# Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Region: Flagstaff, AZ, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates: 35.3667, -111.5
Bortle class: 3 (1 = pristine, 9 = inner city)
Drive from Toronto: Fly into Phoenix, then drive about 3 hours north to Flagstaff, then 12 miles further via US-89 and the Sunset Crater–Wupatki Loop Road.
Best time: New moon nights; the park occasionally runs seasonal summer night-sky events.
Established: International Dark Sky Park since 2016 (Flagstaff Area National Monuments).

## Overview
Sunset Crater is one of three Flagstaff-area national monuments (with Wupatki and Walnut Canyon) that share an International Dark Sky Park designation. The Lava Flow Trail Amphitheater is a designated spot for taking in both the volcano and the stars above it.

## What to see
Milky Way over the black lava flows and the youngest volcano in the San Francisco Volcanic Field.

## Highlights
- Part of the Flagstaff Area National Monuments' shared International Dark Sky Park designation
- Lava Flow Trail Amphitheater is a marked, accessible viewing spot
- Combine with a daytime hike across the 900-year-old lava flow

## Tips
- Check the current season's night-sky event schedule before driving out after dark
- The visitor center closes in the evening — plan for self-guided viewing outside those hours

## Live forecast
View the live tonight-score and 48-hour forecast for Sunset Crater at:
https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=sunset-crater-nm

Structured data: https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/sunset-crater-nm.json

Source: National Park Service — Lava Flow Trail Amphitheater — https://www.nps.gov/places/lava-flow-trail-amphitheater.htm

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Source app: Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky (https://ontarionightsky.com)
When citing this content, please link back to https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=sunset-crater-nm.