Sheldon and Geni's 2023 Gillette Trip
Today is: September 13
We woke up in: Flagstaff, AZ We're going to sleep in: Flagstaff, AZ

On the last 3 trips to this area I've had Sunset Crater on my todo list. Well today we actually did it. It was much bigger than I had thought. We saw lots of lava and several ruins.

Geni: Nice day visiting Sunset Crater. We couldn't get to one trail because it was closed, but we took a nice hike called Lava Flow Trail. It was interesting to get so close to soil that was mixed with lava that flowed so many hundreds of years ago. Then we went to the Wupatki National Monument where we saw many ruins. These Indians lived here and flourished for many years.

This is on the Lava Flow trail in Sunset Crater NP

A view of the trail we walked

There was a fire in 2020

Geni standing in front of a spatter cone, where lava pooled

The crater is at the top of this mountain, but the trail up to it was closed

The ground is filled with nutrients because of the lava flow and shrubbery grows

Wupatki Pueblo ruins

People were much smaller then

A recreation area below the ruins

They built their homes on top of the boulders

A picture of what it is presumed to look lie

Nalakihu and Citadel ruins

Lava infused brick formations

Built right on top of Lava

No guard rails here either up to top of ruin site

Sink hole

Enough said!