Continuing along Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop Road in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monumnet, we stopped at a paved parking area on the south side of the road 3.5 miles from its beginning at US 89. Two interesting and very different trails through the a'a lava begin here. The Bonito Vista Trail is an accessible trail with a 48" wide concrete surface. It is 733 feet long and has two benches at the end. The trail has a short incline near the parking lot, but is otherwise level enough for wheelchair use without assistance. We walked the trail during our May 2015 visit.
Short incline at the start of the trail |
Lava flow, forest and Little Elden Mountain (9018' 7.5 miles) |
Looking across the parking area at O'Leary Peak (8916') and Darton Dome (8408') |
There is no shade on this short trail |
The trail provides views of successive waves of lava flows |
Sunset Crater Volcano |
First bench at the end of the trail |
Bridge crosses a lava gully |
View of jumbled blocks of lava and Sunset Crater from the bridge |
The second bench and the end of the trail |
Solidified blocks of lava |
The forest has not filled in after nearly one thousand years |
The vista from the end of the trail includes O'Leary Peak and Darton Dome |
An entry fee of $5 per person (16 and over) is collected at the visitor center and is good for seven consecutive days at all three Flagstaff area National Monuments. Other fee payment options include the Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass for $25, the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($10 for lifetime), Access Pass (free with documented disability) and Military Annual Pass (free for active duty personnel).
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/sucr/index.htm.
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