Volcanology and associated hazards of the San Francisco volcanic field

The San Francisco volcanic field stretches from Williams, Arizona, in the west, to northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, on the east. Within the approximately 5000 km2 area, more than 600 volcanoes are primarily monogenetic and basaltic, but silicic stratovolcanoes and domes are present as well. This field guide focuses on five broadly basaltic cones (Government Prairie vent, Red Mountain, SP Crater, Colton Crater, and Sunset Crater) and two silicic volcanoes (Kendrick Peak and San Francisco Mountain) in the field, with an emphasis on the different kinds of volcanic activity represented and the petrological variations. Hazards assessment indicates that is it possible for future eruptions to affect Flagstaff, but the probability is low. As information in this guide indicates, hazard assessments need to be improved to encompass a wide range of eruption types, and additional data are needed to improve models of the rate of volcanic activity and how the locus of activity has shifted over time.