Springerville Volcanic Field

The Springerville Volcanic Field is the third largest young volcanic field in the continental United States. The field was created during the late Pliocene to Pleistocene age. The earliest eruption was nearly 3 million years ago.

The Springerville field contains 405 vents and covers 1,158 square miles, which is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The field is also famous for being the opening setting of one of Edgar Rice Burroughs books John Carter on Mars in 1935.

You can see the field by completing a driving self-guided driving tour beginning just outside of Springerville. It is a drive you won’t want to pass up. In order to complete the tour, the directions must be followed using odometer readings. The tour begins about 3 miles northwest of Springerville. Take Interstate 60 north to Interstate 180 and head about 6 miles up the Interstate to Hall Ranch Road. This is where you should set your odometer to zero. At this point, you will see several flows from the “Twin Knolls” vent.

The next stop is heading back south on Interstate 180, till the odometer reaches 2.9. Here you will see remains of a vent and to the east Coyote Hills is a shield volcano. A shield volcano is formed by many lava flows that have gradually build up to a large volcano. When viewing this from above it looks like a Roman shield.

Then travel south again to U.S. 60, approximately 3 miles. Turn west onto U.S. 60 and drive approximately 8 miles. When the odometer reads 14.0 miles pull off the road. Here you will see a sag flow out. The view is from the middle of the bowl.

Continue west on U.S. 60, until Green’s Peak Road. The odometer should read 18.0. Then travel down the FS-117 to FS-61. The odometer should read 31.2 and turn right. Head west on FS-61, less than a mile. Next turn right and go north up to Green’s Peak to the lookout tower. The odometer should read 33.0 miles. At this advantage point, the view provides a great look at the Springerville Field. This is the end of the self-guided tour. At this time you need to retrace your path back home.