Monument is a popular destination for folks travelling from Flagstaff.
A tremendous nearby hotel is Days Inn; Continental Country Club is a golf course close by. If you want a delightful time in the great outdoors, just come on down to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.
The top of Wildcat Hill is easily spotted from Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, and dry warm beds await you at Fairfield Flagstaff Resort. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a brilliant location for a visit when you have to get out.
At Sunset Crater Volcano
National Monument you don’t see much rainfall; August is the month that gets the most rain, and June meanwhile is the driest month. If you need a place to stay Flagstaff Super 8 Motel is a tremendous choice. Lakes? Sure, Elaine Lake is nearby.
Here, past meets present.
Pueblos and cliff dwellings are so well preserved that it's hard to believe their builders moved on 700 years ago. Amid lava and cinders, one can imagine a landscape still hot to the touch. Welcome to the Flagstaff Area National Monuments! There is something for everyone:
prehistoric cliff dwellings at Walnut Canyon, the mountain scenery and geology of Sunset Crater Volcano, and the painted desert landscape and masonry pueblos of Wupatki National Monument. Ancient Indians undoubtedly witnessed the eruption of Sunset Crater Volcano in A.D.1064-1065
which blanketed the region with black cinder. Today the volcano's rim of red cinders and the lava flows near the cone seem to have cooled and hardened to a jagged surface only yesterday. Squeeze-ups and hornitos are just two of the fascinating volcanic features you'll encounter
while exploring the park. To protect this fragile resource, Sunset Crater Volcano is closed to climbing and hiking. However, other cinder cones in the area may be climbed. Sunset Crater Volcano is often confused with another nearby attraction, Meteor Crater. At Sunset Crater
Volcano you will see a cinder cone rising 1,000 feet above the surrounding landscape. Meteor Crater, located 35 miles east of Flagstaff on I-40, is an impact crater measuring over 500 feet deep and 1 mile across. CONTACTS
Email - FLAG-Sunset Crater_@nps.gov Fax- 928-526-4259 Write to
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Route 3 Box 149
Flagstaff, AZ 86002 Phone
Visitor Information - 928-526-0502
TRAVEL BASICS
Operating
Hours, Seasons
The park is open year round. The Visitor Center is open daily except Christmas Day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with extended hours possible during the summer season. REMINDER: ARIZONA IS ON MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME YEAR ROUND Getting There
PLANE
- Nearest airport is located in Flagstaff, AZ. CAR - From Flagstaff, take U.S 89 noeth for 12 miles (19km), turn right on the Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop road and continue 2 miles (3km) to the visitor center. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - For additional information on transportation
services contact the Flagstaff Visitor Center at 1-800-842-7293 Weather & Climate
Be prepared for abrupt weather changes in any season. Expect windy conditions most of the year. Spring is usually mild, but heavy snowfall can occur. Summer days are warm with temperatures
in the 80s. Afternoon thunderstorms are likely July to September. In winter, snow and freezing temperatures alternate with mild weather. Accessibility
Accessible restrroms are located at the Visitor Center and the Lava Flow Nature Trail. The Visitor Center and portions
of the Lava Flow Nature Trail are also accessible. Getting Around
Lava Flow Trail is a 1-mile (1.6km) loop trail with a 1/4 mile (500m) cutoff. It is a self-guided trail exploring a variety of volcanic formations. Use extreme caution hiking on lava - it is sharp,
brittle, and unstable. The Lenox Crater Trail provides an opportunity to climb a cinder cone. This steep trail is 1-mile (1.6km) round trip and requires about 30 minutes up and 15 minutes down! FEES/PERMITS
Entrance Fee
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
$Varies
for One Time
Commercial tour fees are charged according to vehicle capacity.
PER PERSON
$3.00 for One Time
Entrance fee good for both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monument.
CAMPING
Bonito Campground
The
campground is located across from the Visitor Center and is generally open from late May through mid-October. Maximum vehicle size is 35 feet, no hook-ups. For futher information call the U.S. Forest Service at 520-526-0866.
FACILITIES
Visitor Centers
SUNST
CRATER VOLCANO VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location - From Flagstaff, take U.S. 89 north for 12 miles (19km), turn right on the Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop Road and continue 2 miles (3km) to the Visitor Center.
Closures - Christmas
Day Note: Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time year round.
Special Programs - Avaiiable generally in June, July and August. Programs subject to change, check at the Visitor Center for program information. Lava Walk: Daily, 45 minutes. Check at Visitor Center for times.
Investigate cinder cones, squeeze-ups, and more! Meet at the contact station at the Lava Flow Trail parking area. Evening Program: 1-hour campfire talk at Bonito Campground (during season campground is open). Check at the Visitor Center for times and topics.
Exhibits - Located
in the Visitor Center
Available Facilities - Bookstore, picnic tables, vending machines.
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