Complete information about visiting Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is now on National Park Planner.
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona, preserves Sunset Crater, a 1,000-foot-high cinder cone volcano that is one of the best examples of its kind on the continent. A volcanic eruption sometime around 1085 AD created the crater, making it the youngest volcano in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, an area in northern Arizona featuring over 600 volcanoes scattered over 1,800 square miles. The eruption was so vigorous that it produced a 12-mile-high ash column and deposited tephra (ash, cinder, and debris) across 800 square miles. While there has been no recent volcanic activity, Sunset Crater Volcano is not considered extinct.
Begin your visit to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument by stopping by the Visitor Center to pick up a park brochure, browse through the exhibits about the volcano, and watch the park film. Afterwards, head outside to explore the park on one of its five hiking trails.
DIRECTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
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Last updated on December 25, 2025
