This realistic Sunset Crater Volcano Guide helps you plan your next adventure in this national monument.

Sunset Crater Volcano is a national monument in Arizona. This small park protects an extinct volcano, craters, and lava flow.

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Sights & Places of Interest

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a great way to see the aftermath of volcanic eruptions. This volcano erupted thousands of years ago. Still, you could see the craters, lava flow, and colorful sand.

You might not have heard about Sunset Crater Volcano. This is hardly a surprise. Small park like this one might not rank high in a state that has Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Sedona.

While Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument might be a new park for you, there are plenty of things to do. Just pick an activity that works with your interests.

• Stop at viewpoints to see volcanic landscapes and lava flow.
• Hike short trails to explore the craters from a close distance.
• Drive the scenic Loop Road from Sunset Crater Volcano to Wupatki.

The last option will help you visit a National Forest and a second park for a price of one. A full drive through these parks will take at least an hour. You would need even more time to enjoy the sights.

This Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Guide follows a northbound driving route.

1. Humphreys Peak

Humphreys Peak will be the first attraction you see near Sunset Crater Volcano. The peak has an elevation of 12,637 ft (3,852 m). It is the highest mountain in Arizona.

Humphreys Peak is outside of the boundaries of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Still, you could get a pretty good look at it from the park. Just stop at a no-name viewpoint and admire its beauty.

2. Bonito Lava Flow

Bonito Lava Flow is the first place of interest when you enter the park. This field of lava looks just like Hawaii Volcanoes and Lava Beds National Monument in California.

A whole forest used to grow from these lava beds. It suffered badly during the 2022 Tunnel Fire, which transformed the landscape again.

A trailhead gives a good but distant look at Bonita Lava Flow. You would want to hike to see the formations up-close. The A’a trail is the main way to explore this park area.

This easy trail covers 0.25 miles (0.3-km). The trail recently reopened for the first time since the wildfire.

3. Lenox Crater

You are about to enter the main area of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It has a lot of spots to see volcanic formations. There are four trails to explore in this area.

• Bonito Vista Trail is an easy out-and-back hike. It takes 0.3-mi (0.5-km) round trip.
• Lava Flow Trail is another easy hike. It is a 1-mi (1.6-km) loop.
• Lenox Crater Trail is a moderately difficult hike. This loop covers 1.6-mi (2.6-km).
• Lava’s Edge Trail is the longest trail in the park. It is a 3.4-mi (5.5-km) out-and-back moderate hike.

All of these trails give you a chance to walk on black and red sand. It turns out that you do not have to travel to Hawaii or Iceland to have this experience.

The Lenox Crater Trail remains closed in the aftermath of the 2022 Tunnel Fire. The fire damage makes reopening unsafe to the visitors and the ecosystem.

4. Sunset Crater

The Lava Flow Trail is a great way to see Sunset Crater Volcano. But it is not the only way to explore the park if you get too tired from hiking.

You can also keep driving on the Loop Road. A few viewpoints have nice views of the volcano and formations.

5. Cinder Hills

The Cinder Hills Overlook is one of such viewpoints. You need to take a small detour from the Loop Road. It will add barely two minutes to your journey.

But this is one of the best viewpoints in the park. Cinder Hills is the place to see an extinct volcano and volcanic hills in the distance.

6. Coconino

This viewpoint is almost at the boundary of the park. If you look east, you will see Coconino National Forest. This massive forest surrounds Sunset Crater Volcano.

Budget about 25 minutes to get to Wupatki. There are no noteworthy viewpoints in this part of the national forest.

It is just enough time to reach the first stop in Wupatki from the last viewpoint in Sunset Crater Volcano.

When you leave Sunset Crater Volcano, you will notice a slight change in scenery. The Loop Road will start to lose elevation. You will drive through a few hills before reaching Wupatki.

The next section of this Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Guide will cover attractions in Wupatki.

7. Wupatki

Wupatki National Monument preserves historic Pueblo houses. These red rock structures are the main attractions of the park. They date back to the 1100s. It makes these structures over 900 years old.

In a way, these structures resemble the cliff houses in Mesa Verde National Park. But the houses in this park are not in the cliffs. You will find most of them on a plateau.

There are six main houses in the park. Most of the viewpoints have short hiking trails.

• Box Canyon and Lomaki Pueblos: remains of the beautiful farmer houses; 0.5-mi (0.8-km) round trip hike.
• Citadel and Nalakihu Pueblos: prominent structures on a hill; 0.2-mi (0.3-km) hike.
• Wupatki Pueblo: the largest house in the park; 0.5-mi (0.8-km) round trip hike.
• Wukoki Pueblo: a tower-like structure; 0.2-mi (0.3-km) hike from the viewpoint.

You would need about 30 minutes to drive to all of the structures. Add another 30 to 60 minutes if you hike the trails.

Continue with this Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Guide. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Sunset Crater Volcano

Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments are in Northern Arizona. The parks are in the remote Colorado Plateau region.

This description might make you think that it is challenging to reach these parks. But you would be wrong in this case. Sunset Crater Volcano is one of the easiest monuments to visit. Just see for yourself.

• Sunset Crater Volcano is a 2.5-hour drive from Phoenix, a major airport.
• Flagstaff is 30 minutes away. This town has the most places to stay in the area.
• You can reach this park in under 2 hours from Grand Canyon.

Both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki are right next to Highway 89. In fact, the Loop Road is a scenic alternative to that highway. This 35-mi (56-km) drive connects the two parks.

Sunset Crater is great stop on your next Arizona trip. You can visit the park on the way from Grand Canyon or Antelope Canyon to Phoenix or Petrified Forest.

The Visitor Center is exactly 2 miles (3.2-km) from Highway 89. It is best to visit this park if you travel northbound.

Where to Stay near Sunset Crater Volcano

Sunset Crater is close to Grand Canyon National Park. It is easy to assume that this proximity should help with finding a place to stay. If you think this way, you would be wrong again.

• Grand Canyon crowds ensure steady demand for places to stay in the area.
• Yet, there are very few hotels and vacation rentals near the park.
• Most of the available places to stay are quite old. They often date back to 1970s and 1980s.
• Despite subpar condition, these properties still charge a premium for the location.

As a result, you do not have a lot of options. Your search for places to stay should focus on the nearby towns of Flagstaff and Page.

Page seems to have slightly better and more affordable places to stay. But your mileage may vary. This city is also a far better choice for Antelope Canyon visitors.

Remember the travel distances in Arizona when picking a place to stay. You would want to stay in Flagstaff if you plan on visiting Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest next.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is open year round from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

The park charges admission fees of $25 per car. This fee covers entrance to both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments. You do not have to pay a second fee when driving the Loop Road.

Like other parks that charge entrance fees, Sunset Crater Volcano sells America the Beautiful annual passes. This Interagency pass covers the fees to this monument and hundreds of other parks.

The Tunnel Fire of 2022 impacted Sunset Crater Volcano. The monument reopened. But some of the trails remain closed to public. Check the official website before your visit for the latest information.

Takeaways: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a small park. You would be mostly driving through prairies and hills. This is true even if you visit Wupatki right before or after Sunset Crater Volcano.

This park could have been your primary destination in many other states. But it pales in comparison to the more famous sights in The Grand Canyon State.

As a result, it is hard to recommend visiting Sunset Crater Volcano as your main destination. But the park is close to the main places of interest in Arizona. Its location speaks in favor of a quick stop.

There are a few other reasons to visit Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki.

• You have time on your way from Grand Canyon to Phoenix.
• You like volcanic landscapes, craters, and lava beds and cannot fly to Hawaii.
• You enjoy learning about ways people lived in the past and cannot visit Mesa Verde.

Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki are a combo deal. If you visit one park, you would want to continue driving on the Loop Road to the other park.

But limit your visit to just Sunset Crater Volcano if your primary goal is scenery and not history. This park has a surreal landscape. It is also much closer to Highway 89.

You can explore Sunset Crater Volcano in less time than Wupatki. As soon as you finish a hiking trail or two in the park, you can get on the road. Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest could be your next stops.

Take a look at this Sunset Crater Volcano Video Guide. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!