We had nothing but puffy clouds ahead of us and open minds within us, so we decided to visit the Wupatki National Monument, which is just an hour north of Flagstaff, Arizona. We strolled through the Wupatki + Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Loop, a 34-mile drive of pure painted scenery.

We stopped at the Wukoki Pueblo which was occupied from approximately 1120-1210 A.D. It was perched on a hill with spectacular 360º views. Wukoki is the modern Hopi word for “Big House.” This three-story house is believed to have housed two or three families.

Views from the Painted Desert Vista. Our cameras cannot do these views justice. They are absolutely magnificent.

Next time we want to explore the road toward Sunset Crater Volcano. We wanted to reach our campsite at Pine Flats near Sedona before sunset. Regardless, it was a wonderful detour and well worth the extra few hours off our planned route.