Lava Flow Trail

The Lava Flow Trail is the signature walk at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, looping across a jagged black lava field left by an eruption roughly 900 years ago. It's a short, easy-to-love stop for anyone driving the loop road between Flagstaff and Wupatki National Monument, and reviewers consistently rate it among the best quick hikes in the area.

What to expect

The trail is a loop, and the first stretch is paved and accessible enough for wheelchairs and strollers before it transitions to a rougher, still easy-going path over hardened lava rock. Interpretive stops along the way explain the volcanic terrain — squeeze-ups, spatter cones, and the cinder-covered ground left behind when Sunset Crater last erupted. A vault toilet is available at the trailhead.

• Location: Loop Rd, Flagstaff, off the Sunset Crater–Wupatki Loop Road
• Hours: daily, 6:00 AM–6:00 PM
• Rating: 4.8 stars from 935 Google reviews
• Good for: families and kids — reviewers call it an easy, quiet hike with minimal crowds

Most visitors spend well under an hour here, though the monument rewards a slower pace if time allows. Reviewers also point out the scenic drive connecting Sunset Crater to Wupatki as a highlight in its own right, and note that a dusting of winter snow on the black lava makes for a striking, almost monochrome landscape.