Lenox Nature Trail - Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Continuing our May 2015 visit to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, we walked the very short Lenox Nature Trail on Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop Road. The 800' trail descends from either end of the 200' sidewalk on the north side of the road across from the Lenox Crater trailhead. The trail traverses the edge of the Bonito Lava Flow at the base of Lenox Crater. The lava is of the a'a variety with sharp edges and a brittle structure to the basalt.

Bonito Lava Flow below O'Leary Peak (8916') and Darton Dome (8408')

The trail descends steeply at the right end of the parking area

The cinder trail is easy to follow

The relatively thin crust of the a'a flow collapsed into a pocket or lava tube

The trail continues past Aspens and pines

Jagged and jumbled lava rocks

The lava deposit is up to 100' thick

Due to semi-arid conditions and limited soil, plant life is still sparse nearly 1,000 years after the eruption

A collapsed lava tube

Lava overflowed deposits from earlier eruptions

The beginning of an Aspen grove

Some of the lava fractured as it cooled

Without additional volcanic activity, the flow area will eventually become a forest

A forest already grows at the edge of the lava flow

A fern grows out of a small, collapsed lava tube

A jagged, but not barren, landscape

Odd rock formation

Another collapsed area

The trail weaves through the rocks and trees as it climbs back up to the road

Part of the trail is cut through the lava

Sunset Crater Volcano

Aspen frame the view of O'Leary Peak (8916')

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.