FLAGSTAFF — Just 30 minutes from downtown Flagstaff, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument offers a striking look at northern Arizona’s explosive past.
The cinder cone, now standing over 8,000 feet tall, erupted nearly 940 years ago, scattering ash and lava across 900 square miles—an event that could be seen as far as Las Vegas, Nevada and Durango, Colorado.
The site was designated a national monument in 1930 by President Herbert Hoover and continues to attract visitors from around the country.
“This place feels almost otherworldly,” said Zachary Kovach, visiting from Avondale. “You don’t expect to find volcanoes in Arizona—but here we are.”
Now reopened after wildfire closures, Sunset Crater Volcano offers trails through lava fields, cooler temps at high elevation, and a chance to walk through ancient geologic history.
Visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and learn more about Arizona’s youngest volcano to erupt.
