• View of the Great Rift

    Craters Of The Moon

    National Monument & Preserve Idaho

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  • All roads and facilities are open

    The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Obtain a permit before entering any authorized cave.

A Violent Past, Calm Present, and Uncertain Future...

Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. We invite you to explore this "weird and scenic landscape" where yesterday's volcanic events are likely to continue tomorrow...

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Did You Know?

kipuka

Searing lava flows that initially destroyed everything in their path today protect the last refuges of intact sagebrush steppe communities on the Snake River Plain. These islands of vegetation, known as kipukas, provide important examples of what is "natural".