North Crater Trail

One of the longest hikes at Craters (none of them are very long), the North Crater trail boasts a view of beautiful red and orange rock along the ridgeline of some massive volcanic craters. You can start the trail from either end—at the campground parking lot near the entrance to the park or at the parking lot by the spatter cones along the park loop. The trail is fairly steep to start, but onc...

Craters of the Moon National Monument is 1100 square miles of basalt lava and sagebrush. It looks like another planet: desolate in macro, beautiful in micro. Craters is most popular in the summer, when visitors from nearby Sun Valley arrive to hike on sun-baked lava hot enough to melt their shoes.Winter is a particularly quiet season at Craters, and one of the most fun. Strap on cross country s...

Biking Crater of the Moon National Monument's seven mile loop road provides an intimate experience through a wild landscape.Park at the Visitor's Center. Grab a map and check out the interactive display explaining how Craters of the Moon was formed in the same tectonic event that birthed Yellowstone. Hop on your bike and pedal into the park. Be sure to check out Inferno Cone, Spatter Cones, and...

To reach the parking lot at the Inferno Cone Trailhead enter the Craters of the Moon National Monument at the main entrance on the north side of the park off US Highway 26 and go approximately 1.5 miles on the 17 miles Loop Road. There will be clear signage indicating the parking lot at the base of the Cone.From there, take the obvious use trail .5 miles to the summit.Note: in the winter there ...

The Devil's Orchard is a quick, family friendly stroll through unique volcanic scenery. If you follow the road past the entrance to Craters of the Moon National Monument, the road to Devil's Orchard will be on your left, marked by a sign. You'll drive a minute or two before reaching the parking lot. The path is a paved, one-way loop, starting on the left. It's great for families and people who...

Craters of the Moon National Monument in Southern Idaho is a vast ocean of lava flows, with scattered islands of cinder and splatter cones created by volcanic activity 15,000 years ago. Over 618 square miles, this surreal field displays the strange geography that can be caused by significant eruptive activity. Most interesting is a series of caves created by lava tubes that guided molten magma...