Day 5: Volcanoes Near Flagstaff!

Flagstaff was surprisingly Alpine and cold!  Not what I expected for Arizona but it was a nice change to see evergreens and snowy mountains after leaving a desert. Right in the  central northern part of the state lies a field of cinder cones (ie volcanoes) that form a group of mountains. We drove into Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and were delightfully surprised at what we found–lava flows!

Fields of craggy, dark grey, igneous rock left over from an eruption that happened about 1,000 years ago.

Another thing that was quite interesting to me was the color and texture of some of the surrounding mountains.  There were fields of what looked like perfectly landscaped gravel as though a landscaper had put them there.

Below, you can see a crater left behind by an eruption.

On the way out we stopped to take pictures of the breathtaking Humphreys Peak, the highest peak in Arizona. It looks like a cloud got caught on the peak while trying to pass over.

Tonight we will cross over into California and stop over in Barstow for the night.  Then on to Los Angeles!