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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

Nature and landscape photography of Utah by Dave Wilson
Utah

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
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The San Francisco Volcanic
Field of Northern Arizona
Including SP Crater, Colton Crater, Merriam Crater, Red
Mt., the Cinder Hills, the Cinder Basin and Walker Lake
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 Sunset Crater. However, many lesser-known volcanos, or
cinder cones as they're often called, are also worth seeing including SP Crater,
Colton Crater, Merriam Crater and Red Mt. The dark, partially forested Cinder
Hills on the "back side" of Sunset Crater are also uniquely beautiful. Just
beyond the Cinder Hills lies the lower, flatter Cinder Basin, which
errupts with colorful wildflowers in the summer.

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.   Red Mt., a cinder cone (ancient volcano) northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona   Full moon rising behind a juniper tree about 25 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona  

  Pine trees and grass near the top of Sunset Crater, northern Arizona   Wildflowers in the Cinder Basin with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.   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).    


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.    




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