Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

The information board tells us that in 1943, a volcano erupted in a corn field near the Mexican village of Paricutin, creating a cinder cone almost identical to Sunset Crater, which is located near Flag Staff.  The volcano in Paricutin helps us understand what happened at Sunset Crater nearly 1,000 years ago. This eruption, which covered about 810 square miles in ash and rocks, destroyed the fields and homes of Native peoples who had lived in the area for centuries. Elevation 8,039 feet. It has partially revegetated with pines and wild flowers.

Hikers damaged the area so in 1973 the National Park Service closed a trail leading to the crater.  You can still hike the base of the trail, which Boone and I did.





And speaking of humans, the volcano site was declared a National Monument in 1930 by President Herbert Hoover in response to a public outcry to protect the site.  Why?  Well, the motion picture company that produced Zane Gey's movie Avalanche wanted to set off explosives on the side of the Crater so that they could produce an avalanche for the film.  Yipper.  We can be thankful that Mother Nature is taking care of things.

Let go the magic.