Introduction
The United States Congress designated the Strawberry Crater Wilderness (
map) in 1984 and it now has a total of
10,743 acres.
All of this wilderness is located in
Arizona and is managed by the Forest Service.
Description
Part of the huge San Francisco volcanic field, Strawberry Crater is one of its roughly 600 craters and cones, all 50,000 to 100,000 years old. The crater once sent lava flowing across the northwestern corner of this Wilderness, and low cinder cones dominate the southern end. Here are gently rolling hills covered in pinion and juniper, cinder-strewn terrain ranging in elevation from 5,500 feet to 6,000 feet. From the tops of many of the cinder cones you can see the Painted Desert, Hopi Buttes, and mesas of the valley of the Little Colorado River. Game animals and smaller mammals may be seen throughout the area. At dawn and dusk the area's fascinating geology and twisted junipers offer excellent subjects for photographers. Solitude awaits amid limitless horizons. The region has an eerie sense of timelessness. In summer, temperatures soar; pack in plenty of water.
