights to see. We went with a guide named Evan who did a night sky experience. Very interesting! The lava fields are like nothing else.

I didn't know this area was so volcanic in the past. We didnt hike up to the crater, we just looked from the road

Nice walking areas to show lava flow and ash along with some "petrified trees". Easy to get too. Small visitor center.

WOW. Thought I was back on the Big Island of Hawaii waling across lava fields. This was amazing and I had no idea it was there. So glad we found it and took the time to Walk to Lenox Crater Loop.

The entire park is beautiful, well-maintained and a dynamite way to see the volcanic history of the area.

This park was nicely laid out and maintained. There are beautiful trails (some even paved) so that those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility could use them.

Went with a geologist friend who was also impressed. Not an all day activity but worth 2-3 hours of your time when in the Flagstaff area.

You cant get up close to the volcano but its very interesting to see and there are plenty of spots you can stop and get good looks at it. There are lava trails you can walk through from the lava it spewed out all those years ago which was fun. Pay the fee at the entrance t to the park - I think it was $15 per car - and you can get into the volcano and Wupakati ruins which is another few miles down the road. Definitely cool to see.

We went to the park for a morning. The descriptions did not do the views justice. All of the hikes are relatively short. The views from the peaks are breathtaking.

An amazing place to visit. The lava fields are interesting to explore. The hike up to Lenox Crater offered great views of the mountains, Lenox Crater, and other volcanos in the area. The pine forest stands in stark contrast to the scrub brush and desert nearby at Wupatki. They are a great combination of sites to visit.

This was a fantastic stop! We started on the paved lava flow loop, but then veered off and took our walk to the cinder/dirt pathway. We were able to get up so close to the lava flow, deposits, etc. It was amazing to look up and see the volcano. It was very intereesting and enjoyable for everyone in the family. There is plenty of parking in a paved lot. There are bathrooms and a vistor center.

It was cool to see the lava fields and the crater. It's a very pretty experience. They have two walking paths and we only had time to do a quick loop but we are glad we stopped.

We hiked several awesome, yet also highly doable, lava and crater trails. Definitely worth the visit.

First thing you notice is the smell of the pine trees and how cool it is. The park stretches quite a distance and goes from high to low with desert dwellings at Wupatki NM. Head to Cameron Trading post afterwards for more sights of the Colorado plateau

We stopped off and did the easy hike which took us to different areas around the lava flow. Definitely worth a stop!

This place is a must see when in ARIZONA. You could not imagine what the results a volcano has on the earth until you see this! Make it a priority on your visit to the area.

Visited 5/20/21 so it was a beautiful but very windy day. Beautiful area and you are able to walk down into the lava flows and see the volcanic rocks. Be careful out here. Rocks in the trail can pose a trip hazard.

I thought Sunset Crater Volcano was fantastic, we left Sedona on van tour and this was a stop on way to Grand Canyon. Had never even heard of this place, it was really nice and pleasant drive thru Lava fields and along the crater. wish we had time for a hike and spend a bit more time here. Would def go back if anywhere near this nice National Monument.

This was the first stop on our first full day in Arizona, and it was good combined with Wupatki and Walnut Canyon. I will say that Sunset Crater is not quite what I expected.

Sunset Crater National Monument is good for giving a history of volcanoes in Northern Arizona. There are actually 600 of them (of various sizes) in Northern Arizona and they are part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. The biggest of these to erupt was Sunset Crater, approximately 900 years ago. This eruption caused such destruction that it drove local inhabitants out of the area. The damage and large swaths of lava can still be seen today. But you will not see inside the rim of the crater, which is what I assumed you would see. There is a nice Visitor Center and Gift Shop. There are walking trails, but some of them were closed due to fairly recent fires. There are places that you can pull over and take short walks or take photographs. But you mostly likely will not need a lot of time here.

If you are 62, I strongly recommend getting the Lifetime Senior Pass for $80. My husband and I both purchased ours while they were still $10. It gets you into most National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas at no cost. Not only that, but most sites will allow you additional guests on your card. We traveled with my step-son and daughter-in-law. So we didn't pay a cent for any of the National Parks and Monuments we saw on this trip, and there were close to a dozen.

This National Monument is different than any other National Park or Monument. We hiked the Lenox Crater Trail to get a good view of Lenox Crater. It was a nice hike with a bit of elevation gain but not much. It is 1.6 miles r/t and is labeled as moderately strenuous. There is a nice place at the top to stop for a snack and enjoy the views. We also walked the A'a Trail which was very short, 0.2 miles r/t, and very easy to get a more up close view of the basaltic lava. All in all it's a nice place to visit. Be sure to take the loop road that connects Sunset Crater to Wupatki National Monument.

Decided to spend a few days in Flagstaff to get away from the heat and smoke. Spent our second day here hiking around ancient volcanos and exploring Native American pueblos. There is archeological evidence for people living in this area for at least 13,000 years. The Sinagua people (not the name they called themselves) have been in the Flagstaff area since about 700 CE and reached down to Sedona and over to the Mogollan Rim. They left the Flaggstaff area for a period of time when the Sunset Volcano erupted around 1085 and then returned to build pueblos and practice both foraging and dry farming techniques. They traded over large areas, down to the Gulf of Mexico and Mesoamerica. For reasons unknown they left the area in the 15th century. The style of their petroglyghs, pottery, and baskets is unique and differs from other tribes, although several modern-day tribes, the Pima, Tohono O'odham, Yavapai, and Zuni also potentially have cultural, linguistic, and historical connections to the Sinagua people. We started our day hiking the lava fields around both Sunset Volcano and Lenox Volcano. It's amazing how much plant life grows from all of this lava. One of my favorite photos from the volcano area show three layers of growth and events. The foreground is the lava field going down the mountain from the Lenox volcano, the second layer shows a forest of Ponderosa Pine, which is perfectly suited for 7000', and then the barren timber line around 10,000' in the background. The afternoon was spent by exploring the pueblos in the Wupatki area which is close by. It's interesting to note that modern day houses are predefined in shape and size and we mold the earth to accommodate our house plans. These indigenous people built their houses often on top of high areas, conforming to the shape and size of the mesa it was built upon so the shape and size varied according to what Mother Nature provided. The Wupatki Pueblo in particular was a large community center with over 100 rooms, two religious/ceremonial centers, and other common areas for community and trade according to Hopi and Zuni oral histories. Plants in both the crater and Wupatki areas include Ponderosa Pine, Juniper, Salt Brush, Rabbitbrush, blooming Broom, Ephedra (Morman Tea), Skunkbrush, Yucca, and Quaking Aspen. The ranger stations flew the flag at half-mast for the great Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Almost everyone we encountered was good enough to wear a mask.

Was here for the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing and there was lots of information on how the astronauts trained here. Good trails and interesting history.

Easily accessible for everyone; paved loop and another 1 mile loop unpaved walking through the volcanic rock with numbers identified for an interpretation walk. Be sure to pick up the guide for the interpretation walk at the Visitors center.(close toed shoes recommended) There are additional hiking trails within the vicinity. Interesting outing with fascinating topography and suited for individuals, couples as well as families. Great stop if you're not planning on a full or 1/2 day excursion. Continue on the road to get to Wupatki Pueblos.

We drove past the sign several times planning on stopping just didnt have the time til now.
We were surprised for sure to see the cone of a huge volcano right here in Flagstaff. There are several trails to walk and plenty of eye candy.

We didn’t know what to expect but this was our favorite natural attraction on our Flagstaff visit...truly a must see. There are lava paths and mountain sides you have to see with your own eyes.

Nice view of lava fields; not unlike what we've seen in Hawaii. You can't hike up Sunset crater, but there is a fairly easy hike to a smaller crater.

It was an experience walking in and along a lava flow and lake of lava.. Realizing the size of the flow up close and seeing the lava ash all over the neighboring mountains was educational. We didn't stay till sunset as our journey continued....

This park is a nice quiet drive on a perfect road! Unfortunately,due to virus we were unable to enter visitor center. Restrooms were open. The camping looks decent. The actual volcanic roadside sites were awesome. They have a few small trails thru the jagged fields ,not wide but I saw families with young children hiking. Alot of areas were closed for now. Still worth a calming ride to understand the BIG BOOM 💥 that happened. Miles of Lava rock create black strewn colored mountain sides! GO,YOU WILL ENJOY!

If you're in the area it is worth a stop. I would spend more time in Wupataki, admission to which is included with Sunset Crater.

Visited as part of a tour unique landscape and interesting information about the volcano and surrounding area

Coupled with Wupatki NM, this is an awesome loop road off US89 ... You get really good views of the cone as well as pretty easy trails through the lava fields and even an opportunity to see lava tubes ... Awesome Road Trip stop

This is one of the more interesting national park. You get to walk on lava fields from a dormant volcano. It is a perfect visit with middle school children since they are learning about how life grow after a volcanic explosion. Enjoy!

Who knew lava flows were so interesting. Great contrast to the red rocks. Stop by on your way to/from Grand Canyon south rim.

Sunset Crater Volcano NM is connected with Wupatki NM through a driving loop road, which made it really easy to see both. There are visitors centers on both ends.

Sunset Crater Volcano NM is a very cool national monument to visit and quite unlike any others that we have visited. We started at the visitor center to get our map. We stopped at the Lava Flow Trail and walked the loop--so crazy to see how large the lava fields are. We stopped at the overlook where we could see the Sunset Crater Volcano...and then we kept driving on towards Wupatki!

Definitely worth a visit if you're in the Flagstaff area!

You could probably spend more time here than we did (about 2 hours) we took a few short hikes and seeing the lava flow was quite interesting. Had I not had an annual pass the price might have lowered my review but we enjoyed it as a quick stop and I saw something I’ve never seen before.

We stopped and did the Bonita Vista trail and truly enjoyed all it offered. We were down in the lava flow and could see how it flowed thru the area. The was also a crater spatter which was really cool to check out . The trail is roughly 1.5 miles and not that hard. Has some tricky spots but was fairly easy to maneuver if you are careful of your steps. You can also walk the trail above and look down to see the lava flow if mobility is an issue. The upper trail is paved and very easy to do. Would definitely recommend a stop if in the area.

The lava flows from this volcanic eruption come right up to the road in places. It’s a stark vista with the black lava and the pines growing sometimes right in the middle of the black field! We are not able to do the trails but have spoken to some that have done them and some say they range from “ oh, that was easy” to, “I’ll never do that again!” The viewpoints are excellent and signage very informative. You get a good sense of how powerful the eruption was and how much damage it did to the land at the time. It’s truly amazing as you drive the 25+ miles between the two National Monuments to see the totally different climates! When you get to the Viewpoint to see the Painted Desert, by then you have left the higher elevation Forest Climate with the green vegetation and Ponderosa Pines and started your descent......

This was a cool detour on a road trip from Flagstaff, AZ to Page, AZ. If you complete the whole loop, you can also see ruins of Pueblos.

Phenomenal experience! The lava flows are amazing, as are all the cinder cones and volcanoes in the area. Be sure to do the Lava Flow Trail. The entire area is breathtaking.

The lava flow trail has a fully paved loop and that's about the only hiking we did. Trail is well named. At the end of the loop, lava fields were all around and the signage was quite interesting. I guess these type of volcanoes are slowly moving east of the millennia. Quite scenic road and combined this with Wupataki National Monument too.

Beautiful scenery. Easy hike. Had numbers posted at different spots, however we entered after visiting Wupatki and didn’t get an information book, which you had to buy.

Wupatki Ruins are one of my favorite Ruins park. Combined with Sunset Crater definitely worth at least half day trip

We loved visiting this park and learning about the crater. The trails were nice and the employees who worked there were very nice. We also went to the other end of the park to see Wupatki National Monument. It was an awesome trail around the structures. Would definitely recommend seeing both.

Amazing site to view the massive power of a Volcano. Nice scenic drive to view the Painted Desert as well.

It was awe inspiring to be able to walk into a volcano crater and to see the magnitude of the lava flow.

Fascinating area with such unusual landscape. The colours of the cinder covered soil are amazing. We really enjoyed this little stop & hiked all of the closest trails.

Just off of highway 89 towards Page, AZ is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It's just a hop skip and jump and worth the stop. There is a wonderful hiking trail and the scenery is amazing. If you are tired of riding in the car and want to stretch your legs and enjoy nature, stop here.

After days in Utah and Arizona my eyes got used to the red and sand colder rocks. But here everything is black. 1000 year old lava as far as you can see, all black with some small hints of life . In the morning the place is so quiet it hurts. And all this about 30 minuter from the center of Flagstaff.

This was an incredible experience. I did not know what to expect. When you first drive in, it is all grassy. When you go further in, you see volcanic rock all around. It was amazing. I took pictures, but they don’t do it justice. My husband and kids walked a little hike around the volcanic rocks. Later, we went to an area where the actual volcano was. My kids did the hike. They really enjoyed it. The weather was nice. It was June but it was breezy. There were signs everywhere describing the plants and the history of the area. It was one of our favorite excursions during our trip.

We added this Monument to our Arizona itinerary and we are glad we did. After leaving the Grand Canyon we stopped at Wupatki and then here and it made for a really nice morning--one could easily add in another area National Monument (Walnut Canyon) as well, but we did it on a separate day.
We enjoyed to drive through as well as a couple trails. It isn't often that one can see volcanic activity and although not as grand as Haleakela or Lassen or others we found this an interesting and beautiful area.

Especially enjoyed the video about how Volcano formed, brief history of Native peoples migration. Great vies of volcano on second trail stop. Drive through park fabulous.

This was OK for us, but if you're going to North California, Idaho, or Hawaii this will be OK to visit. If you want to see volcano's, the Hawaiian ones, then Lassen, then craters of the moon, then this one.

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 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.

People often pass by on Sunset Crater and Waputki National monuments with so many more visitors to Grand Canyon.Both are so close but so different. It’s all about altitude. Recently renovated visitor’s center has many fun exhibits for all ages, including making your own earthquake. Walking through the lava is an otherworldly experience! The monument is often very quiet and so sometimes you may it to yourself.

Beautiful in an eerie sort of way. Reminded me of seeing the volcano areas in Hawaii many years ago. The loop road brings you to Sunset Crater and Wupatki, highly recommend taking it. Water is a good idea.

I have been to Sunset Crater in the 60's and just rrecently did another trip. As all National PArks and Monuments have changed over the years, Sunset Crater is no exception. Where you used to be able to walk the crater that is no longer possible. On the positive side there is a visitors center that shows the history of the crater and how it has impacted the area. There is a lot of gret information in the visitors center that will help people understand the hisotry of the crater. I alweays find it soo interesting to actually see history rather than just read about it. This is another National Monument that lives up to that philosiphy.

While Sunset Crater is a bit of a bust (can't hike up to the crater), the scenery is beautiful and the trip to the pueblos is interesting. Not many people if you get an early start.

There are two picnic tables there and a pit toilet. More picnic tables further up the toad at Painted Desert picnic area. Tables are hidden in the trees. I liked the Lava Flow one mile loop trail.

We spent the middle part of our day here exploring on a Tuesday late morning into Tuesday early afternoon (after Wupatki and before Walnut Canyon) by hiking the Lava Flow Trail. Albeit very cold and incredibly windy, it was a neat place to visit with unique landscapes.

An amazing experience, especially after seeing the Netflix movie DON'T LOOK UP! The crater is unbelievable. Well worth the side trip. My aunt loved it too.

Probably one of the lesser known national parks, Sunset Crater is a must see if you are in the area. My family really enjoyed this park! It is not very big but has good trails and interesting history.

It has been a really long period of time since this volcano erupted. It is hard to comprehend the power of the explosion that hurled hugh chunks of lava and scattered lava fragments as far as you can see in each direction.

We were on our way to Phoenix from visiting the Grand Canyon. We stopped at the Sunset Crater National Monument. WOW! It was amazing and totally unexpected. The crater was beautiful, but the lava flow fields blew our minds! They were amazing! If you go, also drive to the Painted Desert vista—it is about 4 miles past the crater. Well worth it. Beautiful views of the Painted Desert.

This is really cool. There are several little trails in addition to the paved walkway. Take the Lenox Crater trail for some good views. There is no water at Sunset Crater but there is an outhouse/bathroom. Very interesting to learn about the history of this crater and the surrounding area.

Beautiful drive. Amazing geology. Very relaxing. If you have a chance, visit this place.

Make sure you try some of the interpretive short hikes.

Not as crowded as many other parks, this lava landscape reminded us of parts of the Big Island in Hawaii. You can take flat and easy hikes or longer ones. Many are paved, and the roads are good. The Visitor's Center gives you a map, info, and suggestions. You can continue on the park road to where it connects with historic pueblos.

Not a long drive out of Flagstaff. Be sure to do the entire loop, as the view of the Painted Desert is worth it.

Sunset crater is a small national monument located outside of Flagstaff. It is on the same Denice road as Wupatki National monument. There are a few hiking trails that go through the lava fields.

The visitor center was open, but most exhibits were closed. The store was open.

We love making the scenic loop drive and always enjoy walking our dog on the 2 mile cinder cone trail. You can't often bring your german shepherd hiking so this place was an easy favorite. Great way to escape the crowds too

To think out of this violent eruption comes such calm beauty. Be sure you take the pics from the southern entrance.

Sunset Crater is just off Highway 89 and is worth just an hour's visit. Go to the visitor's center and then stroll through some volcanic rock.

Great drive through attraction. No walking necessary. Great picture options at the sunset Crater volcano.

If you appreciate history this is quite eye opening as it depicts life in America long before Columbus stepped off the Santa Maria in the “new World” as well as volcano. Beautiful 35 mile loop drive and close to Flagstaff

A very nice national park where you can see the remains from volcanic activity from about 1000 years ago. There are five or so different trails that you can hike, which range from very easily to moderately difficult. A couple of the paths are paved for those who cannot handle going "off road" hiking. The other trails travel over rough lava rocks and/or gritty cinders. Each path provides its own experience and views of the area. Would recommend checking out multiple paths if time and energy permit.

The park itself is well maintained. Areas are kept clean, and structures are kept in good shape. We met a few rangers during the couple times we visited over the week, and everybody was friendly and helpful.

We hiked the A'a and Lava Flow Trails. Walking in the lava flow areas was an interesting and unique experience. The aspen trees and mountains in the background made some beautiful photos.

Another killer experience in AZ. Wear good shoes and have water. You can see everything from car if you don’t want to get out. Breathtaking!

We enjoy hiking and learning about the volcano's. It was interesting to see the results of the volcano exploding. The different ground covers was great to walk through.

This is easily combined with Wupataki. Sunset crater is a little disappointing since you can't actually go up to the crater or tour it. But, good lava flow hike.

There are so many incredible things to see around Flagstaff but don't miss 3 incredible National Monuments. My favorite for hiking was Sunset Crater Volcano NM. First it was so incredible to hike in the lava flows and on the cinder cones of volcano which have erupted in the passed 1,000 years. Second, while so much of the area around Flagstaff is barren, the mountains have an incredible abundance of forest with amazing Ponderosa Pines.

After missing a closing time at Walnut Canyon, we were at SCVNM when it opened. After a brief stop for a map at the VC, we continue to the parking lot at the lava flow. Unfortunately exacerbated erosion prevents people from climbing Sunset Crater which is an impressive 600 vertical foot cinder cone volcano that dominates the parks skyline. However, you can climb the nearly 300 foot Lenox Crater to get incredible views of the mountains surrounding Flagstaff that include Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona.

We then hiked the Lava Flow trail which is an easy, short trails with views of the rock of a lava flow and great views of Sunset Crater Volcano. We ended our visit with a stop at the Cinder Hills Overlook with amazing views all the way to the Painted Desert as well as great pictures of Sunset Crater Volcano.

All 3 National Monuments around Flagstaff are great but this was my favorite for hiking and getting out into nature.

We were pleasantly surprised to find a concrete path to several viewing areas. Seeing acres of volcanic rock was awesome and we commented on the flora making a go of it in a less than ideal environment. We are glad we explored the area. Now I want to read more about the crater.

We were on our way to visit some ruins and ended up driving through this park and it was wonderful! I was with someone who had never seen a volcano or lava fields so this was a great opportunity to see up close and personal. There are several areas to stop for pictures and we saw several hiking trails as well. It was a really nice surprise and a beautiful drive on our way to the ruins.

Visited this monument on a beautiful summer evening. Very nice campground and hiking trails that travel through a lava field. Lots of new trails and facilities. Very uncrowded place and well worth a visit.

The variations in landscapes in Arizona is striking and the landscape at Sunset Crater is unique. As you drive in, you see all the lava flows. It looks like lava flows I’ve seen in Hawaii. It’s amazing how 1000 years after eruption, there is still barely any vegetation on the cone. It was well worth the stop. Even though we were traveling with dogs, we were able to do the paved trails and see quite a bit.

I loved it...holds attention for every age group as witnessed as I walked about on various trails in the "lava fields". Educational for those who like to learn about mother earth. 35 mile loop that goes from the volcano areas to 6 pueblo sites. I even experienced braking for 3 antelope that crossed the road in front of me. I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to visit the monuments. FYI, the rangers had setup well for the virus, but it was up to people to distance and most seemed to.

Beautiful setting for hikes and interesting history! The area was used in the 60's as a training location for future astronauts. Camped at the near by Bonito Campground National Forest. Campground's restroom facilities were spotless (no showers). Dana and Gary were great hosts.

I had no idea there were volcanoes in Arizona, this park is beautiful, there are lava flows to walk on, small volcanoes with black ash still on the slopes, after over 1000 years some areas still are bare. Views out over the Painted desert, and the ruins, a great detour on the road from Sedona to Page. The whole drive was spectacular

Sunset Crater is my favorite place near Flagstaff. The volcano itself is genuinely beautiful, with its graceful shape, different colored stone, and scattered pines. Next to it is Lenox Crater, a shorter cinder cone (250 feet or so), well worth the pant-inducing uphill hike. From the top of Lenox Crater, you have a superb view of the San Francisco Peaks (you get your best look at Sunset Crater itself while hiking the east flank of Lenox). At the foot of Sunset Crater, two paths—one short and paved, the other longer and unpaved—twist through the extensive lava flows that poured out from the base of the volcano. The rough, weird shapes the lava assumed before solidifying—spatter cones like tiny volcanoes, deep broken ridges, etc—are fascinating. Part of the pleasure is trying to imagine how all this looked as it was being formed. If you have the good fortune to visit in winter, the snow vividly sets off the black lava. It takes about 20-25 minutes to drive here from Flagstaff, and you can spend anywhere from one hour to several hours, depending on how much hiking you're up for. I can't imagine passing through Flagstaff without visiting here. Bring your camera.

Not worth the time the most interesting trails were closed and have been closed for 2 years. The staff were less than helpful and seemed to have an attitude that we were interrupting their day.

Amazing site!
Lava flow is a WOW. We walked thru on thru trail.
Must see, we visited Walnut Canyon first. Part of National Park system.
You could go to South Rim of GC from here about 70 miles north.
#sunsetcratervolcano
#nynjfoodguru

This National Monument outside Flagstaff shows how volcanic activity can remake the landscape, with cinder cones erupting as recently as 1000 years ago. The forest is reasserting itself in this very stark and even violent landscape. Wonderfully beautiful, with great trails to hike on.

We passed this by and decided to turn around and check it out. We are glad we did as it was surprisingly interesting and unexpected. We recommend visiting here when in town.

This small park offers a number of hikes and a short tour road that preserves a lava field with views of the volcano that created it. The landscape is a bit other-worldly. Sunset Crater is worth a stop if you are driving north from Flagstaff.

I had no idea there was a volcano Arizona!!
As you enter the park you can see evidence of a previous wildfire. As you go further into the park it’s even more evident.

The trails were not well marked going in but coming back out we were able to find a couple.

We stopped at the scenic overlook and then did the lava loop trail.

Part of the trail was paved but the larger loop is loose pebble.

I planned to visit here. I have not been to a volcanic site and found this unexpected. There was a little snow on the ground but the roads were clear. The paths were great with information as you walked about. I would have liked more of a tour here as I had so many questions about it. Despite the weather there were quite a few visitors. At national parks there was is a fee but for older people it was only$20 for a year and this is for all of them. That is a deal. I was impressed that the area has been left to nature. It was such a pleasure to both drive and walk here.

You have to do this once. I mean it was a meteor! Expensive at $16 a head to look into a giant hole but the visitor center and movie are good.

Spectacular scenery. Great hiking. Close to Flagstaff. Recommended.

It takes about 1.5 - 2 hlouirs to drive through Sunset and Wupatki.

If you want to experience volcanic activity from young volcano (1000 years) and learn how these events shaped Arizona's landscape, you will appreciate Sunset Crater as you drive through the National Park.

We didn’t drive up to the crater but it was amazing to see the effect of a volcano. From the ash to the igneous rock. It’s not something you see every day for sure.

The Sunset crater wasn't actually that much to look at. There's a cool sign and a nice lookout point but because you aren't allowed to climb it anymore than it just looks like a foothill. The volcanic trails were really interesting though and it was really cool to see all the black volcanic sand and rocks littering the terrain. It didn't take us too long to do that and then drive to the Wupatki national monument. It was a great addition to our afternoon and there were very few people there.

At one end of this National Park is Sunset Crater, with it's unworldly lava flows & cruncy lava beds, beautiful views & paths. At the other is the beautiful Wupatki Ruins, all for one fee (or Parks Pass). The volcanic eruption can be seen on a lot of the local mountains which are gorgeous, and helped shape the settlements of the Native Peoples here & in other areas..

could be cheaper otherwise very nice very clean beautiful view ... but one time is enough for me dont need to go back

My husband and I made the loop drive from Sunset Crater to Wupatki Ruins on a nice day in August. The visitors' center at Sunset Crater has a nice exhibit of things related to the history of the eruption. There is also a great video there, too. The drive is about 38 miles and begins and ends on Route 89 north and east of Flagstaff. Be sure to stop at the overlooks for great views of the Painted Desert. We even saw some deer along the way.

In an area where you encounter the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the Petrified Forest, you might skip a pile of volcanic rock, but you’d be making a mistake. The drive from sunset crater through Wupatki is amazing. The trails leading near the crater and through the volcanic rock and lava tubes seems like a trip to another planet. Take the time and take lots of pictures. You won’t forget this visit.

Very cool place! This would be a good place to visit with family or people of all ages. You can go at your own pace. It’s near some other National monuments so it’s easy to hit them all in the same day.

Having spent a week looking at a lot of red rocks in Utah, it was a refreshing experience to look at black ones! We did a couple of the shorter walks using the trail guide following the numbered points, which meant we learnt loads as we walked. The landscape was fascinating, this park is well worth a visit make sure you allow enough time to visit both parts.

Great job by the NPS! Easy drive and easy for visitors to get a close up view of the impact and history of lava flows. While more moderate hikes are available, there is also an easy, concrete path to and within the flow. Nice job at the Visitor Center on the history of the area and how volcanic activity has shaped and transformed it. Well worth a stop. Short drive from Flagstaff.

This volcanic lava field is incredible! We had such a great time walking through the manicure trail of small lava rock and black sand. Don’t miss this cool place!

After stopping and being wowed by the 1000 year old lava flow, a pleasant drive takes you to views of the volcano that caused it, the fissures that have been more recently active and views over to the Painted Desert. Sweet gift shop and education center.

Sunset Crater NM offers great volcanic landscape and some lovely hikes. On the hikes one can imagine the force and devastation caused by the volcanic eruptions. Also the tracks from people who used to hike to the mountain top are still visible like scars in the landscape. Nowadays one is not allowed to climb to the top of the crater anymore. A nice place to visit. Not busy yet very scenic.

The Sunset Crater National Monument has preserved parts of the volcanic history of Arizona. After entering the Park, we stopped at the Visitor Center, which limited entry to three people at a time. Fortunately, there were very few people there, so we were in and out in 20 minutes or so. The Park Rangers were very helpful, knowledgeable and gave us tons of information about the park, plus some maps and brochures. We were also able to get our stickers and date stamps for our Parks Passport.

We then drove slowly through the Park along the lava flow path – as mapped out by the Rangers. There were several look-out points and short trails one can take to see the lava at a much closer distance. There are about five trails in total. We took two.

We first stopped at the A’a Trail – a very short hike right in the middle of a lava field. A word of caution here: The trail is fairly easy, but definitely not for the handicapped. The paths were slippery, and the loose and extremely sharp rocks were slip and trip hazards. We treaded very carefully here and got some memorable pictures.

The second Trail we took was the Bonita Trail. This was a paved path that took us right over the lava cinders. We saw several wildflowers growing here amid the burnt trees. The best view was the sight of the Humphrey Peak – a mountain standing tall at 12633 feet. We could see the ancient black lava flow coming down the sides, and flowing out as far as the eye could see. The sun shining on the little flowering trees on the top of the black lava made everything glow red and orange. Simply Amazing! They have several strategic places for photos on this trail.

The Park is very well maintained. At every stop, there were informational and explanatory placards that gave us a complete idea of what we were looking at.

We highly recommend a stop here. You will not be sorry, plus learn a lot.

Day trip up to the crater, unfortunately you cannot see down in it anymore, but it is a neat drive and several stops to see the volcanic rock and rock formations. Nice easy trip from Flagstaff.

This is the second time I have been here and I still find it fascinating. Make sure to take the long path, you will see cool lava tubes and stuff. Continue the loop to see the Wupatki ruins. Both places easy to walk.

Almost drove by the entrance as we were headed to four corners. Said "wanna go in?" sure was the response. Glad we did. Had no idea that this area was so volcanicly active so recently (geologically). Fascinating place, and well worth the price of admission (to be fair, I'm 70+ and it was free). We were in a bit of a hurry and didn't see all there was to see, so would go again.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a neat place to visit. The terrain is, well, volcanic rock from a volcano that erupted 900 plus years ago. The scenery and terrain is unique. This stop was part of our day tour to the Grand Canyon.

Couple a visit here with one to Wupatki National Monument, about 20 miles north. There are several trails near the visitors' center, including a 0.2 mile trail that goes down into a lava bed. The terrain in the area is unusual and gives a real sense of what a volcanic field is like. The visitors' center has useful information about volcanoes in general as well as for the area, where there have been 600 volcanos.

My husband and I were looking fro something to do on our last day in Flagstaff. It was one of the National park days where there was no fee so we decided to visit. This is definitely a hidden Gem. Beautiful park. The visitor center is small and they only allowed three in at a time. The scenery was just so pretty. There are several very easy hikes that are short. We loved walking across the lava fields. It was not super crowded which was nice. The black of the volcanic dirt with the yellow and red flowers was just stunning. The drive through the park was nice. We would definitely return if in the area again to do some of the other hikes. I would recommend checking this park out.

I visited Sunset Crater Volcano NM a couple of times on my recent trip. The volcano is less than 30 min from Flagstaff. The scenery here is absolutely breathtaking! Virtually all the hills you see are volcanic cones of varying heights and composition. I hiked three different trails described below:

Lava Flow Trail is the closest you can get to Sunset Crater Volcano. The volcano can’t be climbed anymore due to the loose cinders causing scaring. The first section is level and paved. The section section is hilly and rocky. It wasn’t difficult, but more care needs to be taken. It took me about 45 min to hike total but was so rewarding!

The Aa Trail begins at a roadside parking area and goes a few hundred feet into the Bonito Lava Flow. The terrain is treacherous with many sharp rocks. It is unlike any other landscape I have ever seen! (Being from Florida I’ve had little experience with volcanoes) It only takes a few minutes to walk but it is a must do.

The best trail I hiked was the Lennox Crater Trail. Unlike Sunset Crater itself, this smaller volcano has a trail that can be hiked. It is about a 300 foot elevation gain. I acclimated for two days in Flagstaff before attempting and didn’t have any problems. Just bring plenty of water and take breaks as needed. The view from the top was incredible! Of course you get to stand on the edge of the volcanic crater which was exciting enough! (especially as this was the first volcano I climbed!) On top of that, you get a fantastic view of San Francisco Mountain in the background. Be careful in the shady side (north) in cold weather as there was ice on the trail as I was descending.

The staff at the visitor center were awesome and helpful. They had an outside table set up to help folks safely. Sunset Crater Volcano and the surrounding area is worth developing a vacation around. This is a must visit location that I highly recommend!

This is a really neat place. My kids loved it! Clean park and excellent trails to hike. I highly recommend! We wish we had more time as you could spend a day here. We spent an hour.

We have been to Wupatki Park a couple times before and so just went to Sunset National Monument today. So a nice short drive from Flagstaff but should be combined with the ruins of Wupatki to make the trip worth while.

If you're interested in geology or Native American history, Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments are a great place to visit. Don't miss them.

When in Flagstaff this is a must go to place. Don’t just visit the crater and it’s beautiful volcanic cone and meadows. It erupted about 1,000 years ago. A person cannot climb on the volcano itself, but there are nice trails to walk on and see the different features that this volcano created.

Continue on the same road to Wupatki National Monument and visit some astounding ancient buildings. Many people just go to Sunset Crater and turn around. These people miss out experiencing Wupatki National Monument, a wonderful opportunity to see and learn the history, what little is known, of these ingenious people of long ago.

If your in Flagstaff this is a must see, hard to describe how cool it is to see all the black ash covered mountains and craters. Beautiful 21 mile drive through this park on the way to the Wupatki National Monument.

Being able to walk around the lava fields around the volcano was fascinating. Note that most of the trails (from what I saw) are on the gravely soil created by the lava flow. It can be tougher than usual trails, but the first bit of the Lava Flow Trail is paved and has spectacular views. That portion also has very informative stations as you walk through. This is definitely not something you see everyday, and I highly recommend!

Is was surprising to learn how much of this part of Arizona was volcanic. Sunset Crater preserves parts of this History. Not a huge park , rough basalt, loose cinders and ponderosa pine are some things that you will encounter. The first stop we made was the little A'a Trail. Definitely not handicapped accessible. Be careful walking on the rough lava. It made me think I was in Hawaii! The Bonita Vista trail walks across a field of cinders on a paved trail and the 1.6 RT Lenox Crater trail goes thru the ponderosa pines with sweeping views of the San Francisco peaks, including Arizona's highest peak, Humphrey, 12,633'. She and her sister peaks were snow covered when we were there in May.
The Park is very nice with more rangers/volunteers than we saw in many larger parks on our trip to Arizona.

I loved this stop best of the three national monuments clustered together in this area! Sunset Crater Volcano is a beautiful mountain with a stunning red blush at the top. There were also cool lava beds and black volcanic sand. We drove through here on a whim on our way to the Grand Canyon and I urge travelers to do the same!

If you have never gone to a volcanic area, this would be a great place to start. Very easy getting around and the drive to the monument is nice because you get to see close up the lava flows. You can hike to the top of the crater. Bring plenty of water it can get warm there.

Very cool experience! Very educational! Beautiful Area! Look for Elk, we saw a few on the side of the road.

Decided to stop on way to Grand Canyon , Almost did not make it to Grand Canyon . The volunteer was informative and knowledgeable . Passionate about the park.

When you visit this site you should at a minimum drive most of the way through and stop at a few overlooks. Even better is driving all the way through Wapatki Monument. I would stop at the visitor center for a primer of what you will see and the geology. There is a short hike shortly after that takes you down in the fascinating landscape.

Sunset Crater is a beautiful area that has recently reopened after fires during the summer. We took a short hike, but a cold rain was moving in, so we didn’t stay out for long.

The information center wasn't open, so we didn't spend a lot of time here, but enjoyed the short walks around the lava fields.

An amazing stop' great visitor center explaining the importance of this event 50,000 years ago. Tour guides are very informative and helpful. A in-depth analysis of the significance of this event and how quickly it happened, how large th meteor was, and how big a crater it created in the earth when it hit land...5 seconds to make the crater; big enough to put 20 football fields in it.

Sunset Crater Volcano had a series of eruptions from 1040 AD to 1100 AD. Native American people lived in this area prior to the eruptions. Ash still covers miles of ground. We went to the overlook of Sunset Crater which was scenic and pretty. The history here is pretty amazing from a geological standpoint. Worth a stop when you are in the area of Wupatki National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Monument.

Just outside of Flagstaff, it’s very different than the Grand Canyon, but in its own way, just as geologically unique and stunning. Provides great insight into the natural and cultural history of the area. Well worth the time — plus you don’t have the drive time or face the crowds of the CANYON.

Awesome park! So much to do and see! And cheap entrance fee. Also the fee includes Wupatki Ruins! This a must see and do!

This park is contiguous with the Wupakti National Monument; one entrance fee gets you into both (keep your receipt). It's really a threefer because you get volcanoes, ancient ruins and gorgeous painted desert landscapes all in one park, which is small enough to do in a day unless you want to complete every trail.

We had a great time tromping around on the lava, looking around the little visitors center, and taking in the lovely views of cinder cones and craters. There aren't a ton of trails but there are some options. Wupakti to the north is a can't-miss. Highly recommend this park.

Well organized and signposted. Limited parking at the Visitor Center. Nice bathrooms.
The film there was very good if just a tad long at 20 minutes.
Limited gift shop items but some variety.
Short drive to the walking trails, one is a short paved loop with native planting signs and great vistas. The other is a loose lava trail that had some terrific lava features along the way, not long or arduous, worth taking. “Vault” toilets.

This park is located just north of Flagstaff and has a variety of trails that allow you to experience the volcanic landscape. We walked the A’a, Bonito Vista and a portion of the Lava Flow Trails. The trails were well marked with informational signs explaining the history and landscape.

Russel and Sherry were friendly and helpful. The crater, videos, and ride were good; however, ADA accommodations were grossly lacking. Most doors did not have accessible entry pads, and those that did, were inoperative.

I was impressed and thankful that the 4D ride also had seats that did not move, so my neurodivergent family member was able to participate.

Our family group of 7 didn't really know what to expect at this site but were pleasantly surprised. While the visitor center is a little underwhelming, the trail around the lava flow at the edge of the crater was inspiring.

It's an easy, although sometimes unsteady, walk. Mostly flat but take some good shoes, and imagine what it would have been like with lava flowing right where you stood.

The information at the park does a good job providing a solid background to what the area was like, not only from when ancient peoples lived there but also from when man almost ruined it. A strong conservation message that my kids took to heart, which is important to us.

As this is a relatively "new" volcano, the lava flows are still quite visible. The walk through the A'a lava flow area is really neat, as are the other short trails.

I hiked the O'Leary Peak Trail.

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.

Sunset Crater is a dormant volcano that blew up about 1,000 years ago and because of Flagstaff’s dry climate, the effects on the surrounding are are very noticeable.

There is a nice visitors center as you enter off of US 89, a short loop trail in the lava flow called the A’a trail, and a longer lava flow trail that has a paved upper loop and a non paved lower loop. Takes a little over an hour.

Found that the non paved lower loop wasn’t worth the effort. You get marginally closer to Sunset crater than the paved loop and the views aren’t significantly better.

Admission is $25/vehicle but this includes admission to Wupatki National Monument and is good for seven days. Loop park road continues to Wupatki and will end back on US 89 about twenty miles farther north. Entrance to monument is off of US 89 about a 20 minute drive from Flagstaff.

It was an otherworldly experiences hiking through the Ah A Trail and the Lava Flow Trail. Pondering the fiery furnace that once was these lava flows and now walking upon their cooled remnants is quite an experience. The local native American verbal history seems to document what happened here and the impact it had on those peoples. It was worth the stop for a couple hours. Wish we had had the time to proceed to the 35 miles driving loop with overlook. We had lunch at picnic tables outside the visitor center. Only negative was the park ranger in the VC rather rude.

Really a nice drive with places to stop more than anything else. For the $25 entrance fee, pass through a picnic area of spacious Ponderosa Pines, then a photo op of Sunset Crater then plenty of parking for relatively short walks of volcanic flow. There is a short wheelchair area and a longer walk up a wooded cinder cone. The walking is a little more difficult on the latter in pulverized volcanic rock trail: a little like walking in sand. Nice views, interesting to understand the extensive volcanic activity of the area but not stunning, volcanic flow is interesting at first but gets a little tedious. I think by itself, I'd give it a "three" but give it a "four" as part of the loop. The view Tripadvisor has for sunset crater and also one I've uploaded is after you've passed out of the crater area, the last volcanic ridges reach out to your left and right.. The vista is an assortment of earth colors studded with dark green trees, the mauve painted desert in the distance along with an "easy wind" when I was there is breathtaking. Continue on to Wupatki....

Due to the impending snowstorm we had to speed up our time here which meant three of the five trails that were shorter. They still offered the opportunity to walk the fields and view the park from many perspectives. Great to pair with visiting Wupatki National Monument and trails but be sure to eat before you go as there are no food options.

Well maintained, easy trail over lava fields and tubes. Incredible landscape. The crater is not accessible or visible.

What a Beautiful place! Step back in time when lava flowed and walk among the lava stones and ash! You will love this place. Take water!

First National Monument we stopped at while driving on the loop road of 395. Can't imagine how destructive it was when the volcano exploded. It's now beautiful and serene but it must be devastating. The explosion created more than 600 mountains and hills in this region. Don't miss the Painted Desert Vista picnic area for the beautiful views of the area.

Very cool place! I had not seen lava fields before and so had no expectations. There were several walks (hardly strenuous enough to call hike). There is a concrete walkway (interpretative walk), which provided some information about the volcanoes.

Clearly forest had burned in prior years and so seeing the resilience of the earth is heartening.

I would recommend this site for folks of all ages and abilities.

Friendly, informative Visitor Center. Paved walking pathway. Good views and signage. No dogs allowed on this hike, except service dogs.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is located in the northeastern area of Flagstaff. The powerful explosions of this 300 meter high volcano have transformed the surrounding landscape.
At entrance, we visited the Visitor centre, which has very fine displays and where the rangers are helpful.
Close to the visitor centre, we hiked the lunar Lava Flow, which allowed us to discover spectacular volcanic flows and to get close to the steep slopes of the volcano covered with black powder. The contrast was striking between the color of the red earth and the color of the black heart of the lava!
The ascent to the top of the volcano is not authorized, in order to better preserve the site.

It was very peaceful for us, clean and staff were very friendly, thank you all again would come back in near future, yous do a great job

Climbing on the crater cone is prohibited so you cannot see inside the crater, but there is a very nice trail that gives you a good view of the surrounding landscape, including the hardened river of lava that spewed out about a 1000 years ago. The Visitor's Center has literature that explains what happened, along with other good books and brochures about the area.

We made a quick trip into the park, and enjoyed seeing the old lava flow, and walking the modest trail to the crater. The trail is well marked with information on native plants and other interesting things along the trail, and is concrete (so easy to manage). Worth a stop!

On my list of awesome places in the area to see and I was not disappointed! I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to live around there at that time! A must see

My family and I made it a point to stop for a quick visit at Sunset Crater before heading back to Phoenix from Flagstaff.

My kids, 11, 15 and 16 each had a great time, and enjoyed the amazing wonder of the trail just off of Lava Flow Rd. This park is full of interesting info, cool sights and easy to access trails.
We will be setting aside an entire day to explore on our next trip in Novemeber.

Let me begin by saying we didn't hike but if you did then you would find it impressive or so I have been told. We didn't actually see the crater. I think you had to hike to see it.
But the Wupataki range is fun just to listen to silence - pure silence as no one was there in February. The two trips fit together seamlessly.

We enjoyed seeing the lava and the scenery was beautiful. We rode all the way through past the Wupatki National Monument. I wish we had gone back to Highway 89 after seeing the lava and mountain because it was a long ride the way we went out. The visitor center had closed for the day when we were there. We still could ride through and see everything else.

We took a break from Sedona vortexes to visit Sunset Crater and it totally exceeded my expectations. This park was absolutely breathtaking! The paths were well maintained, no crowds and the most beautiful scenery. Highly recommend - the volcanic rock and landscape were amazing!

One of our favorite hiking areas around these parts. Many choices of level walks, including some paved short walknouts

We kinda wrote this off in the planning stages of our trip as more of just a "drive around a big hill on your way through" but it was so much more than that. The crazy black landscape and lava flows were very cool to see. We wound up stopping at more of the overlooks that we had originally planned.

Volcanoes as a rule are not common to come by-- as the 3rd one we've visited, I liked the layout of this one the best, multiple stopping points, way made easy for those less mobile at most of the stops (sidewalks) when able, yet also offerings to go deeper at those places as well. Worth the entrance fee (we combined it with the Pueblos up the highway) no question.

We were here years ago and enjoyed it, but they have improved it greatly. Loved walking over the lava field. Brings out the kid in you. Some additional explanatory placards give perspective to what you are seeing and it's fascinating, even to a person who is reasonably knowledgeable on the subject.

And this was pure serendipity. We were on our way to Glen Canyon when we were detoured right through the park because of a fire across the road ahead. Since we were already there, we said what the hell. We were were glad we took advantage of the opportunity, despite it adding a lot of time and driving to our day. Hooray for serendipity.

This was a nice surprise and something we all were amazed to see. The lava flow was incredible and you try to visualize it flowing from the eruption. The signage was very helpful in describing what we were looking at around the park. It is definitely not something you see in other states. If you are looking for something unique be sure to check out this park.

A quick visit from Flagstaff with the America the Beautiful pass. I visited the park about 5 years ago, but only drove through stopping for photos. I highly recommend getting out on the few hikes in the National Monument. It’s beautiful!

We stopped by here and the Wupatki National Monument on the way from Grand Canyon to Flagstaff and it was really interesting to see! Very different landscape with lava soil and pine trees. We didn’t do any walks but there are a few short ones you could do if you wanted to.

Told the grandkids we were going to walk on lava, yeah right I heard. Every one had a great time hiking the flows. Get there early AM. Bring plenty of water and take only pictures.

We stopped on the tour we had taken to see the Grand Canyon!
With the info we received from our driver, we learned a lot including how sharp the lava can be!

We viewed SCVNM on the way up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, by taking the loop trip around to there and Wupatki. The Lava Flow trail is so interesting, and worth doing if you like geology.

This a classic volcanic cinder cone complete with ice caves used for refrigeration by the Indians; Aa-Aa lava flows and volcanic bombs with gas bubbles. The oath thru the area requires several rocky steps where a walking stick is handy. The Bonita lava flow is probably only a couple thousand years old and may have caused some of the Indians to relocate?

Be sure to visit the crater along with Wupatki National Monument. They are both on the same loop. There is a very nice visitor center and picnic grounds. The crater is cooler and has more trees that the area around Wupatki

It’s amazing that the lava rock has been there approximately 950 years! The lava field is enormous and quite breathtaking. Definitely worth the visit to see something most of us don’t have near home.

Was a gorgeous but very windy day to visit. Enjoyed walking around & museum was full of things to look at. Staff was friendly & knowledgeable.

This is a beautiful and interesting national park. We took the ranger’s recommendations and stopped at a few spots along the drive. Our favorite was the hike to the base of the crater. Nothing is super strenuous and to be in the middle of this place is awe inspiring. Bring food and drink and there isn’t food available.

This National Monument was a very good surprise. We had visited Wupatki NM to see the Ancestral Puebloan ruins and continued along the park road to Sunset Crater NM. Learning about all of the volcanic activity in the area was fascinating and unexpected. Seeing the huge lava flows and realizing that many of the peaks in the area were actually cinder cones was also a big surprise. Along the way between Wupatki and Sunset Crater make sure you stop at the Painted Desert overlook. Another surprise we learned about at the visitor center was that the big eruption that created the Sunset Crater cinder cone happened while people were living in the zone of the eruption and how they incorporated the ash into their pottery and how their stories told of the event.

I always thought the US has really old inactive volcanos. That's only sort of true. If you are traveling between Sedona and the Grand Canyon, I high recommend seeing the Sunset Crater. The crater is the youngest volcano in CONUS. I was amazed at the lava field. It looks like it could have happened a couple years ago. One field is big craggy formations, while another is perfectly flat as if the mountain was blacktopped like a road. The loop is about 35 miles. There are opportunities to hike. Even if you just want to drive through, its worth it. Its not as impressive as the Grand Canyon nor the Painted Desert, but really cool and something to see.

Beautiful site - Great hiking and walking trails. Lots of great opportunities for pictures. The visitors center is still closed but still great.

Who knew there was a HUGE lava field near Flagstaff? Amazing place to walk through and see the amount of lava and the hardy plants trying to grow in it today. Highly recommend!

The visitor center at this park is a bit underwhelming. The ride back from Wupatki Park was very enjoyable and we were able to stop at the Crater overlook on the way. Great vantage point to see how the top of the mountain blew off and how far the black cinder from the magma spread during eruption. The Bonita Lava flow is massive and made us feel like we were back on the Big Island in Hawaii.

We drove through the loop with this and the Wupatki Nat'l Monument. We had never heard of this and it was a great surprise. Very interesting way the earth has changed itself. Really unique vistas and information. Great stop on a SouthWest tour.

The Sunset crater itself is obviously difficult to view, it's the top of the mountain. And just taking the peak is quite difficult, best from a distance. Close up you just get the steep sided black ash slopes of the volcano and can walk amongst the lava flows at the bottom. A short 5 mins drive further is a well preserved rocky lava flow that again provides a photogenic trail to walk.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a breathtaking destination! The stunning views of the volcanic landscape are awe-inspiring, and the well-maintained trails offer a fantastic opportunity to explore the unique flora and geological features. The visitor center is informative, and the rangers are friendly and knowledgeable. This is a must-visit for nature lovers and anyone interested in geology. Highly recommended for a memorable experience!

We continued our drive from Walnut Canyon and stopped at the Sunset Crater Visitors Center. Looking at the terrain, seeing all the lava rocks and fields of “cinder” then realizing the vegetation has “popped up” amongst the lava just really “blew our minds”. Then on to Wupatki ruins.

We stopped here for a picnic lunch and explore in early spring. The temps were cool and there was hardly anyone there besides us.

We picnicked under the trees (nice and shady!) near the visitor center and then made the short drive to hike the Lave Flow Trail. It was only a mile (with some steps and elevation changes) but was SO VERY COOL.

My sixteen year old son said this hike was the favorite part of our week long trip to Arizona! All along the hike there are signs teaching you about different lava formations and what was happening when it was made.

I HIGHLY recommend this hike - although I'd be hesitant in the summer as there was no shade at all and you're surrounded by black rock :)

If you've got time I also highly recommend Wupakti National Monument, which is included with the price of admission.

It has changed for the better ,so much easier to get around . Very well layed out . Much more information on the trails.

We drove out here from Flagstaff during one of our 'rest days' and it was really cool - the scenery and terrain were very unique and walking along the lava fields was very interesting. The volcano's silhouette over the park is striking as our the ash fields - one can only wonder at what it must have been like when this erupted and how much devastation it caused. There are bright red wildflowers that have taken root and grow in the ash...as Dr. Malcom says, life finds a way ;)

Interesting that there are volcano fields in Arizona. We had a good time driving through the open parts and taking a short hike on the Lava Flow trail. There is parking on the side of the road and then a loop trail over the lava. Wear tennis shoes since the path is made from lava stones. Neat to see pine trees growing from lava landscapes. Also vista to view the cinder cones.

There is a fee to enter the National Park or buy an America Pass which can be used all year long. The entrance fee also permits you to go to Wupakti park which is nearby. There is a road that connects the two parks but it was closed in December.

When you pay the $25 entrance fee it also includes access to the Wupatki National Monument, just hang on to your receipt for verification. Even if you drive through and don't pull off to explore, you can see lava flow and the crater.

This is truly one of the best places to visit in Arizona. Watching the sunset reflected on the cinder cone is sublime. There are some nice, short trails too.

There are trails through the lava beds-the stuff finds it's way into your shoes and is very sharp and gritty- I reccommend ankle high hiking shoes if you leave the paved paths

Very interesting - when we visited it was thundering in the distance which added to the ambiance

Lots of short - wheelchair accessible walks too

1000 years ago, the most recent volcano erupted north of modern-day Flagstaff, Arizona. It transformed the lives of the ancient Indigenous people living around Wupatki pueblo and left behind a fascinating landscape preserved as Sunset Crater National Monument.

Sunset Crater is definitely worth seeing if you are in the area: the peak and others in the wider San Francisco Volcanic Field (including SP Crater, on private land outside the park, which visitors are free to climb) are the classic kind of cinder cone everyone sees in their mind's eye when they think of volcanoes. Short of seeing flowing lava in Hawaii, Sunset Crater is probably the best place to go in the US to see volcanoes.

You can pick what to do at Sunset Crater based on how much time you have. The shorter A'a Trail will give you a quick spin around the Bonita Lava Flow that issued from the base of Sunset Crater. If you have more time, do the Lava Flow Trail, which gives you a more in depth tour around the different features of a lava flow, Sunset Crater, and the surrounding cinder cones. If you do the Lava Flow Trail, spend the extra dollar and buy a guidebook at the visitor centre. I recommend Lava Flow Trail over A'a Trail if you do have the time. You cannot climb Sunset Crater anymore, but adjacent Lenox Crater does have a trail to the top. Unfortunately, the actual crater at the top of Lenox was filled in by cinders from the eruption of Sunset Crater. If you want to climb a cinder cone and peer into its gaping crater, I recommend SP Crater outside the monument. Just outside Flagstaff are a few extinct lava tubes you can hike into as well.

Great fun for our family which included teens and toddlers. Our family has enjoyed the park during summer and fall both trips were great the staff is great the lava tubs blow cool air during the summer and the same air feels warm in the 28 degree weather during the winter. the trails have fun information that our family loves

Just outside the city of Flagstaff is this National Monument park. It offers you an up close view through various trails of an extinct volcano. Their is a small visitor center and found the rangers very helpful in help us choose an itinerary. Pets are allowed on a leash. Fee is $25 per car. They accept Golden Access and American the Beautiful National Park passes.

We were traveling through and stopped by and were able to hike a couple of the trails in the park. The trails were well marked and easy to follow. The park was full of very interesting sights and the information provided was excellent

The park ranger was very helpful directing our group "over the bridge, past the bench then go right of the crooked tree" to the cinder Lava Flow Trail. Awesome hike for school age kids who earned their Junior Park Ranger badges!

The lava flows are really beautiful to see. The visitor center was closed (covid) and I think that might have made the trip much more interesting. We drove a short way and stopped at a lookout to see some beautiful lava formations. With the sun shining and new trees growing it was a pretty stop at side of road. A .2 mike hike allows you to walk through the fields but caution the cooled lava formations are sharp and the trail is slippery due to loose lava pebbles. The two lava flows is all you will see … the only view of the crater is a tough hike up the mountains at O’Leary campground. Overall you could be done in less than an hour. I recommend completing the loop by going 18 miles and down 2,000 feet to see some very well preserved Indian Pueblos. Make sure to stop at visitor center for information. Together both the lava and Pueblos make the trip worthwhile.

This was our first stop on a spring break road trip to the national parks. We were glad we did this one prior to the Grand Canyon, so we could appreciate the smaller landmarks before being wowed by some of the larger ones. It's an easy stop with a few trails to explore. The volcanic rock formations are really cool to see, we're glad we stopped to check them out.

We just happened upon this monument and were awestruck that there was a black lava field in AZ! It looks just like the big island in HI and we were amazed. The drive through the area was ver beautiful and interesting and we were so glad that we happened to run across it.

We stopped here on a rainy day and absolutely loved the landscape and learning about the area. Wish we could have hiked but it was cold and we were short on time.

Visitor center was informative. Hiking trails led to beautiful vistas. We were here in June 2023 so take water on your hike.

Drove through on the way to the east entrance of the Grand Canyon. Very interesting exhibits at the Visitors Center. The views through the park were incredible. Take the time if you are in the area.

This park does not have a lot to see or do, and unfortunately the lava flows are not well preserved.
Don't get me wrong, the 800+ foot tall mountains of volcanic ash are amazing to look at, but the whole 'experience' does not take very long.
All 3 'lava trails' I walked in under 90 minutes, at a leisurely pace. (( I recommend bringing sturdy hiking shoes or boots - volcanic cinders and ash are hard on the ankles ))

If you want to see a better preserved lava field, I recommend 'Valley of Fires' in New Mexico .

We originally visited the crater because it was near another site. Unfortunately we did not plan enough time to enjoy everything it had to offer. Plan to spend at least 4 hrs to really get most of what the complex has to offer

It was fascinating to learn the Arizona mountains were created from volcanoes. This was quite the learning experience for me. To walk the lava fields and look at the lava tubes (all those some are collapsed) is fascinating to see this landscape. The walk was fairly easy and did not take too long to complete. Bring water! You can get quite hot on the trail. And remember not to leave your trash, take it out of the park and put it in the receptacles

Our family enjoyed the hike on the lava flow and the terrain was interesting to see. The trails were winding and uneven due to the terrain, but it provided many unique views.

We combined this with the Wupatki Pueblo NM. The drive was easy and although you can’t get a view of the crater without a long hike, you can get some nice pictures of the crater from a distance. The a’a lava field was the highlight and we went on a short 0.1 mi walk through it.

Day 2 of our road trip! After hiking thru Walnut Canyon the day before we headed out to Sunset Crater and again wow! Such different terrain from the day's hike before. We arrived early 8:30 am and it officially opens at 9 am. The park ranger told us to enjoy. We did 3 trail hikes - the A'a Trail - very easy; the Bonita Vista Trail again very easy and the Lava Flow Trail. The Lava Flow trail was really cool as it starts off paved and then you are off road so to speak. All of the trails are on lava rock so make sure you have good sturdy hiking shoes. The Lava Flow Trail once off the pavement is absolutely beautiful. So serene. I was keeping an eye open for wildlife as we were the only ones out there at that hour. There was quite a bit of snow & ice on the trail but just so quiet. Highly recommend this park!

You can walk on an ancient lava flow. You can see where rivers of lava traveled. There are many locations with signs telling you what happened there. This volcano's last eruption was 1000 years ago.

The volcanic cinder ash still covering everything nearly a thousand years later is hard to imagine, but it does.

Well worth the visit to see the lava flow beds and the overall beauty of the surrounding landscape. Recommended for all. Kids might put down thier cell phones to check it out. Short walking paths are worth it

The landscape felt like another planet lava field, cinder cones, and amazing views everywhere. The Lava Flow Trail was our favourite easy, scenic, and super photogenic. Not too crowded either, which made it feel peaceful. It's definitely worth the stop if you're into nature, geology, or just want a unique hike near Flagstaff!

This park has lava fields you can hike in that are remnants from the volcano. It has many spots to do scenic viewing & it does not take long to see the park if you are not doing any hiking. It is well worth a visit.

It had been raining when we left Flagstaff so the drive was cool especially at the higher elevations. To come upon the lava fields was astounding. This area has far fewer tourist than many of the attractions in Arizona. It anf the Wupatki Ruins are worth going to see.

Located between Walnut Canyon and Wupatki, it makes for a very easy drive to see all three.

The weather was quite bad on the day we visited so only quick hops in and out of the car to see the landscapes and vistas.

Seeing the lava flows so close to the road was unexpected. It was a shame the weather was so bad we could not explore very much.

The landscape is very interesting but it seems less of a primary destination than Walnut Canyon.

The sight of a black lava field and other volcanic features came as quite a surprise. Get out of your car and walk around but make sure you have sturdy shoes.

The Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is an excellent outdoor adventure very close to Flagstaff and with several easy walks or hikes. The Monument is immediately off of U.S. Highway 89 (the road going to Cameron, the Grand Canyon Desert View entrance, and also to Page, AZ. This volcano is part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field which runs from the mountains around Flagstaff down the eastern part of Arizona. The eruption and formation of this classic cinder cone took place less about 900 years ago, which is very recent in geologic terms. While not active since then, it is not extinct, and could become active again. The Bonita lava flow and its lava lake are as dramatic and stark as those seen around Kilauea in Hawaii. There has been much publicity this year about the fact that the Apollo lunar astronauts trained in the Bonita lava lake. There is even a photo of an astronaut in such training in the June issue of the United Airlines in-flight magazine, as a promotion to visiting Flagstaff by air. I have attached my own photo of the Bonita lava bed (without the astronaut).

The best view of the crater (8040 ft) and interior is from O'Leary Peak (8900 ft elevation) which is a several miles hike from the Visitor's Center, a hike which I chose not to experience. The crater and its caldera are closed to hiking.

The crater is slightly orange in color, likely due to oxidized minerals present in the lava deposit. This orange color is intensified at sunset, and hence the name of the Monument.

Having been to all the volcanic national parks and monuments in CA, OR, and WA, we didn’t know what to expect because we’ve never heard about Sunset Crater before our trip to AZ. We were more than pleasantly surprised by this natural wonder. The visitor center has great information on the eruption and the history of the local population at the time of the eruption. Our teenagers loved it. It’s a great experience for the entire family.

In Yellowstone Park where I work, recent volcanism is 70,000 years old. Here at Sunset, less than a thousand years ago it erupted! Peoples lives were impacted by it. Pretty sleepy now yet evidence of great power. It is compared in the visitor center to Paricutin in Mexico, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, which began erupting from a farmers field only 76 years ago. The earth is alive, watch out!

The walk through the Laval flows was fun. The fall colors were out and it was a very sunny day. Easy walks

We got there at sunrise and pretty much had the entire place to ourselves. Fantastic views and places of interest if you like volcanic stuff. Plan to hike on the trails because you can’t get out and wander off any other places.

Stop by the Visitor Center before heading to the crater. Good information and guides. The numerous trails are well marked. Not a good choice for summer hiking, as there is little shade. The volcanic landscape is different from what we normally see in mountainous areas.

We had a beautiful drive to get to this park and when we got there, the landscape was amazing. The visitor center had the junior ranger program, and is very kid friendly. The people here are very nice and sincere. I really liked my visit at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Very close to Flagstaff and very close to the Grand Canyon South Rim, and it is very educational. When we are in the area we most certainly will go back.

There is a small visitor center with some explanatory exhibits but the real draw is down the road at the lava fields. There are paved paths and more challenging unpaved trails. The lava formations are picture worthy.

Continue around on the loop road and you pass through very nice scenery.

Scenery was spectacular. Make sure to pull over at all the turnouts and have your camera ready! Trails along the main loop road are very nicely developed. Several are ADA concrete walkways. Really nice signage. Friendly volunteers. Clean bathrooms at major stops on loop road. I only planned for a couple of hours. I should have planned all day. I missed a lot.

TIP: buy the $80 National Park Pass! We saved $100 in park fees within 2 hours of Flagstaff and that didn’t even include the Grand Canyon!

You almost feel like you’re walking on the moon in Sunset Crater Volcano NP - such unique geography. Several short walks and scenic overlooks for this NON-hiking couple!!

Our family visited the Sunset Crater Volcano National Park on 3/19/22. My husband and I have both been in the park on previous occasions; but we decided to make another excursion to the area to give our 3 year old son, who is interested in volcanoes, a hands on learning experience. The visitor center area that offers educational content to visitors is roped off but people are allowed to be in the exact same room to purchase merchandise and souvenirs!? This decision is illogical-- if the closure was made to facilitate the "health" and "safety" of guests, the entire one room visitor center would be closed. Only 3 people at a time were allowed into the gift shop side, so it seems reasonable to assume other accommodations could be made to provide patrons of the park access to educational content. If we'd known access to educational material in the visitor center was off limits, we would have saved the FULL price entry fee and visited the park at another time. At the very least park rangers should disclose ongoing closures, covid related or otherwise, to patrons before they pay to enter the park.

Had no idea this place existed. The facilities for experiencing the crater are second to none. The guides are very knowledgeable. Full of information. One interesting fact is that Frank Lloyd Wright did a great design for a hotel on the rim of the crater that is on display. Unfortunately, the the foundations would have been too costly so it was never built.

The sunset crater has three nice hiking areas. The first is a very small loop which we did to walk on and around the lava flow. It is perfect for small families who don't want to hike alot. The second is on a different crater Lennox crater right across the road from the first hike. It is a little strenuous up the hill but well worth it. The third trail was a little further down the road and a little longer but still on the lava flow. We didn't so this one because we wanted to drive the Wupatki loop though the national monument was not open yet due to covid. It still is a nice drive for pictures as you drive right into the painted desert.

A great drive and beautiful views the lava flows and different views are fantastic It does not cost anything to drive the loop. Except your time. And gas. Very beautiful

An amazing National Park that has great views and great hiking trails. The trail with the lava rocks was my favorite. A must do.

The crater itself “is what it is” a beautiful barren waste that when you put it in context of forces involved is interesting. The lava flow however is the true gem showing the Beauty of nature

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a great place to see amazing views of after effect what nature can do. Seeing the lava flow areas and what they left behind. (pictures don't do it justice) You don't have to go to Hawaii to see the rock formations when you have it your own back yard. This is a National Monument and there is a fee unless you have a park pass. It does have a couple of trails one is at the base of the mountain (recommend) but make sure your wearing tennis shoes or hiking boots. Also bring a bottle of water (more water for warmer days) its about a mile hike. Since your visiting Sunset Crater Volcano don't forget to stop by Wupatki National Monument that's within the same area. Depending on your hotel you could be 20-40 away. Enjoy and say hi to someone!

My son & I visited this place in June, it was really interested how this volcano had to impact the surrounding areas & how the people were affected.

A little pricey but a lot of information. Awesome gift shop. You do a lot of walking, but nothing that is difficult.

Fantastic side trip on way to the Grand Canyon. Our Sedona hotel concierge suggested we stop here, and I’m so glad she did! We really enjoyed this well marked and lovely trail. The lava flow and the ash blackened surrounding area is amazing. Well worth the price of entry for the cool drive and the Wupatki Pueblo.

Allow 60-90 minutes if you aren’t hiking.

It’s awesome to step on lava rock that came from the inside of the earth! You have to pay to get in. There are a few places to stop and walk on some short trails to feel the lava rocks yourself.

Well worth the stop, interesting to see the actual lave flow like a frozen river of rock. The landscape is so different from other areas, volunteers offer backgroung info and stories, Would go again!

Had a great time at Sunset Crater today. We learned about the history and walked some of the trails. Will be back to ride my bike on the loop soon.

This National Monument is on the same loop road as Wupatki National Monument, and well worth visiting. The main attraction is an interesting volcano/ash cone with a reddish/yellow hue at the top, and several lava flows from its last eruption about 1000 years ago. The rangers are very knowledgeable and eager to answer questions - the visitors center has nice exhibits about this particular cinder cone, lava, volcanic eruptions around the world, and earthquakes. Nice junior ranger program, too.

This is an area that had several hundred volcanoes. The most recent erupted/exploded about 1000 years ago and left huge deposits of cragy basalt you can walk through and large areas covered with cinder, pebble-like pieces of crystalized lava that fell over a 12-mile radius after the explosion. You can see this as part of a 30-mile loop drive that also takes you to Wapatki National Monument.

Although hiking ON the cone was first prohibited 30 years ago (you have to go to the park to find out why, I'm not telling...) this detour off of Route 66 is WELL WORTH the visit. The unique landscape tells quite a story of the violent geologic history of this part of the country. On the May day we were there, the white snow still on San Francisco Mountain, the blue sky and the black lava all created a beautiful landscape. Friendly rangers are willing to answer all the questions you might have after walking the miles of trails this national park offers.

With the recent federal cuts, we were thrilled that this station was fully staffed. Very helpful staff. As 60+ healthy and fit adults, I do think the young lady was a bit confused. She asked if we needed wheelchair access…oh, no…not yet. Please give us another 20 years.

Very nice visitor’s center with great displays.

Very nice place if you there then must vist and i hope like this place and vist again after one time .staff is kind .lovely place

Unfortunately when I stopped here on my road trip, the Visitor Center was closed for some repairs. But I did drive the Loop Road and walked the short A'a Trail since I had limited time. This is a pretty cool place to stop if you have the time.

I enjoyed our stop at Sunset Crater and we hiked the Lenox Crater Trail. It was very strenuous for me (age 69) but we made it and the view of the mountains of Flagstaff from the summit was breathtaking. I'm glad we took the time to walk the trail.

We were driving to Ridgway, CO and were told to visit this park by relatives. We are glad that we did. My wife and I like to hike, so we were able to hike the trails that brought you through the lava field. The views were awesome and it was great exercises. The views while driving out of the park were amazing.

Just made a quick stop on our way to Wupatki. You can't walk on the crater but the visitor's center is nice and the landscape is out of this world. There appear to be some walking trails.

This is worth seeing, it does not take much time. Basically a big hole in the ground, we wanted to take the hike around it, but because of the wind that day, hikes were not allowed. Seeing it once is enough.

Spent less time than expected. We did one short hike in the unique landscape and got the feel of it, and a short stop at the visitor center.
We unexpectedly came directly from Grand Canyon, so should have first turned at the exit for Wupatki and then come down here, before heading off to Flagstaff rather than starting at Sunset and driving up to Wupatki. Would have saved some mileage.

My teenage sons absolutely loved the loop hike on the trail. The soil is something no one has ever seen before. Very unique. It is actually under your feet when you walk. We stopped here when driving from Sedona to Page. Totally worth it. We were there 45 minutes & left with stories to tell.

It’s great, you do not have to visit Hawaii to see the wonder of the lava flows. These are the A’a or course lava flows that almost look like a massive amount of broken asphalt. The park has trails through the lava flows that you should try. Along the way, you see how plant life evolves in the most extraordinary ways. The trails are easy & well laid out. Just Do It!!

The volcano looks like it happened yesterday. You can clearly see how the lava flowed and what it does to the landscape. Very unique and interesting.

This place was pretty cool. The volcanic rock formations at the base of the mountain would shred and bit of skin that it came in contact with.. the views were spectacular and hard to imagine how it was all formed. This place reminded me of being on the big island of Hawaii’s lava fields. This is definitely worth a trip and a walk through.

We hit this site on our drive from the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff, as we were staying in Flagstaff on our last night of a weeklong trip to Sedona and Grand Canyon before flying out of the Flagstaff airport. This site is very convenient to Flagstaff. We actually were able to enjoy this site for free, as there was no one manning the booth that day so the Visitor Store folks said to just go enjoy the views/trails! So we did. My favorite part was walking the trails that take you down into the lava fields. Really cool. We only drove up to the scenic view of the actual volcano, did not take on the more indepth hike that is allowed to get closer to the volcano itself due to time and weather constraints.

This is an enormous space. Mountains, lava, ash. So much to explore. Get there early before the crowds come. Highly recommend for lots of small hikes and exploring. Take a lunch and drinks as no where to get them.

What a neat little national monument! We visited here while completing the Wupatki-Sunset Crater loop drive (which I highly recommend). Fascinating lava fields all around with cinder cones galore. There are several short hikes through the lava fields...we enjoyed the Lava Flow Trail that goes right up to the base of the Sunset Crater. We only did the paved part up to the overlook, but the trail did continue to loop out through the lava. (Note: Hiking up the cinder cones is not allowed, and a couple of trails are still closed due to damage from last year's fires.). We loved the contrasts of the black lava and soil, the green foliage dotted throughout with beautiful wildflowers, and the blue sky with white and grey monsoon clouds. Sweet!

I was only vaguely aware of this place and almost passed it up but reviews here convinced me we needed to see it. Thanks to all the great reviews, we did just that and so glad we did. Also very interesting reading about the volcanoes and cinders. This morning we went back and did the short hike to Lenox Crater. Beautiful view of the San Francisco Peaks from there. Love this area.

Neat to see the lava and hike around the base of the volcano. The trailhead is through the Visitor’s Center and I highly recommend doing the 0.9 mile loop (unpaved) at the base, it’s an easy walk.

If driving the loop road from Wupatki National Monument, make sure to stop at some of the trail head parking lots before you get to the Sunset Crater visitor center, especially quick stop at Bonito Lava Flows, or you'll need to back track. Very unique landscape here. Part of the hiking trails in the area are closed due to fires that went through in past years, but still several areas to explore.

Nothing really going on... just get to see a volcano. The is no hiking allowed allowed around the volcano... the drive there was interesting... looks like some kind of old lava formations or something off the side of the road.

This is an interesting area if you take the walk through the lava flow. Other than that, there isn't much to recommend it. It's worth a visit but isn't a "must do." I'm not sure why it's called a crater. It's actually a volcano.

It looked like giant animals chopped up the lava and left it to amuse us. It was spectacular. We will go again and walk along the lava rocks.

We went to the Wupatki National Monument and drove a little further and we arrived at the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. The area is quite different than the surrounding area. While driving around, every turn was different from the molten lava that settled there and turned black. This park offers camping and trails to explore too.

We stopped here on the way to the Grand Canyon and did the drive through here and Wupatki. Well worth the detour. We didn’t walk any trails but just stopped at a few overlooks.

There are so many interesting historical geological attractions in Arizona and Utah and New Mexico and you don't want to overlook any of them. Like Sunset Crater, a cinder cone located 15 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, along U.S. Highway 89, that is situated within the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It is the youngest in a string of volcanoes in the San Francisco volcanic field that is related to the nearby San Francisco peaks. The 1,240-foot-high cone was formed by eruptions dating to 1064-1065 AD. The Sunset Crater eruption produced a blanket of ash that covered 810 square miles and forced the temporary abandonment of settlements of the local Sinagua people. In truth, the eruption partially revegetated the area and improved agricultural productivity, allowing the Sinagua to inhabit the area for another 150 years. Today, the volcano is considered extinct, despite its young geologic age, but the San Francisco volcanic field is still considered active. On June 5, 2015, a website with satellite images reported steam rising from Sunset Crater, leading to fears that it was erupting. But the cause of the steam later was determined to be a forest fire. Today, a one-mile, self-guided loop trail is located at the base of Sunset Crater but hiking to the summit is prohibited. A trail providing access to the summit and crater was closed in 1973 because of excessive erosion by hikers. Stop at the visitor center near the park entrance to learn about the crater's history.

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.
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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.
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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!
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Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a nice place to visit while in the Flagstaff area. We enjoyed the great views and exhibits at Visitor Center

If you like basalt and cinder cones, this is the place to go! (Other than the Malpais, another deadly trek). We did the Lenox Crater Trail and that was a cardio event for me - then we got to the top and the wind almost blew us over. No, really. I'm not exaggerating here. Lovely vista. Had trouble holding the camera still. Be sure to bring beverages. There was nothing at the ranger station. It's a short trail, but mostly uphill. We don't consider it a great vacation unless we almost die. As we get older, it's easier to achieve that though.

We stopped here pretty early on July 15. It’s hard to believe that a lava field could be beautiful, but it was. The parking lot looks new with bathrooms. The trail loop was easy to navigate and well maintained. Our son loved climbing on the lava rocks. Even though he’s 13 and thinks everything is boring, he enjoyed this. It only takes about an hour to complete. Less if you don’t stop to take pictures and admire the San Francisco Peaks in the distance. We headed to Wupatki National Monument from here.

We were not expecting to see how huge the lava field was and the walk through the lava was amazing and should not be missed. The lave is like the kind you see in Hawaii and goes on for miles. Even after 1000 years nothing grows in the area.

It was very cool with several hiking opportunities. The visitor center was closed due to COVID but we were given a map and it was easy to follow. We hiked a few of the shorter hikes as it was very cold and windy that day with an impending snowstorm. Would recommend as a stop before or after Wupatki.

Coming from the south it’s 10 miles past the visitor center. Amazing to see lava flow areas and crater. You can walk in the lava flow area.