SUNSET CRATER

(and WUPATKI NATIONAL MONUMENT)

 8-29-2012

J. got her three months gym membership. Our bedroom’s French door is facing east, so we have early morning sun waking us up pretty early. It is pleasant (for the most part). Somewhat after ten o’clock we left and were heading towards Sunset Crater National Monument. The weather was fine (so far it is mostly sunny, with couple of hours of clouds and some rain). We left town (we stopped by Ranger’s station to get some more information about area) and head north.

Small visitor center and quick drive to the first trail. It started to rain. The surroundings were incredible; there were rugged rock formation from volcanic activity, hills and mountains as a background.

We figured that the rain would not last long, so we started to climb the hill.

It was uphill with the rain. Cloudy sky, fog partly covering the mountains in the distance. It was really nice and interesting walk. One would not believe how Arizona is beautiful. I thought, it was just desert. After getting back down, we drove for a minute before stopping at another trail. There were some people, but it was not bad. Relatively flat terrain next to Sunset Crater. Sometimes in 1970’s (or so) they prohibited climbing on the Crater, because the damage was getting too great. Still, without seeing actual crater, the area was amazing. And we met older couple, that we met climbing down the first trail. Small world. (Very small, because we met them again couple of times on the next attractions.)

Sunset Crater and Wupatki Monument (collection of ruins and pueblos) and connected by really nice Loop road. After leaving Sunset Crater, we were heading towards those ruins. The road was going through semi desert, relatively flat land with volcanic hills and rocks. Really interesting landscape. And for a while sight of Sunset Crater with different sides (some vegetation, one side almost completely bare).

And … some really incredible views going into the plains of desert and red rock formation.

The dark cloud stayed behind us, so we got some sunshine. There was intersection going into Wukoki ruins. Why not. Few miles of desert and mainly red rock. And then we saw red ruins standing on the red rock formation, while the most of the visible area was flat. It was really impressive look. We got off the car just to discover, that it was much hotter there. (Later in the evening I as well discovered, that I got sun burned.) We walked through the ruins, to enjoy the view and unbelievable craft to build something like that. When we were leaving, we again saw some of our “friend”, other people that we met on our previous stops.

Next stops were on actual Wupatki ruins (whole park is called Wupatki Monument). Those were much larger and laid in the valley (more less).

Following those, there was Citadel ruins. From the road, it looked like pile of rubble on the smaller rock formation. All those ruins were within very short distance of road (0.3 miles), so it was really pleasant walk. From the Citadel, there was incredible view across whole area. J. broke her flip flops (even every time I was telling her to wear normal shoes).

On the way to the top of Citadel, there was this interpretative sign:

Maybe, even those people 1000 year ago knew the rule of real estate “Location, location, location.”

After this stop, we just got on the road and head back to Flagstaff. We stopped by the store to get few things and then just spent lazy evening at home.

AND LET’S KEEP DREAMING!