San Francisco Volcanic Field | U.S. Geological Survey Official websites use .gov .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS lock ( or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. San Francisco Volcanic Field Find U.S. Volcano Filters The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows. Get Help Earthquake Plots To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over. Map Layers Earthquake Colors Earthquake Depth Units Earthquake Time Units Results Filters The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows. Get Help Earthquake Plots To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over. Settings Map Layers Earthquake Colors Earthquake Depth Units Earthquake Time Units Map Legend Map Legend Results San Francisco Volcanic Field Science Maps Multimedia News Publications Connect Northern Arizona's San Francisco Volcanic Field, which covers about 4,700 square kilometers (1,800 square miles), is an area of young volcanoes along the southern margin of the Colorado Plateau. Much of the field lies within Coconino and Kaibab National Forests. Quick Facts Location: Arizona, Coconino County Latitude: 35.37° N Longitude: 111.5° W Elevation: 2,447 (m) 8,028 (f) Volcano type: volcanic field Composition: basalt Most recent eruption: 1085 A.D. Nearby towns: Flagstaff, Williams Threat Potential: Moderate* *based on the National Volcano Early Warning System Summary Media Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details San Francisco Peaks, north of Flagstaff, Arizona, viewed from the northeast. This mountain cluster is the tallest of the San Francisco Volcanic field. Northern Arizona's San Francisco Volcanic Field, which covers about 4,700 km (1,800 mi ), is an area of young volcanoes along the southern margin of the Colorado Plateau. Much of the field lies within Coconino and Kaibab National Forests. During its approximately 6-million-year history, this field has produced more than 600 volcanoes, and almost all of the hills and mountains between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon are representative of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. The most prominent landmark is San Francisco Mountain, a stratovolcano that rises to 3,850 m (12,633 ft) and serves as a scenic backdrop to the city of Flagstaff. Sunset Crater, the State's youngest volcano, erupted in about A.D. 1085 and must have been witnessed by native inhabitants who lived very nearby. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument was founded in 1930 to protect the cinder cone and associated lava flow. Going, going, argon! Determining volcanic eruption ages with argon geochronology June 10, 2024 Going, going, argon! Determining volcanic eruption ages with argon geochronology Practice makes better! April 11, 2022 Practice makes better! YVO – not just Yellowstone! Meet the volcanoes of the American Southwest! June 18, 2018 YVO – not just Yellowstone! Meet the volcanoes of the American Southwest! View All October 22, 2018 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners... Authors John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey By Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Science Center Agrigan Ahyi Seamount Alamagan Anatahan Asuncion Belknap Black Butte Crater Lava Field Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field Blue Lake Crater Carrizozo Lava Flow Cascade Range Weekly Update Cinnamon Butte Clear Lake Volcanic Field Coso Volcanic Field Crater Lake Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field Daikoku Seamount Davis Lake Volcanic Field Devils Garden Lava Field Diamond Craters Volcanic Field Dotsero Volcanic Center East Diamante Esmeralda Bank Farallon de Pajaros Fukujin Seamount Glacier Peak Guguan Haleakalā Hell's Half Acre Lava Field Hualālai Indian Heaven Volcanic Field Jordan Craters Volcanic Field Kama‘ehuakanaloa Kasuga 2 Kīlauea Lassen Volcanic Center Long Valley Caldera Mammoth Mountain Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field Maug Islands Mauna Kea Mauna Loa Medicine Lake Mono Lake Volcanic Field Mono-Inyo Craters Mount Adams Mount Bachelor Mount Baker Mount Hood Mount Jefferson Mount Rainier Mount Shasta Mount St. Helens Newberry Ofu-Olosega Pagan Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field Ruby Salton Buttes San Francisco Volcanic Field Sand Mountain Volcanic Field Sarigan Soda Lakes South Sarigan Seamount Supply Reef Ta'u Island Three Sisters Tutuila Island Ubehebe Craters Uinkaret Volcanic Field Valles Caldera Wapi Lava Field Weekly Update West Crater Volcanic Field Yellowstone Zealandia Bank Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field October 6, 2023 Geology and History of San Francisco Volcanic Field The first volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field began to erupt about 6 million years ago, in an area where the town of Williams is now. Subsequently, a several-mile-wide belt of successively younger eruptions migrated eastward, to the area of modern Flagstaff, and beyond toward the valley of the Little Colorado River. Today, this belt of volcanoes extends about 50 miles from west to east. By San Francisco Volcanic Field Geology and History of San Francisco Volcanic Field October 6, 2023 Geology and History of San Francisco Volcanic Field The first volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field began to erupt about 6 million years ago, in an area where the town of Williams is now. Subsequently, a several-mile-wide belt of successively younger eruptions migrated eastward, to the area of modern Flagstaff, and beyond toward the valley of the Little Colorado River. Today, this belt of volcanoes extends about 50 miles from west to east. October 5, 2023 Hazards Summary for San Francisco Volcanic Field Although there has been no eruption for nearly 1,000 years, it is likely that eruptions will occur again in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. By San Francisco Volcanic Field Hazards Summary for San Francisco Volcanic Field October 5, 2023 Hazards Summary for San Francisco Volcanic Field Although there has been no eruption for nearly 1,000 years, it is likely that eruptions will occur again in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. October 5, 2023 Sunset Crater Sunset Crater, located about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, is one of the youngest scoria cones in the contiguous United States and is the youngest of about 600 such cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. By San Francisco Volcanic Field Sunset Crater October 5, 2023 Sunset Crater Sunset Crater, located about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, is one of the youngest scoria cones in the contiguous United States and is the youngest of about 600 such cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. View All Quick Facts Location: Arizona, Coconino County Latitude: 35.37° N Longitude: 111.5° W Elevation: 2,447 (m) 8,028 (f) Volcano type: volcanic field Composition: basalt Most recent eruption: 1085 A.D. Nearby towns: Flagstaff, Williams Threat Potential: Moderate* *based on the National Volcano Early Warning System Volcanoes Hazards Program Links Assess Prepare Forecast Activity Products Observatories About Was this page helpful?