Scenic Drive

Forest Road 514
Coconino National Forest

There’s no bad way to see the San Francisco Peaks, which are the state’s highest mountains and the eroded remains of a massive stratovolcano. But viewing the Peaks from the Flagstaff area, as most people do, means missing much of the volcanic history on display in the larger San Francisco Volcanic Field to the north. Forest Road 514, which crosses through the field, offers an up-close look at that geology, along with some modern-day natural beauty.

You’ll start this drive northeast of Flagstaff, on U.S. Route 89A. Just north of Mile Marker 434, turn left onto Forest Road 417, a wide Coconino National Forest road that’s pocked with dark rocks and large ruts. This road bisects a rolling landscape of junipers and tall grasses, with the Peaks visible to the south. After just more than a mile, you’ll reach a “Y” intersection; bear left onto FR 514, which will take you the rest of the way.
 

By now, you’ve probably noticed the landscape of low, rounded buttes you’re navigating. According to the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, there are more than 600 volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, which covers some 3,000 square miles. Volcanic activity began 6 million years ago, in the western part of the field; the eastern part is home to Sunset Crater, which erupted the most recently — about 1,000 years ago.

You may or may not be thinking about volcanoes as you curve through a few areas of large junipers and piñon pines. Indeed, by Mile 4.5, the geology takes a back seat to the vegetation, as a thick forest of junipers and piñons lines both sides of the relatively smooth road. A mile after that, you’ll reach another “Y” intersection and again bear left to stay on FR 514, which soon climbs to an area where ponderosa pines begin to mingle with the other trees.

When you come to a clearing at Mile 7.4, you’ll see volcanic buttes to the left, to the right and straight ahead, cradling a gorgeous grassy area. You don’t need to worry about eruptions, though: While the field is considered active, eruptions occur only every several thousand years, and future activity is expected to happen to the east, in the Sunset Crater area.
 

At yet another “Y” intersection at Mile 8.3, bear left again. You’ll now pass through a forest of tall ponderosas before coming to another clearing, this one ringed by ponderosas whose lower branches were burned off long ago by a low-intensity wildfire. Then, it’s back into the ponderosas for a heavily forested stretch that ends at Mile 12.5, when you’ll enter Kendrick Park, a huge meadow that dwarfs the previous clearings and offers hiking and wildlife-watching opportunities. Straight ahead, you’ll see Kendrick Peak, one of the few volcanoes in the field that aren’t of the cinder cone variety; instead, it’s one of 10 silicic domes, which form from viscous lava that’s rich in silica.

Here, the road becomes Kendrick Park Road and transitions to smooth, wide gravel. Within a half-mile, you’ll reach the side road, on the right, to Kendrick Cabin, a former fireguard cabin now open to overnight guests under the U.S. Forest Service’s Rooms With a View program. If you don’t have reservations, continue for another mile to the road’s end at U.S. Route 180, which will take you northwest toward the Grand Canyon or southeast to Flagstaff. Either way, there’s plenty more interesting geology to see.

ADDITIONAL READING: For more adventure, pick up a copy of our book Arizona Highways Scenic Drives, which features 40 of the state's most beautiful back roads. To order, visit www.shoparizonahighways.com/100scenicdrives.
 

Tour Guide
Note: Mileages are approximate.

Length: 14.2 miles one way (from U.S. Route 89)

Directions: From U.S. Route 89 northeast of Flagstaff, go northwest on Forest Road 417 for
1.1 miles to a “Y” intersection. Bear left, onto Forest Road 514, and continue 13.1 miles to U.S. Route 180.

Vehicle Requirements: A high-clearance vehicle, such as an SUV or truck, is required, but four-wheel-drive is not necessary in good weather.

Warning: Back-road travel can be hazardous, so be aware of weather and road conditions. Carry plenty of water. Don’t travel alone, and let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.

Information: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866 or www.fs.usda.gov/coconino

Travelers in Arizona can visit www.az511.gov or dial 511 to get information on road closures, construction, delays, weather and more.