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Nature and landscape photography of Arizona by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Arizona I

Nature and landscape photography of Arizona by Dave Wilson
Arizona II

Nature and landscape photography of Arizona by Dave Wilson
Arizona III

Valley of the Gods, UtahUtah

Nature and landscape photography of California by Dave Wilson
California

Nature and landscape photography of New Mexico by Dave WilsonNew Mexico

Nature and landscape photography of Colorado by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Colorado

Nature and landscape photography of Michigan by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Michigan

Photography of oceans (seascapes) by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, ArizonaOceans

Photography of clouds (skyscapes) by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Clouds

Black and white nature and landscape photography of the southwest and beyond by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Black & White

Photography of dogs by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Dogs

Commercial photography by Dave Wilson of Phoenix, Arizona
Promotions



















The San Francisco Volcanic
Field of Northern Arizona
Including SP Crater, Colton Crater, Merriam Crater,
Black Bottom Crater, Medicine Valley, Walker Lake,
Sunset Crater, Red Mt., Cinder Hills and other places
The San Francisco Volcanic Field of northern Arizona includes around
600 dormant or extinct volcanos. In the greater Flagstaff region, ancient volcanic
activity produced such large, well-known mountains as the San Francisco Peaks,
Kendrick Mountain and of course Sunset Crater. However, many lesser-known volcanos,
or cinder cones as they're often called, are also worth seeing including, but certainly not
limited to, SP Crater, Colton Crater, Merriam Crater, Red Mt., Black Bottom Crater and
a couple of nice craters flaking Medicine Valley. The dark, partially forested Cinder
Hills and Cinder Basin on the "back side" of Sunset Crater are also uniquely beautiful.

A juniper tree near SP Crater, a cinder cone (dormant volcano) north of Flagstaff, Arizona   A juniper tree near Colton Crater, a cinder cone (volcano) in northern Arizona   Juniper with wildflowers in the Cinder Basin (southwest of Merriam Crater).   Rocky Mt. Bee Plants in northern Arizona's Cinder Basin with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance (late twilight with flash).   Rocky Mt. Bee Plants beneath SP Crater, a cinder cone in northern Arizona.

  A juniper tree near Colton Crater, a cinder cone (volcano) in northern Arizona   Wild sunflowers with Merriam Crater in the background, northern Arizona.   Red Mt., a cinder cone (ancient volcano) northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona   Juniper tree surrounded by Goldeneye flowers in the Cinder Basin, Arizona.

Winter at SP Crater, a cinder cone (dormant volcano) in northern Arizona.   Winter at SP Crater, a cinder cone (dormant volcano) in northern Arizona.   At the rim of Black Bottom Crater, a cinder cone in northern Arizona.   Full moon rising behind a juniper tree about 25 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona   Red Mt., a cinder cone (ancient volcano) northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona

        Pine trees and grass near the top of Sunset Crater, northern Arizona   Looking into Colton Crater, a cinder cone (volcano) in northern Arizona   Looking into Colton Crater, a cinder cone (volcano) in northern Arizona   Rocky Mt. Bee Plants beneath SP Crater, a cinder cone (dormant volcano) in northern Arizona        

  A juniper tree near SP Crater, a cinder cone (dormant volcano) in northern Arizona     Colton Crater, a cinder cone (volcano) in nothern Arizona. In the distance are the San Francisco Peaks.    

    Pronhorn "antelope" at the base of Merriam Crater, northern Arizona (not for sale).     Wildflowers in the Cinder Basin with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.  


Drone Photos
I have climbed to the rims of both SP and Colton Craters
with a regular camera. However, to fully appreciate these cinder
cones and get a true sense that they are in fact ancient volcanos
you must get an aerial perspective. Fortunately, a friend
lent me a very nice drone so I was able to do just that.
    Drone photo of Arizona's SP Crater with a black basalt lava flow extenting more than four miles from the ancient volcano.   Drone photo looking into the cone of SP Crater, an ancient volcano in northern Arizona.   Drone photo of Colton Crater, an ancient volcano in northern Arizona, with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.    



Crappy Videos
Unlike my photography, I put little effort into making videos. I'm usually too
busy figuring out how to capture good still images to worry about things like light,
composition or even steadiness for videos. However, I'm posting these videos anyway
because they show what it looks like if you're standing at the rim of an ancient volcano,
looking down into the cone. Yes, these are basically just videos peering into giant holes,
but if you're into volcanos and wondering which ones might be interesting to climb,
perhaps these can help you decide. After clicking on the name of a cinder
cone you may have to wait a moment for the video to load and play.

Black Bottom Crater

Medicine Valley, South side of drainage

Medicine Valley, North side of drainage

Merriam Crater





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