Craters is located about two-thirds of the distance between Idaho Falls and Sun Valley on Highway 20. If coming from the south you will need to drive through Magic Valley. I prefer the drive from Idaho Falls. The view as you drive along the open plains with the three Buttes and several mountain ranges makes for a very scenic drive. The route is lined with large black basalt rocks cleared to make the road; basalt is the rock of choice in this area. It is not uncommon to see antelope, deer, eagles, hawks and owls. The only possible mistake is missing the turn in Arco.

Driving south from Arco you start entering the newer lava fields, this is obvious due to the lack of vegetation. The first time I made this route I found it difficult to stay on the road due to the stunning shapes and scenery created about 2,000 years ago by the last lava flow. There is a scenic overlook just before the park and it is a good spot to stop and allow the vastness of this land sink in.

As my family entered the park for the first time we parked in the visitor center parking lot and immediately wandered out into the lava fields towards the nearest cone. We spent about an hour meandering around the boulders and flows before returning to the Visitor center. I found the visitor center to be very interesting and the information was very useful as we toured through the park.

In the visitor center we read about the types of volcanic flows; stratovolcano or composite, cinder cones, lava domes, and shield as seen in Craters of the Moon. One of the things that has stuck with me is that there is an eruption here approximately every 2,000 years and the last one was 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. The names for the types of flows come from Hawaiian words, aa and pahoehoe. This information aided us when looking at the flows to determine the direction, type of flow and layers. Also, there was a good display for the indigenous creatures and early inhabitants of the region.

At a first glance, however the area seems uninhabitable. I was amazed to learn of the multitude of animals, mostly small mammals, birds and snakes that inhabit the region. And although it was mainly avoided by early settlers, there is evidence of native inhabitants utilizing this region as far back as 10,000 years ago.

The most famous trip to the park came in August of 1969 when Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, Joe Engle, and Eugene Cernan, the Apollo 14 astronauts, came here to train for the moon missions. They trained here to familiarize themselves with the lunar landscape which is primarily volcanic.

The entrance fee is $3.00 by foot or for cyclists, or $5.00 per auto. If you are going to spend a lot of time in the area, I would recommend looking into the National Parks year round pass ($50/year or $10 for life for seniors), since Yellowstone and several other National Parks and Monuments are within a day's trip.

Craters offers year round enjoyment; car tours, hiking, camping in the spring, summer and fall, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. A few things should be noted in the spring the flowers bloom and the colors come alive on the black canvas. Also, the wind should always be expected; in the upper Snake River valley it is not uncommon to reach tropical storm levels on several days in the year. In the summer, temperatures can reach 100+ degrees and in the openness of the park every degree is felt.

The loop drive is about seven miles and can take two to three days if you want to venture out on the long hikes or several hours if you limit yourself to the shorter hikes. There are several places to stop and look, but the first thing you pass is the campground. From the campground there is a path to the amphitheater where the rangers give classes and set up an observatory several times a year. Although we have never availed ourselves of the opportunity I can only imagine that this is a great place to view the night sky, given the elevation (over 6,000 ft) and the remoteness.

The first parking lot has two trails: North Crater Flow Trail (30-45 minute trail) and North Crater Trail (1-2 hour trail). The North Crater Flow Trail is a combination boardwalk and paved trail; this trail, as do all of the others, has several interpretive signs. On the hike you will see a small cone and aa and pahoehoe flows. The longer hike, North Crater Trail, will take you past larger cones (Silent Cone and Snow Cone) and North Crater. This is not a difficult hike, since there is not a lot of change in elevation, but it can be grueling on a hot summer day. This hike ends near the Splatter Cones parking lot, so if you have someone that does not want to make the hike they can drive and meet you to save the hike back.

The next parking lot is a turn off to the Devil's Orchard Nature Trail (30-45 minute trail). The large lava rocks are in contrast to the lava flows of North Crater. Here there is evidence of the beginning of erosion to the lava fields. This is the first step towards looking like the farms around Craters of the Moon as the dust and plant life settle here. The beginnings of plant life are struggling to take root and close examination and a scarcity of fellow tourists gives evidence and visual contact with animal life-forms in the area. The Juniper Trees look timeless and share a nice fragrance.

Leaving Devil's Orchard is the beginning of the loop. The first stop on the loop is The Inferno Cone (20-30 minute trail). There is a short hike to the top, the change in elevation is not too great and the view from the top is worth the effort. This vantage point affords a great view of the whole area; also in the spring the slopes are covered with flowering plants.

About one-half of mile to the south is the next parking lot and this is for the Spatter Cones (20-30 minute trail). This reminded me of the bubbling pools in Yellowstone to the nth degree. It looks as if the lava bubbled, popped and then froze.

The next turn-off is for the trail-heads for longest trails in the park, they go to the Tree Molds Area (1-2 hours) and Trench Mortar Flat (4-5 hours). It should be noted that these trails are not circular, so the return trip is the path in. The trails are moderate, but good hiking boots are necessary especially for the Trench Mortar Flat path because the trail disappears after Echo Crater.

The last turn-off can be the most fun as it allows for a little spelunking. This is the parking lot for the caves. Here is the trail head to Dewdrop Cave. At Dewdrop Cave the trail forks. To the East is Boy Scout Cave followed by Beauty Cave and to the south is a lava tube called Indian Tunnel. This little adventure requires good hiking boots, a flash light, and common sense. Only one of the caves (Boy Scout) is lit and remember lava is sharp and you are in a remote area. Motherly warning aside, the tunnels are worth the short hike and literally hours will melt away exploring the features inside a lava flow.

The best time to visit is Spring and Fall to avoid the heat. In the winter the snow-scape is spectacular against the black for those wanting some winter exercise.

As a family we always enjoy including our dogs on hiking trips, but traveling through here I am reminded of Robert L. Limbert and W. L. Cole who first explored Craters of the Moon with their dog in 1920. After three days of hiking they had to carry their dog, because his paws were cut and bleeding from the sharp lava.

While visiting this park it is extremely important to not wander off the paths, the ecosystem here is very fragile and the beauty of the park already shows signs of previous visitors. Also, there is a safety factor, since there are tubes and caverns that are covered by a thin crust and stepping on the wrong spot could win you an article in the
"Darwin Awards".

Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview