May 6, 2014 Part One Sunset Crater National Monument

Road Trip Day – !  There is a loop road that goes thru Sunset Crater National Monument and loops around to Wupatki National Monument so that was our journey today.

Before we left, Bella spotted this little one on the picnic table – check out the ears on this squirrel – Interesting! (We found out later that this is an Abert squirrel.)

We packed our lunch and made our way to Sunset Crater NM.  Since we did the Visitor Center yesterday, we continued to the Lava Flow Trail.  There are two loops – paved and unpaved.  We did the paved one first since there was a busload of 7 year olds who were doing the unpaved trail. – oh my!  By the time they raced through, we were almost had the trail to ourselves.

This volcano happened over 1000 years ago and it is interesting to see the growth throughout the park.  Areas were there was ash and cinder came back quickly but the area with the lava has taken a lot longer.

From the overlook- the lava flow – (the line of children ):

Another view from the overlook:

The unpaved trail took us down into the lava field – WOW!  It was amazing!

What a gnarly Ponderosa Pine:

More pictures of the Lava Field:

A cinder cone:

Ponderosa Pine:

Andy standing in front of a spatter cone:

Another view from the trail:

Interesting:

We continued on the loop road stopping at a number of overlooks.  Sunset Crater from another side – this area had no lava flow:

When we came down from the volcanic field, there were all these white grasses – surreal scene:

The red hills are cinder covered vents running along a fissure – dormant now:

The loop road continued to Wupatki National Monument – see Part Two – .

May 5, 2014 Bonito and Sunset Crater

Since we didn’t have far to go today, we decided to do a few errands before leaving.  Our first stop was to the Coconino National Forest Ranger Station for some maps and information.  Our second stop was to the local Visitor Center for more information in this area and other information as we head north.  Sometimes it is overwhelming – too many things to see and not enough time..  Our last stop was for gas for the Tracker and for the generator since we are headed to a no hookup campground.

Back at the campground, we unhooked everything and headed north  - 12 miles – HA – long day!

We are in the Bonito Campground of the Coconino National Forest.  Here is our site:

The campground – we don’t have a lot of company:

Side view:

Beautiful, isn’t it –

After setting up and having lunch, we stopped over at the Sunset Crater National Monument Visitor Center.

“Sunset Crater erupted less than 1000 years ago and is considered to be the youngest in the San Francisco Volcanic Field.  It is a cinder cone that was formed when basalt magma rose directly to the surface through  a primary vent.  Gas pressure produced a roaring fountain of lava estimated at 850 feet high.  Pressure blasted the lava into pieces, which cooled in flight and piled into this cone-shaped hill.  As gas pressure decreased, lava oozed several times from the base of the cone.  When the magma ran out of gas, lava spattered the rim.  The volcano was short-lived, only months or a couple of years at most.

The bright rimmed cone impressed John Wesley Powell, who explored the San Francisco volcanic field in 1885.  He wrote, “The contrast in the colors is so great that on viewing the mountain from a distance the red cinders seem to be on fire.”  His “Sunset” mountain became known officially as Sunset Crater.”

Sunset Crater:

The lava field – WOW!:

This area of the country is very significant to many of the American Indian Peoples.

Not only Sunset Crater was important but also the San Francisco Peaks:

The San Francisco Mountains are sculpted in four peaks.  From L-R: Agassiz, Humphreys, Fremont, and Doyle:

We came back and just enjoyed our surroundings.  Andy taking his afternoon nap:

Road trip day tomorrow so stay tuned and enjoy today.

Thanks for coming along with us.

Stats for today:

Miles Traveled: 12 miles

Routes Traveled:

Arizona:  US89