San Francisco Volcanic Field
San Francisco Volcanic Field in northern Arizona is a 1,700-square-kilometer basin dotted with roughly 600 volcanic cones and lava flows, formed over the past 6 million years. Discover cinder cones, lava domes, and geothermal areas that tell the story of regional magmatism and surface reshaping.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | western United States |
| Subregion | southwestern United States |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Coconino County |
| Timezone | AmericaPhoenix |
| Latitude | 35.2 |
| Longitude | -111.5 |
| Maps |
7:14 PM LOCAL TIMESan Francisco Volcanic Field covers approximately 1,700 km² across northern Arizona and is typified by over 600 volcanic structures, including cinder cones, tuff rings, and shield volcanoes. The field began erupting around 6 million years ago and has remained geothermally and volcanically active into recent millennia, with the most recent eruptions likely within the last 1,000 years. Visitors can explore a network of low-elevation viewpoints, hiking trails, and geothermal sites where hot springs and fumaroles reveal ongoing magmatic heat. The landscape is characterized by stark, basaltic lava plains and standout landmarks such as Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument — though these are separate parks and shouldn't be conflated with the broader volcanic field. The region offers opportunities for digital mapping, geology and volcanic monitoring, and passive recreation in desert and semi-arid terrain.
All content was written by our AI and may contain a few mistakes. We may earn commissions on some links. Last updated: Sun Dec 14, 2025, 2:55 AM