Flagstaff Area

No matter how much planning we do to prepare for a trip, there are always loose ends hanging around like balloon strings dangling in the wind.  To tie all these up, we spent one full day addressing the list. I suppose it could be said that we wasted the time however, we now feel much more confident about striking out into uncharted waters. Now all we need to do is have fun.

The landscape around Flagstaff offers many beautiful things to see. On previous trips, we visited the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest and Meteor Crater, all wonders of nature. In our bucket list is the plan to visit as many of the national parks and monuments as possible. Both Sunset Crater National Volcano Monument and Wupatki National Monument are nearby and on the list.  The landscape around this area was created from six million years of volcanic activity.  It is dotted with scores of cinder cones that are the written history of a violent past.  The youngest example of this past is Sunset that erupted during the period of A.D. 1040 to 1100. When Sunset erupted, it sent magma, gas, ash and cinders over a huge area.  To the north of Flagstaff, volcanic activity gave birth to the beautiful San Francisco Peaks where the highest elevation in Arizona, 12,643 foot Humphreys Peak rises.

On sunny days, Sunset glows in the sun a classic example of a cinder cone.  The oxidized cinders at the top of the crater are the source of its name. John Wesley Powell, the first explorer to see the crater thought it looked like the colors of the sunset, thus the name.  Unfortunately for us, the rain clouds cloaked the sun and we could not see the beautiful colors. We hiked down the Lava Flow Trail for a closer look at the various forms of lava. The lava and ash drove Native Americans from their homes here, but over time they returned to land that was richer for the eruption.

Wupatki is an example of a site shaped by Sunset.  Remains of masonry pueblos or villages dot the area. These villages speak of people who came together to built vast farming communities.  The native people who built these multi-story structures lead a very harsh life struggling to eek out a living from the land. They benefited from the eruption because of the layer of ash. The ash covered the land absorbing precious moisture and helping to prevent evaporation, which in turn made farming more fruitful. Because of the harsh winds and unpredictable rain fall, many small fields were planted.   Some fields would produce crops while others would wither and die.  Certainly, not a life style for us!

As we exited the area, the views in all directions were amazing. In the distance, we could see the Painted Desert with its distinctive colors and formations. In the forested areas, the Pinion Pines showed evidence of recent forest fires. The tree trunks were burned black but the branches are covered with green needles, Nature renewing itself once again. A nice way to spend an afternoon.