Snowshoeing Northern Arizona
Park at the end of the road. You'll see the bison statue at the gate! A sign inside the park maps out your options.
Spurring off the back of Buff Park's service road, 5 to 7 miles of Lower Oldham trails crisscross in a tangle of moderately rolling paths. Since they all come together eventually there's little fear you'll get too lost. Head straight through Buffalo Park to the natural gas cabin, where you'll continue right, and pass through the gate. A sign and register mark the start to the Mt. Elden Trail system.
Sunset Crater:
Extraordinary scenery along easy terrain can be yours when the white stuff piles against the black lava cinders of Sunset Crater National Monument.
This trail is well-marked and frequently popular, but chances are good you can find relative isolation after the snow falls. Several short loop options are available. Make sure to keep off the famed crater itself if you journey past the trails, into the panoramic outback.
Head east on Route 66 through east Flag as it becomes Highway 89. Drive 12 miles to mile 430.3 and turn right into Sunset Crater National Monument. A $3 entry fee, per person, applies at the Visitor Center. This obligatory stop is a fine place to learn more about the sleeping - but still dramatic - volcanic area. Continue driving several miles further and pull in to the signed Lava Flow Trail on your right. Pit toilets are available.
Wing Mountain:
More remote in mood, this easy access area offers seventeen miles of marked rolling terrain around the volcanic mountain. No mechanized grooming is provided, but the road is generally plowed soon after a snowfall.
Drive north along Hwy 180, nine miles from town, past the Snowbowl turnoff. Turn left on FS 222B and follow the road one mile to a cinder pit parking lot where locals go for some sledding and tubing action. Park where you desire and start hiking uphill. Claws and poles are recommended if you plan to snowshoe to Wing Mountain's rim, or just plod around on the rolling marked trails in this area.
The hike up Wing Mountain is one incredibly steep mile. Park close to the hill and hike straight up: there is no actual trail. Once you top out, look for breaks in the trees. You can see all the way across northern Arizona. Walk counterclockwise around the lip of the volcano, and remember where
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