This 185-mile loop follows quiet dirt roads and two-tracks through woodlands and grasslands among 800+ extinct volcanoes of all sizes, from small cinder cones to the towering San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. Optional side trips include fire lookouts, cinder cone summits, and Lava River Cave. This loop also serves as a northern extension to the popular Coconino Loop to create a longer, incredible experience.
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General Route Description
Perfect for bikepackers looking to get off the beaten path while following dirt roads and two-tracks, the San Francisco Volcanic Field Loop meanders through northern Arizona’s San Francisco Volcanic Field. 800+ volcanoes that erupted over the past few million years dot the landscape - some are a few hundred feet tall, and some tower many thousands of feet above the surrounding countryside. From Flagstaff, the route heads west toward Bill Williams Mountain on dirt roads and jeep tracks, passing through sprawling parks and ponderosa pine forests. Beyond Williams, the route enters deserted, dry pinon-juniper woodlands and then high grasslands of the Babbitt Ranches. You’ll pass eerily dark, yawning cinder cones before climbing into the young, cindery landscape of Sunset Crater National Monument. Sunset Crater is the youngest volcano in the area, having erupted just 1,000 years ago. The tallest peaks in Arizona, the San Francisco Peaks, are the final feature you’ll experience, climbing high into aspen forests at over 9,000 feet and then descending a hugely scenic water pipeline service road that’s closed to motorized use back toward Flagstaff. This is a stellar ~3-day route with numerous options for side exploration and minimal technical riding in countryside rarely visited. But water is scarce, so plan accordingly. If you ride this route and enjoy it, please consider joining Bikepacking Roots (membership is free!) and sending us a donation to support future route development projects. And if you have any feedback or found areas where route updates are necessary, we'd love to hear from you. Please send any comments to routes@bikpackingroots.org. |
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ROUTE INFORMATION
Basic information
Route length: 185 miles
Total climbing: 12,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 3+
Recommended starting location/direction: Flagstaff, clockwise
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 38%
% Singletrack: 2%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 4-5
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 120 miles, 2+ days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 50 miles, 1+ days
Recommended bike type: Mountain bike
Total climbing: 12,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 3+
Recommended starting location/direction: Flagstaff, clockwise
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 38%
% Singletrack: 2%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 4-5
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 120 miles, 2+ days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 50 miles, 1+ days
Recommended bike type: Mountain bike
Highlights
- Quiet, non-technical riding through pine forests and grasslands
- 1,000-year-old cinder landscapes and lava flows in Sunset Crater National Monument
- San Francisco Peaks’ Inner Basin and the Waterline Road traverse
- Fire lookout side trip options on Red Mountain and O’Leary Peak
- Hike into Lava River Cave, a 0.5-mile-long lava tube
- Climb SP Crater, one of the most striking cinder cones in the area
Logistics
- Ideal time of year (and potentially weather conditions): Late spring, early fall. The route is rideable May-October, but the summer months will be warm and monsoon storms in July and August should be avoided.
- DO NOT attempt this route when wet or when rain is in the weather forecast. The soil in this region is full of clay that becomes impassable when wet in many areas
- You NEED an Arizona State Land Department Recreation Permit.
- The northern part of the route passes through land owned by Babbitt Ranches. Public access and camping is permitted - simply respect their land and stock.
- Do not camp within ¼ mile of water sources
- Water sources on this route are limited and include many stock tanks that are most reliable in late Spring and late Summer. Waypoints for these are provided with labels like “poor” (unreliable, likely silty) and “good” (more reliable, cleaner water). DO NOT plan that every stock tank will have water, and carry more water than you expect to need. Water from some stock tanks is often silty and will clog water filters and is not amenable to UV water treatments. Carry a means of chemical water treatment like Aqua Mira or iodine.
ROUTE Development credit
The Craters and Cinder Cones Loop was developed by Kurt Refsnider to create a northern extension to the popular 250-mile Coconino Loop (developed by Scott Morris and Chad Brown) and to share with bikepackers one of Kurt’s favorite Arizona landscapes.
route downloads
This route and associated information is just a starting point for your preparation, and your safety is your responsibility. Although this route, its GPS track, and route data were prepared after extensive research, their accuracy and reliability are not guaranteed. Check for current conditions, route updates, use your common sense, obey local laws and rules, and travel with alternative means of navigation. Bikepacking Roots, its directors, employees, and volunteers will in no way be responsible for personal injury or damage to personal property arising in conjunction with using this route. If you do encounter changed conditions or inaccuracies, Bikepacking Roots welcomes your input - please send comments to routes@bikepackingroots.org.
- Craters and Cinder Cones Loop GPS track file v4 (gpx format; updated 5/2017)
- Craters and Cinder Cones Loop GPS waypoints file v1 (gpx format; updated 5/2017)
- Craters and Cinder Cones Loop Route Guide (PDF; updated 5/2017)
- Colorado Plateau Landscape Guide (130-page PDF; see additional information under "Regional Conservation Issues and Resources" section below)
If you ride this route and enjoy it, please consider joining Bikepacking Roots (membership is free!) and sending us a donation to support future route development projects. And if you have any feedback or found areas where route updates are necessary, we'd love to hear from you. Please send any comments to routes@bikpackingroots.org.
other resources
- Recommended printed topographic maps:
- Trails Illustrated map 856 (Flagstaff/Sedona)
- Trails Illustrated map 854 (Sycamore Canyon/Verde Valley)
Segment-by-Segment Route Details
SEGMENT 1: Flagstaff to Williams (southern side of loop)
This 60-mile segment climbs west out of Flagstaff on old two-track across Observatory Mesa before meandering in and out of grassy parks and through ponderosa pine forests. Farther west, the route passes Lava River Cave, traverses Spring Valley, climbs over the east shoulder of Sitgreaves Mountain, and then crosses Interstate 40. The final miles pass Dog Lake Reservoir and Bill Williams Mountain before dropping quickly into the touristy Route 66 town of Williams. Riding is mostly on dirt forest roads with some short sections of rougher two-track.
Segment length: 60 miles
Total climbing: 3,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 1-2
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 70%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 20%
% Singletrack: 0%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 60 miles, 1-2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 35+ miles, 1 day
Recommended printed topographic maps:
Total climbing: 3,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 1-2
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 70%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 20%
% Singletrack: 0%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 60 miles, 1-2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 35+ miles, 1 day
Recommended printed topographic maps:
- Trails Illustrated maps 856 (Flagstaff/Sedona)
- 854 (Sycamore Canyon/Verde Valley)
- See Arizona Gazetteer for northwest quarter of loop
- Quiet dirt road (and a bit of rougher two-track) riding through ponderosa pines and meadows
- Stay at the U.S. Forest Service Spring Valley Cabin Bunkhouse below Sitgreaves Mountain (mile 31). Reservations required; call the Kaibab N.F. (928-635-8200) for information.
- Hike Lava River Cave (mile 21; 1 mile round trip; dress warmly and bring lights)
- The two most reliable water options are (1) around mile 31-35 (USFS cabin if vacant or stock tanks nearby and (2) Dogtown Lake Campground at mile 52
- There are no resupply options on this segment until Williams. Williams offers restaurants, a grocery store, and motels.
- Dispersed camping is permitted in most areas of this segment aside from the obvious areas of private land around miles 28-30 (Spring Valley) and miles 40-50 (south of Interstate 40)
- You NEED an Arizona State Land Department Recreation Permit for this section of the route
- The northern part of the route passes through land owned by Babbitt Ranches. Public access and camping is permitted - simply respect their land and stock and abide by Leave No Trace ethics.
- Flagstaff: Flagstaff Medical Center (928-779-3366)- 1200 N Beaver St, Flagstaff, AZ
- Williams: North Country HealthCare (928.635.4411) - 301 S 7th St, Williams, AZ
SEGMENT 2: Williams to Flagstaff (northern side of loop)
The northern part of this route passes through the heart of
the San Francisco Volcanic Field and its nearly countless cinder cones. Leaving
Williams, you’ll pass through rural neighborhoods on mostly graded dirt roads
before turning onto remote two-tracks and and entering some quiet countryside
of pinon-juniper woodlands before descending north into lower grasslands. Red
Mountain Lookout offers a short side trip option along the way
At the farthest northeastern corner of the loop is SP Crater, a striking cinder cone that’s worth a hike to the top for a stellar view into the crater itself. Approach using the obvious steep trail on the southwest side of the cone and then scrambling to the top. Plan for ~90 minutes round trip at least for this side hike.
After circling around SP Crater, you’ll begin climbing back toward the San Francisco Peaks, passing the yawning Colton Crater along the way. The route then turns east around O’Leary Peak and onto loose cinder trails that link into the back entrance of Sunset Crater National Monument. These cinder trails are usually packed enough from ATV traffic, but they’re slow going for ~4.5 miles as you experience the otherworldly landscape and views of the 1,000-year-old Sunset Crater.
The route then follows pavement through the National Monument along recent lava flows before climbing dirt road steeply into the San Francisco Peaks’ inner basin. The last part of the climb to the highest part of the route can be done following an old two-track or a beautiful but technical singletrack. At the top, 2,500 feet above the Monument, you’ll turn onto Waterline Road, enjoy huge views along the west side of the Peaks, and then drop from Schultz Pass back to Flagstaff (with singletrack or dirt road options for the descent.)
At the farthest northeastern corner of the loop is SP Crater, a striking cinder cone that’s worth a hike to the top for a stellar view into the crater itself. Approach using the obvious steep trail on the southwest side of the cone and then scrambling to the top. Plan for ~90 minutes round trip at least for this side hike.
After circling around SP Crater, you’ll begin climbing back toward the San Francisco Peaks, passing the yawning Colton Crater along the way. The route then turns east around O’Leary Peak and onto loose cinder trails that link into the back entrance of Sunset Crater National Monument. These cinder trails are usually packed enough from ATV traffic, but they’re slow going for ~4.5 miles as you experience the otherworldly landscape and views of the 1,000-year-old Sunset Crater.
The route then follows pavement through the National Monument along recent lava flows before climbing dirt road steeply into the San Francisco Peaks’ inner basin. The last part of the climb to the highest part of the route can be done following an old two-track or a beautiful but technical singletrack. At the top, 2,500 feet above the Monument, you’ll turn onto Waterline Road, enjoy huge views along the west side of the Peaks, and then drop from Schultz Pass back to Flagstaff (with singletrack or dirt road options for the descent.)
Segment length: 125 miles
Total climbing: 9,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 2-3+
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 40%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 48%
% Singletrack: 2%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 120 miles, 2-3 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 50 miles, 1+ days
Recommended printed topographic maps: Trails Illustrated maps 856 (Flagstaff/Sedona) and 854 (Sycamore Canyon/Verde Valley) provides nearly complete coverage.
Total climbing: 9,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 2-3+
Approximate surface conditions:
% Paved: 10%
% Dirt road: 40%
% 4x4 road/2-track: 48%
% Singletrack: 2%
% Rideable: 98%
Average physical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Average technical difficulty (1-10): 3-4
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 120 miles, 2-3 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 50 miles, 1+ days
Recommended printed topographic maps: Trails Illustrated maps 856 (Flagstaff/Sedona) and 854 (Sycamore Canyon/Verde Valley) provides nearly complete coverage.
- Remote countryside and countless volcanic features
- The impressive SP Crater, the San Francisco Peaks’ Inner Basin, and Waterline Road.
- Exploring Sunset Crater National Monuments’ lava flows and the option big climb up to the O’Leary Peak Lookout
- Like on the first segment of the route, water sources are limited in this dry landscape. The most reliable water sources are (1) a pipe-fed stock tank at mile 44, (2) several pipe-fed stock tanks between miles 51 and 53 (FILL UP HERE!), (3) Sunset Crater N.M. Visitor’s Center at mile 98, (4) a pond in Lockett Meadow at mile 105, and (5) a piped spring at the high point on the route at mile 98.
- There are no resupply options on this segment until returning to Flagstaff aside from a gas station 7 miles northeast of Williams.
- Dispersed camping is permitted in most areas of this segment except for the first ~12 miles northeast of Williams. Sunset Crater N.M. has a small campground near the Visitor’s Center, and there’s another campground in Lockett Meadow just before the high point on the route.
- You NEED an Arizona State Land Department Recreation Permit for this section of the route.
- The northern part of the route passes through land owned by Babbitt Ranches. Public access and camping is permitted - simply respect their land and stock and abide by Leave No Trace ethics.
- Flagstaff: Flagstaff Medical Center (928-779-3366)- 1200 N Beaver St, Flagstaff, AZ
- Williams: North Country HealthCare (928.635.4411) - 301 S 7th St, Williams, AZ
REGIONAL CONSERVATION ISSUES AND RESOURCES
LANDSCAPE GUIDE DOWNLOAD
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The Colorado Plateau Landscape Guide is a resource for bikepackers to learn about and connect with the places through which they ride - in this case, the broader Colorado Plateau region. The guide serves as an informative resource to educate backcountry travelers about the interconnected landscape layers of the Colorado Plateau. It is designed to offer an overarching understanding of the broader landscape layers, the physical, biological, and anthropological.
Topics covered include
Click here to download the full 130-page PDF |
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PUBLIC LANDS at risk
Our Public Lands Are Under Attack
640 million acres of land in the United States are public – owned by the citizens and managed by the federal government for multiple uses. These lands include forests, mountains, rivers, canyons, deserts, plains and include hundreds of thousands of miles of trails and dirt roads. Public lands are where we bikepack and these lands are under attack. Special interest groups and their political allies are on a campaign to transfer federal lands from the American public to the ownership of states. This land transfer threatens hundreds of millions of acres of protected land, an American fundamental value – that public land is ours – and it threatens the future of recreation and access to the land through which we bikepack.
The Craters and Cinder Cones Loop passes through the Coconino National Forest, the Kaibab National Forest, and Sunset Crater National Monument. The route closely bypasses the Kachina Peaks Wilderness and the Kendrick Mountain Wilderness, both of which provide crucial protected habitat for flora and fauna that contribute to the overall ecosystem health of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments protect and preserve cultural history, artifacts, and sacred sites as well as provide habitat for endemic flora and fauna.
640 million acres of land in the United States are public – owned by the citizens and managed by the federal government for multiple uses. These lands include forests, mountains, rivers, canyons, deserts, plains and include hundreds of thousands of miles of trails and dirt roads. Public lands are where we bikepack and these lands are under attack. Special interest groups and their political allies are on a campaign to transfer federal lands from the American public to the ownership of states. This land transfer threatens hundreds of millions of acres of protected land, an American fundamental value – that public land is ours – and it threatens the future of recreation and access to the land through which we bikepack.
The Craters and Cinder Cones Loop passes through the Coconino National Forest, the Kaibab National Forest, and Sunset Crater National Monument. The route closely bypasses the Kachina Peaks Wilderness and the Kendrick Mountain Wilderness, both of which provide crucial protected habitat for flora and fauna that contribute to the overall ecosystem health of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments protect and preserve cultural history, artifacts, and sacred sites as well as provide habitat for endemic flora and fauna.
impacts of climate change: Forests and grazing
The scientific community overwhelmingly agrees that Earth’s climate is changing. Projections for how climate change will impact the Southwest include an increase in mean annual temperature, a decrease in annual precipitation, and an increase in extreme weather events (including strong storms and droughts). Within the San Francisco Volcanic Field – a land of ponderosa pine forests and high grasslands – the implications of a hot and dry future are of concern for the forests and sustainability of livestock grazing.
Forests
The world’s largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest extends along northern Arizona’s Mogollon Rim from Grand Canyon to New Mexico. In the face of a warming, drying climate in the southwest, extended drought and intensifying fire regimes coupled with the current state of choked forests composed of small trees and an overgrowth of understory pose a threat of devastating wildfire that threaten the future of these forests and the communities that call them home. Proactive forest management focused on strategic thinning and controlled burning to restore forest health and equip the forest to handle pressures of climate change are critical actions to preserving the future of the ponderosa pine forest. The Four Forest Restoration Initiative is a landscape-scale restoration initiative between multiple National Forests in effort to restore 2.4 million acres of forest over the next 20 years, renovating large-scale forest management in the process. The initiative will support more natural fire regimes, improve the health of the ponderosa pine ecosystems, further supporting its ability to survive in a hotter drier climate, support watersheds, and protect communities and local economies.
Livestock Grazing
Average temperatures in the Southwest are anticipated to increase by 2 to 6 °F by mid-21st Century. The resulting ever-intensifying periods of drought will add pressure to livestock grazing in the Southwest. As temperatures continue to increase, water sources will become more limited, cattle will be under greater stress, and grasses will grow more slowly. Livestock management will need to adapt to the pressures of this climate change. The Craters and Cinder Cones Loop passes over both public and private land. The private land is owned by a conservation-oriented ranching family, Babbitt Ranches, LLC, the largest private landowner in Arizona. Babbitt Ranches, founded in 1886, recognizes the importance of sustainable ranching and land management on the Coconino Plateau region. The Landsward Institute is a partnership between Babbitt Ranches and Northern Arizona University that exists to support the ecosystems, habitats, and sustainable rangelands of the Coconino Plateau region and Little Colorado River Valley and conducts and supports related research.
Forests
The world’s largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest extends along northern Arizona’s Mogollon Rim from Grand Canyon to New Mexico. In the face of a warming, drying climate in the southwest, extended drought and intensifying fire regimes coupled with the current state of choked forests composed of small trees and an overgrowth of understory pose a threat of devastating wildfire that threaten the future of these forests and the communities that call them home. Proactive forest management focused on strategic thinning and controlled burning to restore forest health and equip the forest to handle pressures of climate change are critical actions to preserving the future of the ponderosa pine forest. The Four Forest Restoration Initiative is a landscape-scale restoration initiative between multiple National Forests in effort to restore 2.4 million acres of forest over the next 20 years, renovating large-scale forest management in the process. The initiative will support more natural fire regimes, improve the health of the ponderosa pine ecosystems, further supporting its ability to survive in a hotter drier climate, support watersheds, and protect communities and local economies.
Livestock Grazing
Average temperatures in the Southwest are anticipated to increase by 2 to 6 °F by mid-21st Century. The resulting ever-intensifying periods of drought will add pressure to livestock grazing in the Southwest. As temperatures continue to increase, water sources will become more limited, cattle will be under greater stress, and grasses will grow more slowly. Livestock management will need to adapt to the pressures of this climate change. The Craters and Cinder Cones Loop passes over both public and private land. The private land is owned by a conservation-oriented ranching family, Babbitt Ranches, LLC, the largest private landowner in Arizona. Babbitt Ranches, founded in 1886, recognizes the importance of sustainable ranching and land management on the Coconino Plateau region. The Landsward Institute is a partnership between Babbitt Ranches and Northern Arizona University that exists to support the ecosystems, habitats, and sustainable rangelands of the Coconino Plateau region and Little Colorado River Valley and conducts and supports related research.
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