Sunset Trail

Sunset Trail is located in Picacho, Arizona and provides hikers with views of San Francisco Peaks, volcanic fields east of Flagstaff and the Sunset Crater.

The beginning of the trail is near Schultz Tank which is a rare body of water in the mountain which are known as sin agua by Spanish explorers. The trail gradually climbs to a high ridge which provides views of the tallest mountain in Arizona. The trail then continues to the eastern edge of Mount Elden's Summit Plateau.

There are quiet black bears in the area and hikers will quite often see their tracks in the dust. Hikers will rarely see them, but they will see elk and mule deer. Plants on the trail include aspen and gamble oaks.

The Sunset Trail traverses to an area at its highest that was devastated by a wildfire in 1977. There was worry at the time that Flagstaff may have even been consumed by the fire which started as a campfire that was not extinguished properly. There are still burnt hulks of the forest which once thrived along with the thriving area that show just how well a forest can recover from wildfire.

The Sunset Trail also provides connecting routes to Schultz Creek, Brookbank, Little Bear Trail, Upper Oldham and Elden Lookout Trails.