As symbolic as Yellowstone's Old Faithflul, the spatter cone chain located along the monument's loop drive represents the very essence of Craters of the Moon—volcanism. These "mini-volcanoes" were formed when blobs of molten lava were thrown a few feet into the air during the last gasp of an eruption. The hot clots of lava fell on top of one another and became welded together to form small cones around a central vent.

Ironically, as rugged as the spatter cones look, they are very fragile. Although erosion is a natural process, the accelerated destruction of these cones began when the very first visitor climbed to the top to "take a look inside." It wasn't long before the effect of thousands of footprints became evident.

Faced with this problem, the resource management process was put into operation.

RESEARCH—When we compared photographs taken in the 1920s to present conditions, the problem was easy to recognize. On some of the cones, more than two feet of rock had been eroded off the top rim. On others, entire sections of crater wall had collapsed. Worn into the flanks of every spatter cone were numerous trails.

We contacted Sunset Crater National Monument and other parks with volcanic landscapes to ask if they had similar problems. Most managers reported they also had experienced difficulty preventing people from hiking across the steep slopes of the cones. As deep ruts began to appear on the cones, most of these managers solved their problem by closing sensitive areas to visitor travel and allowing certain volcanic formations to be viewed only from a distance.

IMPLEMENTATION—Our first priority at the spatter cones was to repair past damage. We removed old cement stairways, asphalt trails, and pipe railings. We covered the scars with rock collected at the base of the cones.

Our second priority was to prevent further damage.

Several options were considered:

• Do nothing and accept the deterioration.
• Close the area to all visitor use.
• Construct a viewing platform.
• Allow limited access.

We chose limited access. We now encourage visitors to look inside a cone adjoining the parking area, but have enacted stringent controls to limit access to the other cones.

With a course of action determined, our maintenance crew removed unneeded trails and improved access to areas where use is encouraged. They stabilized trails with buried timbers. Railings and retaining walls were built for safety purposes and to prevent the trails from widening.

With little experience to guide us, we made some mistakes. The safety railings around Snow Cone had to be rebuilt three times. The first railing, constructed of metal pipe and wire mesh fencing, looked like a plumber's nightmare. We then installed a wooden pole railing. Upon completion, it resembled a corral for very small horses. Finally, we built an enclosure of lava rock pilings with cable strung between them. This was the only barrier that was not a major visual intrusion.

EDUCATION—On-site exhibits that discuss the delicate nature of these rock features were installed. We included articles in the park newspaper and folder explaining how walking over the fragile lava or cinders can result in long-lasting damage. Everyone entering the monument receives one of these free publications.

PROTECTION—We established a regulation prohibiting off-trail travel and began routine patrols of the area to inform visitors how to enjoy themselves without impacting these features.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT—Before starting the spatter cone rehabilitation project, we prepared a proposal that was made available to the public for review and comment. After considering all input, a plan to restore the cones was devised.

Local school administrators helped in the selection of young people to work in our Youth Conservation Corps program. This group assisted our maintenance crew in the construction of trails, retaining walls and railings.

Since completion of this project, the deterioration of the spatter cones has greatly slowed. Visitors have shown their support with positive comments and a willingness to stay on established trails.