Arizona’s Explosive Surprise: Who Knew Volcanoes Are Lurking Here

In the United States there are 169 active volcanoes; most of them in states like Alaska, Hawaii & states along the west coast like Oregon & Washington. You wouldn't think there'd be volcanoes in desert states; but... there still are. If you go to Arizona, you'll be surprised to know there are not 1, not 2, but THREE volcanoes that scientists consider active in the Grand Canyon State.

Where are volcanoes found in Arizona?

Although there were more volcanic fields within the state that date over billions a years old (before there were 7), there are currently 3 fields that are considered active. For the volcanologists interested in searching in the desert, here's where you can find the 3 active volcanoes in Arizona (there might be more though):

• The San Francisco Field, located in central Arizona just north of Flagstaff
• the Uinkaret Field, located in northwestern Arizona just north of the Grand Canyon.
• & the Pincate Field is located on the Arizona-Mexico border, 40 miles south-southwest of Ajo, Arizona.

And in case you're wondering, yes there are videos that go into details on the eruptions that have happened in Arizona. You can see just how different each landscapes were before & how much they've changed afterwards.

Am I likely to see a volcanic eruption in Arizona?

No. Even though the destruction during each eruption was huge, these eruptions happened hundreds of years ago. So the likelihood of seeing an eruption is very low. But...as I stated before, these areas are still active so there exists a chance of another eruption happening in the future. We don't know when the next one COULD occur, but scientists haven't seen any chances of one happening soon so until then, you can enjoy the scenery.

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