Craters of the Moon National Monument

Introduction

Craters of the Moon National Monument is located on the Snake River Plain in south-central Idaho, and is a bizarre volcanic lava wilderness that makes visitors feel as if they have landed on an alien planet. The monument covers over 43,000 acres and preserves the Big Craters and a series of volcanic lava tubes, spatter cones, cinder cones, and other rich volcanic features. Volcanic activity here began 15,000 years ago with the most recent eruption approximately 2,100 years ago. Lava flows formed black basalt layers tens of feet thick on the surface, with twisted rope-like pahoehoe structures and broken a'a lava blocks covering the land, presenting a lunar-like desolate landscape that gives the monument its name. The monument features a 7-mile loop scenic drive and several hiking trails, with the route through lava tube caves being the most unique, allowing visitors to descend into underground tunnels hundreds of meters long for exploration. In the arid continental climate, only a few species adapted to extreme environments survive, such as limber pine, sagebrush, and occasionally bighorn sheep.

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