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Planning for National Park Week: 8 Northern Arizona National Parks to Visit
9:04 PM
In case you hadn't heard the news, this week—April 16th through April 24th—is National Park Week! If you also didn't know it already, there is free admission to all National Parks across the United States. Pretty freaking cool, if you ask me! This is all in celebration of the National Park Service's 100th birthday and a large celebration of what President Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson created for us. There are also other events going on surrounding National Park Week, taking place during specific days, all of which can be found on NPS website.
Now, if you're on a college budget but also love the outdoors (like my boyfriend and myself), then National Park Week is kind of akin to a blessing. I was spoiled growing up, being raised by my grandparents and all. They had the little cards that got them into National Parks for free. It wasn't until moving out I realized that all these gorgeous parks I wanted to visit weren't all that cheap to get into.
This year, National Park Week is being advertised quite a lot—and so, I decided, this year I just had to participate. A hashtag all over social media is asking you to #findyouarpark. So my boyfriend and I are making a Saturday date to Sunset Crater National Monument in Northern Arizona. I'm planning it to where we hike the Lenox Crater Trail, which will take us to the top of one of the surrounding volcanoes and give us a view of Sunset Crater, the San Francisco Peaks, and the lava flow. Hopefully, we wake up early enough that we actually get to hike and finish a trail. We've found our park, have you found yours?
Just in case you haven't, and in case you're a college student like me who lives in Flagstaff and attends Northern Arizona University—I've compiled a list of National Parks within a 2 hour drive maximum of Flagstaff. I challenge you to choose your park, and get out there and explore nature!
1) Sunset Crater National Monument (~30 minute drive)
We'll start off the list with where my boyfriend and I are visiting: Sunset Crater! Located just at the edge of Flagstaff, Sunset Crater is a cinder cone volcano that's about roughly 900 years old. The largest eruption that ever took place before extinction created the Bonito and Kana-a lava flows located in the park. Throughout time, each eruption reshaped the surrounding landscape and ultimately changed the lives of the surrounding plants and animals—and created the beautiful park that it is today. While you can't hike to the summit of Sunset Crater itself, there are plenty of trails to explore in the park. One will take you around the base of the crater, and others will take you onto other surrounding volcanic summits and allow you to view Sunset Crater from afar.
2) Wupatki National Monument (~35 minute drive)
A sister monument to Sunset Crater, if you drive through Sunset Crater National Park you'll end up right at Wupatki. Wupatki is a gorgeous monument of scattered pueblo ruins and structures. The scattered settlements tell the story of the Ancient Pueblo People and how they were able to thrive in this vast desert landscape. Wupatki is especially beautiful because it's nestled right between Flagstaff's Ponderosa Pine forests in desert shrub landscape and overlooks the Painted Desert. There are trails at Wupatki to hike that will take you through the pueblos, and in the winter guided hikes/tours take place by reservation on Saturdays.
3) Petrified Forest National Park (~1 hour 43 minute drive)
One of my favorite places in Arizona! A National Park in conjunction with the Painted Desert, if you start at visitor's center and drive the entire length of the Petrified Forest, you'll end up driving through the Painted Desert, as well. The park gets its name from the petrified wood deposits dotting the landscape (by the way, if you weren't already aware—do not take any from the park). The visitor centers double as a museum, because besides the petrified wood, the park is also famous for the fossils found in the area. There are many activities to do here including backpacking, sightseeing, and cultural demonstrations by the ancient peoples of the area, such as the Navajo and Zuni people.
4) Walnut Canyon National Monument (~20 minute drive)
A quick drive from Flagstaff, Walnut Canyon makes for an amazing day hiking trip. Nestled down within the canyon are ancient cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua people. The visitor center gives an amazing view down into the canyon and doubles as a museum to help teach those who visit about the Sinagua and their way of life in this dry landscape. However, if you'd rather get up close and personal with their history, two trail options will either take you down into the canyon or along the rim, where cliff dwellings are visible from each trail.
5) Tuzigoot National Monument (~1 hour 10 minute drive)
Since we're on the topic of the Sinagua people and their ability to thrive in arid environments with little water, Tuzigoot is next on the list. Tuzigoot National Monument is another site of ancient ruins built by the Sinagua people. The most stunning thing about this specific monument, besides it being the best preserved located in the Verde Valley area, is the use of trapdoor style openings in the ceilings and ladders in order to move from room to room. The largest of the rooms were located at the top, and seemed to be for public use. The Tuzigoot pueblo has 110 rooms in it. If you visit this monument, make sure to stop in the museum to learn more about the Sinagua and their way of life and how it is similar yet also different to Walnut Canyon's way of living. After the museum, head out to the pueblo and explore the short trails and ruins.
6) Montezuma Castle National Monument (~53 minute drive)
Another pueblo built by the Sinagua people, Montezuma Castle is another one of my favorite places to visit. I think I've been about four times, and I never seem to get tired of staring at the vast wall dwelling in amazement. Funnily enough, the name Montezuma Castle has nothing to do with the monument, at all. Early European settlers mistook the pueblo as being built by the Aztecs, and named it in honor of Emperor Montezuma, and believed it to be a castle when, in fact, it's similar to many of the wall dwellings found in the Northern Arizona area built by the Sinagua. The trails at Montezuma are short and scenic, and there are many stops along the way with little signs informing visitors of ancient living. Also, since you're in the area, you may want to go stop by Montezuma Well, a detachment of Montezuma Castle. The well is a huge limestone sinkhole with an underground spring that constantly feeds it, and contains high levels of carbon dioxide and arsenic. While it's not very interesting to look at for too long, it's worth the visit to see at least once.
7) Grand Canyon National Park (~1 hour 20 minute drive)
Everyone knows the Grand Canyon, I hope. It's one of the things that Arizona is the most famous for. While my father likes to refer to it as a "big giant hole in the ground" but not a big giant hole on the same level as Meteor Crater, once you see it a few times not much will probably change. However, visiting the Grand Canyon still makes for both an amazing view and an amazing trip, since there is always something to do. Sightseeing, backpacking, guided trails, camping—you name it. Even if hardly anything about the canyon changes, you're liable to miss something if you only make a day trip out of it, so be sure to plan for extra if you want to go here. Between the canyon itself, the wildlife, and the geology and history of the area, there is so much to learn and see at the Grand Canyon.
8) Navajo National Monument (~2 hour 19 minute drive)
Okay, I know I said the maximum would be 2 hours. Unfortunately, Navajo National Monument goes a little over that. Not unfortunately—it's totally worth the visit. As the NPS website states, "Where the highway ends, the Ancestral Puebloan Wild West Prehistory begins..." and if that isn't enough to draw you in, I'm not sure what is. West of Kayenta, Arizona, Navajo National Monument is another monument made up of cliff dwellings. This time, there are three major pueblos all built by the Anasazi which overlook a branch of Tsegi Canyon. Each of the three pueblos, Keet Seel, Betatakin, and Inscription House, were all discovered at different times. But when it comes to the history of the southwest and the ancient people, Keet Seel is considered by archaeologists to be one of the better preserved larger ruins located in Arizona—and that alone makes it worth the extra leg to go visit. Unfortunately, in the winter season all guided tours are closed, but there are self guided trails available to explore. However if you find that you like it and want to go back, guided tours take place all throughout the summer season. Many of the hikes in the Navajo National Monument area are considered strenuous, though, so prepare in advance.
This year, National Park Week is being advertised quite a lot—and so, I decided, this year I just had to participate. A hashtag all over social media is asking you to #findyouarpark. So my boyfriend and I are making a Saturday date to Sunset Crater National Monument in Northern Arizona. I'm planning it to where we hike the Lenox Crater Trail, which will take us to the top of one of the surrounding volcanoes and give us a view of Sunset Crater, the San Francisco Peaks, and the lava flow. Hopefully, we wake up early enough that we actually get to hike and finish a trail. We've found our park, have you found yours?
Just in case you haven't, and in case you're a college student like me who lives in Flagstaff and attends Northern Arizona University—I've compiled a list of National Parks within a 2 hour drive maximum of Flagstaff. I challenge you to choose your park, and get out there and explore nature!
1) Sunset Crater National Monument (~30 minute drive)
We'll start off the list with where my boyfriend and I are visiting: Sunset Crater! Located just at the edge of Flagstaff, Sunset Crater is a cinder cone volcano that's about roughly 900 years old. The largest eruption that ever took place before extinction created the Bonito and Kana-a lava flows located in the park. Throughout time, each eruption reshaped the surrounding landscape and ultimately changed the lives of the surrounding plants and animals—and created the beautiful park that it is today. While you can't hike to the summit of Sunset Crater itself, there are plenty of trails to explore in the park. One will take you around the base of the crater, and others will take you onto other surrounding volcanic summits and allow you to view Sunset Crater from afar.
2) Wupatki National Monument (~35 minute drive)
A sister monument to Sunset Crater, if you drive through Sunset Crater National Park you'll end up right at Wupatki. Wupatki is a gorgeous monument of scattered pueblo ruins and structures. The scattered settlements tell the story of the Ancient Pueblo People and how they were able to thrive in this vast desert landscape. Wupatki is especially beautiful because it's nestled right between Flagstaff's Ponderosa Pine forests in desert shrub landscape and overlooks the Painted Desert. There are trails at Wupatki to hike that will take you through the pueblos, and in the winter guided hikes/tours take place by reservation on Saturdays.
NPS Photo |
3) Petrified Forest National Park (~1 hour 43 minute drive)
One of my favorite places in Arizona! A National Park in conjunction with the Painted Desert, if you start at visitor's center and drive the entire length of the Petrified Forest, you'll end up driving through the Painted Desert, as well. The park gets its name from the petrified wood deposits dotting the landscape (by the way, if you weren't already aware—do not take any from the park). The visitor centers double as a museum, because besides the petrified wood, the park is also famous for the fossils found in the area. There are many activities to do here including backpacking, sightseeing, and cultural demonstrations by the ancient peoples of the area, such as the Navajo and Zuni people.
![]() |
NPS Photo |
A quick drive from Flagstaff, Walnut Canyon makes for an amazing day hiking trip. Nestled down within the canyon are ancient cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua people. The visitor center gives an amazing view down into the canyon and doubles as a museum to help teach those who visit about the Sinagua and their way of life in this dry landscape. However, if you'd rather get up close and personal with their history, two trail options will either take you down into the canyon or along the rim, where cliff dwellings are visible from each trail.
5) Tuzigoot National Monument (~1 hour 10 minute drive)
Since we're on the topic of the Sinagua people and their ability to thrive in arid environments with little water, Tuzigoot is next on the list. Tuzigoot National Monument is another site of ancient ruins built by the Sinagua people. The most stunning thing about this specific monument, besides it being the best preserved located in the Verde Valley area, is the use of trapdoor style openings in the ceilings and ladders in order to move from room to room. The largest of the rooms were located at the top, and seemed to be for public use. The Tuzigoot pueblo has 110 rooms in it. If you visit this monument, make sure to stop in the museum to learn more about the Sinagua and their way of life and how it is similar yet also different to Walnut Canyon's way of living. After the museum, head out to the pueblo and explore the short trails and ruins.
6) Montezuma Castle National Monument (~53 minute drive)
Another pueblo built by the Sinagua people, Montezuma Castle is another one of my favorite places to visit. I think I've been about four times, and I never seem to get tired of staring at the vast wall dwelling in amazement. Funnily enough, the name Montezuma Castle has nothing to do with the monument, at all. Early European settlers mistook the pueblo as being built by the Aztecs, and named it in honor of Emperor Montezuma, and believed it to be a castle when, in fact, it's similar to many of the wall dwellings found in the Northern Arizona area built by the Sinagua. The trails at Montezuma are short and scenic, and there are many stops along the way with little signs informing visitors of ancient living. Also, since you're in the area, you may want to go stop by Montezuma Well, a detachment of Montezuma Castle. The well is a huge limestone sinkhole with an underground spring that constantly feeds it, and contains high levels of carbon dioxide and arsenic. While it's not very interesting to look at for too long, it's worth the visit to see at least once.
![]() |
NPS Photo |
Everyone knows the Grand Canyon, I hope. It's one of the things that Arizona is the most famous for. While my father likes to refer to it as a "big giant hole in the ground" but not a big giant hole on the same level as Meteor Crater, once you see it a few times not much will probably change. However, visiting the Grand Canyon still makes for both an amazing view and an amazing trip, since there is always something to do. Sightseeing, backpacking, guided trails, camping—you name it. Even if hardly anything about the canyon changes, you're liable to miss something if you only make a day trip out of it, so be sure to plan for extra if you want to go here. Between the canyon itself, the wildlife, and the geology and history of the area, there is so much to learn and see at the Grand Canyon.
Rainah Ramsey (2012) |
Okay, I know I said the maximum would be 2 hours. Unfortunately, Navajo National Monument goes a little over that. Not unfortunately—it's totally worth the visit. As the NPS website states, "Where the highway ends, the Ancestral Puebloan Wild West Prehistory begins..." and if that isn't enough to draw you in, I'm not sure what is. West of Kayenta, Arizona, Navajo National Monument is another monument made up of cliff dwellings. This time, there are three major pueblos all built by the Anasazi which overlook a branch of Tsegi Canyon. Each of the three pueblos, Keet Seel, Betatakin, and Inscription House, were all discovered at different times. But when it comes to the history of the southwest and the ancient people, Keet Seel is considered by archaeologists to be one of the better preserved larger ruins located in Arizona—and that alone makes it worth the extra leg to go visit. Unfortunately, in the winter season all guided tours are closed, but there are self guided trails available to explore. However if you find that you like it and want to go back, guided tours take place all throughout the summer season. Many of the hikes in the Navajo National Monument area are considered strenuous, though, so prepare in advance.
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