Craters of The Moon National Monument
Contrary to popular belief, Idaho is a whole lot more than potatoes. In fact, it boasts so many square miles of pristine wilderness that you could easily spend a lifetime exploring the very diverse natural wonders here and wouldn't have a reason to complain. Sadly, my Idaho adventures are few and far between, but this post is on a whole new out of this world level. I present to you, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
How to Get There
This monster wilderness stretches just over 1100 square miles and is located in the south central part of the state where the climate is very desert-like. The nearest town of Arco is about 30 minutes away and isn't much to shake a stick at. There are a couple of small cafe/restaurants, gas stations, and motel options along with a KOA, but it's very limited since the population is under 1000 people. My guess is the majority of the people here are for Idaho National Laboratory just up the road.
Outside of that, the nearest major town is Idaho Falls which is about a 90 minute drive.
The address to the visitor enter is:
1266 Craters Loop Road
Arco, Idaho 83213
Visitors without an America the Beautiful Pass will need to get a standard pass for $20 which will cover you for a week.
The Uniqueness of COTM
The natural beauty here is truly out there. It doesn't represent what we're typically used to on Earth hence why it got its name because people felt as though it looked more like the moon.
The landscape was formed by volcanic activity as recently as about 2,100 years ago. You'll discover a land layered with rugged volcanic rock and majestic cinder cones stretching as far as the eye can see. From a distance, this might be all you'd think this park contained, but there is much more than what meets the eye. You'll also discover plant life sprouting between the cracks and craters of the once merciless lava rock. Trees, shrubs and even flowers have made a living in even the most inhospitable looking land. Upon even deeper investigation, lava tube caves begin to reveal themselves. These caves can reach up to 30 feet high and run hundreds of feet long. Inside you will find beautiful lava formations and wildlife who call these shaded areas home.
How to Explore
The easiest route of exploration would be to check out the visitor center to get your bearings and then follow up with the 7 mile car loop. The loop contains 7 stops which will give you a taste of what this park has to display. Each stop has a trailhead if you prefer to get out and investigate further and rangers often lead tours throughout the short trails to explain some of the geology found in the park. Check in at the visitor center for times. During the winter, this loop is closed to vehicles, but still open for pedestrian use. Snowshoeing and cross country skiing are popular methods of travel through the snow.
COTM is deemed a wilderness area which means no roads cross the park. This short bit of road is all you get. If you really want to dive in, you must be willing to get into the backcountry. Backpacking trips are allowed here, however, not recommended for the inexperienced. The almost desert-like conditions mean excessive heat during the summer with little to no water. You must be willing to carry your entire water supply, but the seclusion and chance to see what few others will ever see might just make the extra hassle worth it. For those who prefer the comfort of a water pump and the company of other campers, there is also camping at the Lava Flow Campground by the visitor center for just $15 per night. This would also make an excellent base camp for the short to medium day hikes nearby.
The Trails
Laura and I visited the park coming back from our honeymoon in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. What was funny about our adventure here is Laura had zero desire to stop. I had been eying COTM for the previous 2 years and for me, it was a must experience type place. Upon our arrival, Laura quickly changed her tune and with each stop or trail we did, she came to realize that COTM was one of her favorites.
Each trail highlights a different volcanic feature from spatter and cinder cones, to lava tube caves, various lava flow formations, and even plenty of greenery where the land has turned over and isn't barren. You will certainly enjoy your adventure here.
Due to our short stint within the park's boundaries, we had to cut most hikes short so as to be able to take in as many sights as possible, but here is a short list:
Indian Tunnel Cave - Requires a 1.6 mile round trip hike to an 800 foot long lava tube cave. Visitors will need to descend and ascend several stairs to access the cave. Headlamps or flashlights aren’t really necessary, but they are helpful and will aid you in spotting bats and more interesting sights within the cave. Highly recommend this visit!
Inferno Cone - Just a 0.4 mile round trip, 164 foot elevation gain walk in the park...
You really can't go wrong with any of the hikes here (and there are several others) but if you are not up for any of that, just taking the 7 mile drive is well worth it too.
When it's warm out like when we visited, the surrounding area is a perfect producer of monster dust devils so keep an eye out for those!
NASA's Use of COTM
In 1969, Apollo astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan, and Joe Engle learned about volcanic rock geology here at COTM before their lunar missions. This training proved useful while on the moon and today, NASA astronauts and scientists still use the area for studying volcanic geology for future lunar and even Mars missions.
If You're in the Area... The Perrine Bridge
Standing at 486 feet above the Snake River below, the Perrine Bridge is a very cool span of steel to check out. There is a walkway so you can safely cross it for incredible views of the canyon and river below. There are also observation areas around the bridge for additional angles.
It also happens to be one of only a few legal places for BASE jumping. As a licensed skydiver, I have known many BASE jumpers who go here often, but I personally don't have the desire to do it myself as it's really too low for me. If you're here to check out the bridge, you may see some BASE guys and girls! It was too windy when we were there so no one was jumping.
How to Get There
The Perrine Bridge is located in Twin Falls, Idaho which is about 1 hour and 45 minutes southwest of COTM. If you’re going through this area, it's a cool feature to check out. It is located on US-93 just north of Twin Falls, Idaho.
Other Activities
While we were not in the position timewise to venture out, the Twin Falls area is a popular area for hiking, kayaking, and is where Shoshone Falls is located. A large 212 foot waterfall. In hindsight, I really wish we made the effort to view it and if it wasn't for getting to the bridge later in the day with a 10 plus hour drive home ahead, we likely would have checked it off the list.
Lastly, the area is home to the site of where Evel Knievel unsuccessfully attempted to jump across the canyon on a steam powered rocket in 1974. He survived, but failed to complete the distance.
Twin Falls is certainly a destination town for thrill seekers so don't balk at a visit if you're nearby.
Discover Idaho
As you can see, Idaho isn't just a vast field of potato farms and I didn't even touch on the mountains and whitewater rivers! It's a wild place chalk full of hidden wonders waiting to be discovered and experienced.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve serves as a perfect side trip or multi-day excursion for those who want to explore rare beauty without the burden of huge crowds and the surrounding towns showcase opportunities that may push you out of your comfort zone. So come to the Gem State and make some memories!
Useful Links
Craters of the Moon - https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm
NASA’s Apollo Training at COTM - https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/when-apollo-came-to-east-idaho-in-1969-nasa-astronauts-trained-at-craters-of-the/article_01b73e58-6919-57fd-bd6d-08e5adaceb77.html
Things to do in Twin Falls, ID - https://visitsouthidaho.com/the-top-10-things-to-do-in-twin-falls/
As always, B.E. Adventurous!