Outdoors Magazine

A Lunar Landscape at Craters of the Moon

By Everywhereonce @BWandering

Craters of the Moon National Monument Landscape Volcano Cones

618 square miles of magma. That is the size of the lava field at Craters of the Moon National Park in south-central Idaho. Large enough that it stretches as far as the eye can see in some spots, giving the impression of a barren, black world.

The entire field isn’t just one lava flow, but 60. At least 25 different volcanoes contributed to its construction some 15,000 to 2,000 years ago – a mere blink of an eye in geologic terms.

Visitors climb Inferno Cone, the remnants of a now dormant volcano.

Craters of the Moon Inferno Cone Landscape Climb

Shannon explores a “lava tube”; one of several in the park.

Craters of the Moon Exploring Lava Tubes

Bring a flashlight and good boots, these volcanic rock caves are completely undeveloped but totally worth a look.

Craters of the Moon Lava Tube

 


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