Embark on a Private Jeep Tour full-day excursion to the majestic Coal Mine Canyon, Sunset Crater volcano, Bonita Lava Flow, and Wupatki Indian ruins in northern Arizona.

About Coal Mine Canyon

Nestled on the border between the Hopi and Navajo Indian Reservations in the vast desert of northeast Arizona, Coal Mine Canyon is a hidden gem at the edge of the Painted Desert. Though far from famous attractions and unmarked by signposts, it has gained renown for its incredibly colorful formations lining the upper reaches of the ravine.

Coal Mine Canyon spans six miles in length and width at its broadest point. The canyon walls showcase a stunning palette of orange, red, pink, and black hues, with a thin layer of black coal visible along the cliff faces.

Situated at the edge of the 120-mile-wide Painted Desert, Coal Mine Canyon is part of a sparsely populated region with few roads but extensive areas of exposed, weathered rock.

Canyon Formations and Colors

The canyon boasts an awe-inspiring array of intricately eroded spires, hoodoos, gullies, fins, and cliffs in a kaleidoscope of colors. Soft, crumbly rocks of the Dakota sandstone group rim the canyon, overlying thicker bands of the Entrada Formation. The predominant colors are red, white, black, and gray. The top strata display wildly contrasting tints in rapid succession—red, white, orange, and black—within just a few vertical feet. Bright red layers result from shale coloration due to partial burning of the underlying coal. While erosion forms here resemble those in other Southwestern parks like Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Cathedral Gorge, and Red Rock Canyon, Coal Mine Canyon's variety of color and form is unparalleled.

Hiking the Rim of Coal Mine Canyon

Although no clear path leads into the canyon, faint trails meander east and west along the rim and toward projecting ridges. Two main promontories gradually narrow, ending at isolated pinnacles with sheer drop-offs on all sides.

Caution is essential when walking along the rim, as slopes descend steeply in most directions. Similar formations extend for about a mile along each side of the ravine, with the south rim offering the most impressive features. While trails along the canyon floor are visible from above, no obvious route down presents itself. To the north, smooth, pastel-colored badlands at the canyon's mouth represent a more advanced erosion cycle of the same shales and sandstones. This rolling landscape stretches far, past various tributaries of the gorge and nearby Ha Ho No Geh Canyon and Blue Canyon, all featuring similar formations and even fewer visitors.

Coal Mine Canyon exudes a sense of remoteness, windswept and solitary, with evocative remnants like a 1950s car shell at one ravine's head and long-abandoned buildings on the rim. Similar eroded scenery can be found elsewhere in this part of the Navajo Reservation, such as around Moenkopi Wash and along Ward Terrace. Coal Mine Canyon is ideal for hiking and photography, so come well-prepared for both activities!

Sunset Crater Lava Vista - 10am to 11am

You will have the opportunity to explore the Bonito Lava Flow and numerous volcanic features while walking at the base of the Sunset Crater Volcano. This volcano last which erupted in 1085 A.D. forming a 340-meter-high cone (1,120 ft).

Sunset Crater is the youngest in a string of volcanoes (the San Francisco volcanic field) that is related to the nearby San Francisco Peaks. The Sunset Crater eruption produced a blanket of ash and lapilli covering an area of more than 2,100 square kilometers (810 sq mi) and forced the temporary abandonment of settlements of the local Sinagua people.

• Lava Flow Trail Distance: 1 mi (1.6 km) round-trip
• Time: 1 hour

NOTE: There is a $25 park fee you will have to pay separately. (this fee covers both the Wupatki ruins and Sunset Crater)

For more information, visit the website for the: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Wupatki National Monument - 11:20am to 1:00pm

Wupatki National Monument is one of several sites preserving pueblos (villages) of ancient peoples, but unlike the Tonto, Montezuma, Casa Grande Ruins and Tuzigoot monuments, which contain only one main building, here there are many ruins scattered over a large area of desert northeast of Flagstaff. The pueblos all have a distinctive deep red color and were made from thin, flat blocks of the local Moenkopi sandstone.

The main ruin at Wupatki is a three-story pueblo. Named after the Hopi word for “tall house,” Wupatki Pueblo contained as many as 100 rooms during the 1100s. In total, there are more than 800 identified ruins spread around many miles of desert within Wupatki National Monument, but five of the largest (Wupatki, Wukoki, Lomaki, Citadel and Nalakihu) are close to the main road, and these are the only sites open to visitors.

NOTE: There is a $25 park fee you will have to pay separately. (This fee covers both the Wupatki ruins and Sunset Crater.) Visit the main website to learn more: Wupatki National Monument

Private Jeep Excursions
Coal Mine Canyon Day Trip
www.privatejeep.com

Travel Policy

1. Those who have current back or neck injuries will not be permitted to travel.
2. If you are pregnant you are not permitted to travel.
3. All younger passengers must be of age to fit in a regular seat. No car seats are allowed.
4. Pets are not allowed.
5. Prohibited Items: firearms, weapons of any kind, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or any drugs.

What to Bring

1. Food: You may bring a cooler for food, snacks, and drinks to enjoy during your trip.
2. Drinks: All drinks must have a top that you can close to avoid spilling while on bumpy off-road trails.
3. What to Wear: You should bring a jacket, sweater, or rain jacket as higher elevations will be colder and windy or in case of rain and you decide to hike.
4. Hiking: If your tour includes a formal hike, please read my Hiking Essentials guide to learn how to pack for hiking.
5. Swimming: If your tour requires swimming or a water hike, you will need to bring a bathing suit, water shoes, towel, and change of clothes and footwear.
6. Medications: If you are taking any medications, be sure to bring them with you that you may require within a half-day’s time.

Cancellation Policy

• Private Jeep Excursions has a 48-hour cancellation policy in order to receive a refund. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded.

Rescheduling and Weather Policy

1. You may reschedule your trip up to 48 hours in advance to book a new date with no additional charge. You can not reschedule on the same date of your trip. You will need to pay a rescheduling late fee in this case.
2. PJE will not travel during dangerous storms and severe bad weather. Your tour may need to be rescheduled if mother nature is angry on your trip date.
3. Rainfall is often very short and may offer the chance for you to see trail-side waterfalls. Your trip will continue as planned.
4. PJE reserves the right to modify, shorten, or cancel any tour to prevent damage to trails or avoid unsafe conditions.
5. Severe Weather: If severe weather makes it so you have to cancel your trip prior to your departure, PJE will issue you a full refund.