Sunset Crater - The Bonito Lava Flow

The Bonito Lava Flow preserves many characteristics of a "relatively fresh" eruption. Blocky lava flows (called "A'A" in Hawaiian) form when partially cooled crust of lava break up on the surface of an active flow. Spatter cones, "squeeze-ups" (ridge-like crusts where lava breaks through to the surface of a flow), frozen lava flows that maintain a ropey, twisted texture (called "pa'hoe'hoe" in Hawaiian), and other volcanic features can be seen throughout the area of the flow.