Craters Of The Moon National Monument - Idaho

Address:Arco, Idaho
Tel: (208) 527-3257

Craters of the Moon National Monument, a section of the Snake River Plain, preserves three fascinating lava fields along the Great Rift of Idaho, covering nearly half a million acres. From lava tubes to lava flows, from cinder cones to spatter cones, this park promises an exciting journey. The park protects one of the best flood basalt areas in the continental Unites States, and the deepest open rift crack in the world at 800 feet.
Caving is a not-to-be-missed experience at Craters. Visitors can trek through the icy Boy Scout Cave or crawl and walk through the many other caves in the park. Rugged hiking in the backcountry is available for those seeking a challenge. Camping and bird watching are other popular activities in the park.

A sea of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush characterizes this "weird and scenic landscape" known as Craters of the Moon. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve contains three young lava fields covering almost half a million acres. These remarkably well preserved volcanic features resulted from geologic events that appear to have happened yesterday and will likely continue tomorrow... In 1924 the National Park Service began the job of protecting the park and welcoming people to experience this area. In 2000 the Monument was expanded to include most of the Great Rift, the source of the lava flows that created this unique landscape.