Sunset Crater, seen here from the NE, is the centerpiece of Sunset Crater National Monument. During the 1920's, geologist H.S. Colton successfully lobbied to prevent a Hollywood movie company from blowing up the cone to simulate a volcanic eruption. The monument was subsequently established to protect the cone. The proximal part of the Kana-a lava flow, erupted from a vent on the NE flank, is buried here by tephra. The flow was the longest from the Sunset Crater vent system and traveled 11 km to the NE.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1996 (Smithsonian Institution).

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

San Francisco Volcanic Field