Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern
Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving
community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler and wetter weather, when
the ancestors of contemporary Pueblo communities created a bustling center of
trade and culture. For indigenous peoples, these sites represent the
footprints of their ancestors.

Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler and wetter weather, when the ancestors of contemporary Pueblo communities created a bustling center of trade and culture. For indigenous peoples, these sites represent the footprints of their ancestors.

Wupatki National Monument

Wupatki National Monument features exceptionally dark night skies and hosts numerous star parties each year.

Dark Skies over the Desert

Wukoki Pueblo is located three miles from the Wupatki Visitor Center.

Wukoki Pueblo

The Citadel Pueblo sits atop a small cinder hill overlooking the surrounding grasslands.

Citadel Pueblo

Lomaki means "beautiful house" in the Hopi language. The pueblo is located ten miles from the visitor center and is reachable via a short, 0.5 mile trail.

Lomaki Pueblo

Wupatki, the monument's namesake pueblo, is made up of more than 100 rooms. The trail also features an ancient ball court and natural blowhole.

Wupatki Pueblo

The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand
years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever
changing the landscape and the lives of the people who lived here. A thousand
years later, trees and flowers grow among the rocks, and people visit the lava
flow to see and remember the most recent volcanic eruption in Arizona.

The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the people who lived here. A thousand years later, trees and flowers grow among the rocks, and people visit the lava flow to see and remember the most recent volcanic eruption in Arizona.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

One of the best views of Sunset Crater Volcano is from Bonito Park on the entrance road

Sunset Crater over Bonito Park

A dusting of snow adds depth and color to the stark landscape of the lava flow

Sunset Crater in winter

Three trails allow visitors to explore the Bonito Lava Flow.

Sunset Crater and Bonito Lava Flow

On warm days, the bark of ponderosa pine trees smells like vanilla or butterscotch.

Ponderosas Reaching Skyward

Geologists and biologists study the area surrounding Sunset Crater Volcano to better understand how landscapes recover after an eruption.

Lone Ponderosa

Sunset Crater Volcano is named for the color of the rusty red cinders near its peak.

Sunset Crater Volcano

Sunset Crater Volcano is the most recent eruption in the San Francisco volcanic field. Visitors can climb Lenox Crater, foreground, for excellent views of the field, including the San Francisco Peaks.

Wupatki National Monument

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Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument