Craters of the Moon
Travel Planner & Park Guide

Established in 1924, the monument celebrated its 75th birthday in 1999. On November 9, 2000, President Clinton issued a proclamation greatly expanding the size of Craters of the Moon National Monument and designating that it be cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The Craters of the Moon (COM) lava field covers 618 square miles and is the largest young basaltic lava field in the conterminous United States.

The park contains more than 25 volcanic cones including outstanding examples of spatter cones. There are 60 different lava flows in the COM field and they range in age from 15,000 to just 2,000 years old. The Kings Bowl and Wapi lava fields, which are about 2,200 years old, are also now part of the monument. All 3 lava fields lie along the Great Rift, which has some of the best examples of open rift in the world. The north end of the monument contains a portion of Goodale's Cutoff, which is part of the Oregon Trail. Although a desolate looking place, the park thrives with wildlife. More than 370 species of plants and 51 mammals can be found in the park and more than 170 different species of birds have been seen here. The 7 mile loop drive provides a unique view. Hiking trails range from 1/4 to 11 miles round trip.