Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Park Volcanic cinder cone preserving recent eruption landscapes
Near Flagstaff, Sunset Crater protects a cinder cone and surrounding lava fields, with trails and interpretive signs across hardened flows. Visitors hike, study volcanic geology and explore high‑desert terrain.
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument preserves a young cinder cone and associated lava flows from an eruption that occurred around the 11th century, within the San Francisco volcanic field of northern Arizona. The monument protects volcanic landforms, lava-scarred landscapes and archaeological sites affected by the eruption.
Marked trails and interpretive panels lead visitors across pumice fields, cinder slopes and hardened lava, giving access to viewpoints of the crater and the surrounding Painted Desert and volcanic plain. The landscape contrasts with the nearby forested slopes of the San Francisco Peaks.
The eruption changed local ecosystems and human land use patterns in the centuries that followed; the monument was created to protect the geological features and to provide public interpretation of volcanic processes and regional prehistory.
Sunset Crater lies northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, within a high-elevation volcanic and forested landscape and adjacent to Wupatki National Monument and parts of Coconino National Forest.
- Volcanic origin: The volcanic cone and surrounding lava flows were created during an eruption in the roughly 11th century and are part of the larger San Francisco volcanic field.
How to Get to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument #
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is north of Flagstaff in northern Arizona and is reached by paved roads from Flagstaff and surrounding communities. Drive from Flagstaff into the Coconino National Forest following route signage to the monument and use the park’s visitor parking and trailheads; check the National Park Service for seasonal road or trail closures before you go.
Tips for Visiting Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument #
- Combine Sunset Crater with nearby Wupatki National Monument in the same day-the two sites are adjacent and together give a fuller picture of the volcanic landscape and ancestral Pueblo settlements.
- Visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid summer heat on the lava trails; the short boardwalk and interpretive trails are exposed and far more pleasant outside peak midday temperatures.
Best Time to Visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument #
Best in late spring or early autumn to avoid both winter snow and summer monsoon storms.
Weather & Climate near Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument #
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument's climate is classified as Cold Semi-Arid - Cold Semi-Arid climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -10°C to 30°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.
January
January is the coldest month with highs of 6°C and lows of -10°C. Moderate rainfall (42 mm).
Comfort
Weather
February
February is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of -8°C. Moderate rainfall (43 mm).
Comfort
Weather
March
March is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of -6°C. Moderate rainfall (48 mm).
Comfort
Weather
April
April is cold with highs of 17°C and lows of -3°C. Light rainfall.
Comfort
Weather
May
May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 1°C. Light rainfall.
Comfort
Weather
June
June is cool with highs of 28°C and lows of 6°C. The driest month with just 10 mm.
Comfort
Weather
July
July is the warmest month with highs of 30°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (59 mm).
Comfort
Weather
August
August is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 9°C. The wettest month with 64 mm of rain.
Comfort
Weather
September
September is cool with highs of 25°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (44 mm).
Comfort
Weather
October
October is cold with highs of 19°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm).
Comfort
Weather
November
November is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of -6°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm).
Comfort
Weather
December
December is freezing with highs of 7°C and lows of -10°C. Moderate rainfall (34 mm).
