Prowl'n America: Alpine AZ, Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano NM

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Alpine AZ, Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano NM

June 1 2018

After leaving Portal we made 3 stops before traveling 40 miles. Our first stop was for fuel in Animas, NM. We discovered the fuel price at, little out of the way, Animas (the closest gas to Portal) was cheaper than Lordsburg, NM. (the first “big city” on our route to the north). Once in Lordsburg we stopped at a New Mexico visitors center to replace our missing New Mexico map. Lastly, we stopped at a Loves truck stop with a Subway for lunch.

View from Aldo Leopold Vista (rest stop)
on US 180,Gila National Forest NM,
on the way to Alpine AZ.

Our destination this first day out was a forest service campground, Luna Lake, just outside Alpine AZ. At 8000 feet it was about 20 degrees cooler the Portal. When we arrived (about 4pm) it was 79 with an expected low in the 40’s.

Campsite #25 in Luna Lake campground, Alpine AZ

Luna Lake

We passed this way last fall heading south, staying at a free forest service campground called Head of the Ditch.

Head of the Ditch campsite, Oct 2017.

After the last 7 months in full hookup campsite, it’s nice to get off grid and rekindle our Boondocking skills. The sites have no hookups with only central water sources and pit toilets (which are in excellent condition). Obviously, no Wi-Fi (Netflix) but there was three bars of LTE Verizon service. We liked our spot at Luna Lake so much, we spent 3 days just relaxing.

June 4 2018

Sunset Creator Volcanic Nation Monument is about 12 miles north of Flagstaff, AZ on US 89. After the relatively pleasnt mid 80’s at Alpine, we arrived at Sunset Creator to low 90’s. The plan was to spend 2 nights and have one full day to explore the volcanic features and the ruins at Wupatki.

Sunset Creator is cinder cone Volcano. One of more than 600 in the 2200 square miles north of Flagstaff, AZ.