I left Flagstaff this morning and headed north on US 89. My first stop was Sunset Crater National Monument, about 20 miles north of Flagstaff. Sunset Crater is a volcano that erupted around the year 1064. The crater itself rises about 700 feet above the surrounding landscape:
There is a large lava field:
And there are a large number of cinder cones, where cinders expelled during the eruption concentrated:
And you can see from the road how high the cinders are piled up:
Reminds me of Volcano National Park in Idaho.
Continuing on down the road, the next stop was the Waputki National Monument, about 20 miles further north and the location of a number of ancient pueblos, dating from approximately 1100 AD to 1200 AD. The first stop was Wukoki Pueblo:
The Visitor's Center stands in front of the Wupatki ruins, one of the largest remaining abandoned pueblos in the West:
The pueblo contained over 100 rooms, not all of which, or course, remain or have been excavated. Here are a couple more pics:
This was a community meeting place:
In truth, of course, not a lot is known for certain about the ruins, but it was an interesting stop nonetheless. I left and continued north on US89 to US160 and US163 through Monument Valley, which straddles the Arizona/Utah state line. There are simply awe-inspiring rock formations in Monument Valley. Here are a few pics of them:
Really a unique and beautiful place.
I'm in Monticello, Utah for the night, heading north on US191 to Moab, Utah and Arches National Monument tomorrow. Nice day today with only one surprise thunderstorm.
Miles today: 292
To Date:: 13,243
