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Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Nearly Four Months After Tunnel Fire, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Remains Closed

As wildfires go, the Tunnel Fire that overran Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in April was not headline-grabbing outside of Arizona, but it inflicted enough damage on the park and surrounding national forest lands to keep the monument closed for months.

UPDATE | Traveler's View: Did Washington Hear About Yellowstone's Disaster?

Neither Interior Secretary Deb Haaland nor National Park Service Director Chuck Sams has publicly commented on the catastrophic flooding at Yellowstone National Park, if only to express their deep concern and intentions to rally government resources around the beleaguered park known around the world and often credited with spurring the global national parks movement.

Snow On The Crater at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Blue sky and a snowcapped crater towering over a snowy ground at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

"The cinder cone volcano's rim is the dusky red of sunset, but the crater is only part of the story. Around 1085 the ground began to shake, and lava spewed high into the air. When the eruption finished, it had changed both the landscape and the people who lived here. Today, it teaches how nature and humankind affect each other—and how rebirth and renewal happen in the wake of disaster."

National Park Service
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National Parks Traveler Episode 22: What Do You Know About Capitol Reef National Park?

The Capitol Reef Reader Dives Deep Into The Park's Geologic And Cultural Backgrounds
The Capitol Reef Reader is not your typical national park guidebook. No trail, dining, or lodging information. Rather, The Capitol Reef Reader offers an incredible wealth of information in the essays Stephen Trimble has pulled together for this collection. Essays by the likes of Clarence Dutton who traveled the Southwest with Major John Wesley Powell, Ed Abbey, and that literary conservation giant, Wallace Stegner.
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A Monumental Road Trip In Northern Arizona

Cool Ponderosa pine forests, ancient life, and volcanism are all within reach this fall in Arizona’s high country. The gateway town of Flagstaff makes a perfect basecamp to visit four national monuments that protect ancient Native American dwellings and tell the stories of their occupants’ lives. Of course, the Grand Canyon to the north is the main draw for many visitors, but take some time to explore these lesser-known sites as well.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.