Bonito Vista Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Length: .3-mile, round-trip
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
The Bonito Vista Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a paved, .15-mile out-and-back trail (.3 mile, round trip) that leads to an overlook along the edge of the Bonito Lava Flow, one of the most prominent features of the park. The lava flow stretches 2.5 miles across the San Francisco Volcanic Field, a geological area that covers 1,800 square miles in northern Arizona and features over 600 volcanoes.
Bonito Lava Flow with Lenox Crater in the background, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
The entire Bonito Vista Trail is fairly level and resembles a sidewalk, making it an easy and enjoyable hike. It is one of two handicap accessible trails in the park, the other being the paved upper loop section of the Lava Flow Trail. Both are also the only trails in the park that allow pets (on a lease).
Bonito Vista Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Towards the end of the trail is a wayside exhibit that details the role Sunset Crater Volcano played in the Apollo Program. The volcanic landscape surrounding the crater was an ideal model for the moon’s surface, and every astronaut who walked on the moon trained here. Running from 1961 until 1972, the Apollo program is considered the greatest technological achievement in human history. In 2023, a commemorative plaque was placed along the Bonito Vista Trail to celebrate the park’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places and honor its ties to the Apollo Program.
Commemorative plaque on the Bonito Vista Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
The endpoint of the Bonito Vista Trail provides some of the best views of the surrounding San Francisco Volcanic Field. A bench overlooks the southern edge of the Bonito Lava Flow and faces east towards Sunset Crater. From this point, turn around and head back towards the parking lot. For those interested in doing more hikes in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, the trailheads for the Lenox Crater Trail and Lava Flow Trail are also located at the parking lot.
End of the Bonito Vista Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
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Last updated on December 19, 2025
