Learn About the Park

Life Endures when Earth Erupts

What happens when the earth cracks open beneath you, spewing hot cinders and poisonous gases high into the air? Just 1000 years ago, that happened at Sunset Crater Volcano. At first, it must have been terrifying. Plants burned, the land was covered with ash, and people and wildlife fled. Over the centuries, life has slowly returned to the landscape, adapting to this new environment.

Here you can learn what rangers, scientists, and visitors like you have discovered through the preservation of Sunset Crater Volcano.

• Our latest updates are featured in the News Releases.
• Discover how people from the Indigenous groups who saw the eruption to astronauts have interacted with the volcano in History and Culture.
• Explore animals, plants, ecosystems, and climate change on our Nature page.
• We have useful information for teachers and youth on our Education and Kids pages. Junior Rangers, don't miss out!
• Management tells about statistics, laws, policies, and park administration.

 

In the shadow of Sunset Crater Volcano, monsoon rains cause Bonito Park to burst with wildflowers during late summer.

NPS/K. Matthews