Geology

Volcanic

9 destinations along 8 roads

Volcanic rock across the West is geology and, for several nations, holy ground — and the second reading comes first. The San Francisco Peaks, sacred to thirteen tribes, are a live argument over a ski resort making snow from wastewater; Dzil Ligai Si'an, the White Mountain, is a summit the Apache ask you to stop short of; Cave Rock, De'ek Wadapush to the Washoe, was closed to climbers after a long fight to protect it. The forms vary — Sunset Crater is a cinder cone people watched erupt around 1085, Snow Canyon a lava flow poured over red sandstone. Read the rock, but know whose it is.

UT-181

Snow Canyon State Park

Ivins

Red and white sandstone cliffs with ancient lava flows

US-501

Cave Rock / De'ek Wadapush

Zephyr Cove

One of the most sacred places of the Wašiw—the Standing Gray Rock, a worn volcano the highway was blasted through and climbers bolted for sport, now closed and quiet again after the Washoe's long fight to protect it

US-60 / US-1801

Casa Malpais

Springerville

The Mogollon great house on the lava, and the catacombs sealed back shut

SR-881

Superstition Mountains

Apache Junction

The volcanic range that holds the Lost Dutchman legend — and outlasts it

US-892

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Marysvale

The real mountain that inspired the famous hobo folk song

Sunset Crater Volcano

Flagstaff

The volcano northern Arizona watched erupt, around 1085

US-1801

San Francisco Peaks

Flagstaff

The sacred mountain of the west — 12,633 feet, and a live argument

SR-1811

Chiricahua National Monument

Willcox

The Land of Standing-Up Rocks — Cochise and Geronimo's stronghold

SR-2731

Mount Baldy

Greer

Dzil Ligai Si'an, the sacred White Mountain, and the summit you stop short of

Related tags

PhotographyNative American HeritageHikingSummerPaid EntryYear-RoundScenic DrivingOff the Beaten Path