Area
The cinder cone volcano's rim is the dusky red of sunset, but the crater is only part of the story. Around 1085 the ground began to shake, and lava spewed high into the air. When the eruption finished, it had changed both the landscape and the people who lived here. Today, it teaches how nature and humankind affect each other—and how rebirth and renewal happen in the wake of disaster.
Entrance fee is $25.00.
This fee covers the occupants of one private vehicle for seven days at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
From Flagstaff, travel north on US Highway 89; from Page and the east entrance of the Grand Canyon, travel south on Highway 89. Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments are both on the loop road FR-545, which meets Highway 89 near mile markers 430 (Sunset Crater Volcano) and 444 (Wupatki).
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions. Expect high winds any time of year, summer temperatures above 95ºF (35ºC), afternoon thunderstorms from July through September, and snow and freezing temperatures in the winter. Dress in layers, as weather at Sunset Crater Volcano can change quickly at any time of year.
