Idaho Gem to Visit: Craters of the Moon National Monument
My Idaho Gem series highlights destinations around my home state of Idaho that I personally love and recommend visiting! Idaho is full of natural beauty and fun attractions, and I use this series to showcase those places in case you ever find yourself planning a trip to the Gem State.
I’m thrilled to introduce you to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in today’s installment! This is one of the most popular gems in southern Idaho, and for good reason. You literally feel like you’re on another planet at Craters of the Moon, and it’s the perfect day trip from Idaho Falls.
Want more? Check out my other posts in the Idaho Gem series:
This post was updated and recirculated on August 5, 2026.
Idaho Gem to Visit: Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon is an out-of-this-world, seemingly random scenic area located in southeast Idaho within the Snake River Plain. It’s an area characterized by volcanic features that seem like something you’d find on the moon…hence the name!
It’s a basalt rock-lovers’ paradise, with a variety of volcanic features, including cinder cones, spatter cones, and lava tubes. The monument is comprised of three (relatively) young lava flows that occurred 15,000-2,000 years ago. I visited Craters multiple times as a Girl Scout in my younger years, and I have fond memories of exploring the caves with my friends (as well as blasting 90s pop/rock in the car, still some of the best music TBH!).
Craters of the Moon is open year round to visitors. It’s lovely in the late spring/early summer when temperatures are mild and the wildflowers are blooming, and fall temperatures are also pleasant. Mid- to late summer can be quite hot and dry, especially with all of the black basalt rock. Be sure to plan for the heat if you visit during the summer and avoid being out at the hottest time of day.
Korri and I visited Craters of the Moon most recently fall 2020 on our way home from Grand Teton and Yellowstone. We didn’t have much time in the park, but we did manage to squeeze in a drive around the loop road with stops at Inferno Cone, Snow Cone, and the Spatter Cones. The hike up Inferno Cone is relatively quick, but you definitely don’t want to fall on the sharp basalt rocks! It would be like falling on shards of glass. Eeep! The view from the top is worth the short thigh burn.
Things to Do at Craters of the Moon National Monument
Craters of the Moon is a geology lover’s paradise, but I think it’s also cool for the casual rock fans, too. It’s an easy stop if you only have an hour or so…or you can stay for the day—or longer! Here’s what you can do during your stay at Craters:
Check out the visitor center
Drive the 7-mile loop road
Hike (see list of hikes below)
Explore caves (free permit required from visitor center; note that some caves are closed permanently due to bat populations, and sometimes cave entry is limited due to earthquake activity)
Backpack the wilderness area (free permit required from visitor center)
Camp at Lava Flow Campground ($15/night, no reservations)
In winter, cross-country ski the park road and snowshoe the trails
Hikes to do in Craters of the Moon (from shortest to longest):
Snow Cone/Spatter Cones (wheelchair accessible)
Devils Orchard Nature Trail (wheelchair accessible)
Inferno Cone (hike to top of cone on slick and sharp lava rock)
North Crater Flow Trail
Dewdrop Cave, Indian Tunnel, Boy Scout Cave, Beauty Cave
Buffalo Caves, Big Sink Overlook loop
North Crater Trail
Tree Molds Trail
Wilderness Trail
Note that the loop road is closed to vehicles in the winter, from about November through mid-April, depending on the snow cover.
How to Get to Craters of the Moon National Monument
Click here to open the Robert Limbert Visitor Center in Google Maps!
The entrance to Craters of the Moon (and the visitor center) is along U.S. Highway 20/26/93 midway between Arco and Carey, Idaho.
From Boise: Drive east on I-84 to Mountain Home. Take exit 95 for US-20 and turn left (east) towards Fairfield. At the junction with US-26 in Carey, turn left (north) and look for the visitor center on your right.
From Twin Falls: Drive north on US-93. In Shoshone, turn right (east) on US-26. Continue past Carey and look for the visitor center on your right.
From Idaho Falls: Drive east on US-20. In Arco, turn left (south) on US-26. Look for the visitor center on your left.
PARK ENTRY FEE:
$20 per vehicle or $15 per motorcycle (for a 7-day pass)
(or buy an annual interagency pass for $80 and visit any park for a year!)
LODGING/RESTAURANTS/GAS:
Arco, Idaho (northeast of the park) is the closest town with lodging and a few restaurants. Gas is available in Arco and Carey (southwest of the park).