Day Trip to Craters of the Moon

If you aren’t from Idaho there is a possibility that you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing this National Preserve. Craters of the Moon is a field trip destination for many Southern Idaho elementary school students as well as a popular camping and tourist destination for travelers from across the globe. As someone who loves adventure, we could explore every cave and every trail again and again. However, it wasn’t until this last trip there when I finally was able to understand and truly appreciate the beauty of this wonderful place!

As a child I loved visiting Craters of the Moon because it was cool. You can climb into caves and play with lava rock. Even as an adult I have been multiple times and enjoyed hiking and exploring places that were too hard for 10 year old me to discover. This last trip we took there was a different one for me. Maybe it was maturity or a better understanding of my home state, but I felt so humbled by this landscape. The fact that wildlife now thrives in an area and greenery has grown through the aftermath of lava flow, it is truly a miracle.

Okay, now that you know how much I truly love Craters of the Moon, let me tell you how I would spend a day there!

Visitor Center

Before exploring the land, I definitely recommend stopping at the Visitor Center. If you plan to go into caves you will have to stop anyways to get your cave pass so that you don’t get a ticket. But even if you don’t need a cave pass, I think you should stop to learn about the area before exploring it. There is an exhibit with so much great information about the land and the wildlife in the area. Also, sit and watch some videos about the volcanic eruption and why it was so monumental when this area became a National Preserve!

Loop Road

Once you have learned about the area, continue into the park and check out Loop Road! Loop Road is my favorite aspect of Craters of the Moon. Essentially it is a road that loops through the entire park and takes you through 7 different locations in the park which range from caves, hikes, or information loops!

Stop 1

This is the Visitor Center which I mentioned above!

Stop 2

This short paved loop through the lava flow is perfect for absolutely anybody and provides fantastic information about the formations!

Stop 3

Devils Orchard as they call it is full of amazing cinders and formations that have been created over time! This is another very easy and accessible trail that will give you great information about the wildlife and greenery.

Stop 4

Inferno Cone has probably my favorite view in the park. Climb to the top of this steep hill and overlook the entire landscape.

Stop 5

The Spatter Cones are 2 phenomenal view points that are worth the stop. There is also a super cool hike you can take from here that goes 3 miles round trip across the landscape!

Stop 6

This stop has two trails, which are both awesome! The Tree Molds loop is a shorter 2 mile trek that takes you to some awesome fossils of trees that once stood there before the lava flow! The other trail leads you to the lava trees which are absolutely fascinating!

Stop 7

The final stop is by far my favorite! This is when you can climb beneath the lava and experience the caves beneath!

Picnic

At many points along Loop Road there are picnic tables perfect for having lunch. You will definitely want to pack a lunch and lots of water for your day at Craters of the Moon! We always take our 3 Liter bladders full of water and that is perfect for the full day.

Camping

If you have a camper, I absolutely recommend camping at Craters of the Moon. I can promise you that the night sky will be unlike anything you have ever seen. While it is not technically part of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, it is definitely a phenomenal view of the sky.