Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve

Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve is a national monument & preserve run by the National Park Service in Idaho.

In the park service’s words

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Visit Craters in Winter: Tour a lava wonderland blanketed in snow. Winter visitors can enjoy skiing the groomed park road or venture into the park on snowshoes.
• Hike Devils Orchard (30 to 45 Minutes): Enjoy an easy, 0.5 mile walk through an open limber pine woodland.
• Become a Craters Junior Ranger (15 to 30 Minutes): Earn your Junior Ranger badge for Craters of the Moon while learning about the park by completing this fun activity book.
• Visit the Spatter Cones (10 to 15 Minutes): Take a short walk to view some of the park's mini-volcanoes up close and personal.
• Explore a Cave (60 to 90 Minutes): Explore Craters' dynamic underground world of lava tubes.
• Stargazing at Craters of the Moon: See the night sky like never before! The natural darkness of Craters of the Moon lends to superior stargazing opportunities.
• Backpack the Craters of the Moon Wilderness: Immerse yourself in the solitude of the Craters of the Moon Wilderness.
• Hike the North Crater Trail (90 to 120 Minutes): This strenuous 3.5-mile trail drops into the mouth of North Crater.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: $20 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass covers it.

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day. The Loop Road is typically open from mid April through late November as conditions allow.

Camping

Getting there

Visitor Center and Loop Drive are located 18 miles southwest of Arco, Idaho on U.S. Highway 20/26/93, 24 miles northeast of Carey, Idaho on U.S. Highway 20/26/93, 84 miles from Idaho Falls, and 90 miles from Twin Falls. Physical address is 1266 Craters Loop Road(Lat/Long: 43° 27.711'N/113° 33.7) Access to the main visitor use area is via a paved highway. Unpaved roads provide additional access to the BLM monument and NPS Preserve but should only be utilized by four wheel drive and high clearance vehicles.

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• Robert Limbert Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 4:30PM. From late spring through mid-summer, the visitor center has expanded hours, seven days per week from 8:30 am to 6 pm.

Weather

Weather at Craters of the Moon is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. In February, average snow depth ranges from 26 inches at the north end of the monument to just 2 inches at the south end. Intense summer sun bakes the black lava, generating surface temperatures of 170°F and air temperatures in the 90s. Drying winds are a daily occurrence, especially in the afternoon, and may reach 15 to 30 miles per hour.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Grand Teton, about 139 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.