As the end of our 8 weeks of travel came to an end, we found ourselves at a bit of a low. If you tagged along on our adventures last summer, then you read the post on leaving Oregon, with wildfire evacuations hot on our heels. We passed from Oregon into Idaho and the smoke did not abate. In fact, we had 48 hrs of trying to find indoor fun in Sun Valley before we decided to bail.

In looking for fresh air, Craters of the Moon National Monument was registering some of the cleanest air around, so we headed east a few more hours to explore this new area. Craters of the Moon exceeded our wildest expectations and I can honestly say that it is the nicest, cleanest National Park Service location we’ve ever been to.  This is probably due to how new it is. 🙂

Camping at Craters of the Moon National Monument

We pulled into the campground at Craters of the Moon, expecting a remote and wornout landscape, only to find automated camping fee stations, smooth payment, and the cleanest pit toilets I’ve ever seen to date! Quite simply the campground is gorgeous!

It is also very unique, with sites scatter right ON TOP of the lava flow. Dark piles of lava rock contrast magnificently with the bright yellow blooms of sage and summer flowers.

Camping here during the heat of summer would be quite hot as there is little shade and the black rock of the surrounding landscape absorbs a lot of heat. But we lucked out with temperatures in the upper 70s and lower 80s.

Cost: $12/night

Hiking and Lava Tubes in Craters of the Moon National Monument

Craters of the Moon is perfect for a long weekend. While I would rate the sites high in fun factor, there isn’t much more than 1-2 days of exploring to be had. On the other hand, Craters of the Moon is an excellent place for families with young children or families with special accessibility needs as most hikes are short and often paved trails lead you through the landscape.

Here are a few of our favorite sights:

North Crater Flow Trail (paved)

This trail can be accessed from a Trailhead off the main road or right from the campground. A winding paved trail explores the major formations and geological treasures of the North Crater Flow. Great for a little roadschooling.

Hike to the Top of Inferno Cone

There is something otherworldly when hiking to the top of this cinder cone. The crunch of the small black bits of cone underneath your feet, the lack of almost any vegetation, and views of the lava flows from above bring this volcanic region to life.

The hike is roughly .5 miles round trip – super quick.

Broken Top/Buffalo Cave

Hike the 1.8 mile loop around Broken Top in the clockwise direction and stop at Buffalo Cave on the way. While our kids would rather have gone the short way directly to the cave, Chris and I needed any excuse to get more mileage and stretch our legs. Educational stops along the trail show you many of the parks geological features and we had fun spotting things like lava bombs, Blue Dragon lava and pahoehoe (pa-hoy-hoy) lava, the main type of lava found in Craters of the Moon.

Buffalo Cave is perfect for the adventurous family. A small opening leads to a larger cave down below. Follow the cave back to see first hand the cave ice found on the floor! The temperature drops are no joke!

Don’t forget your flashlight!

The Cave Loop / Boyscout Cave + Indian Tunnel (Paved access to cave entrances)

The Cave Loop trail is paved and winds over the lava flow to the entrances of various lava tubes. Indian Tunnel is probably the largest tunnel and is a quick 15 minute explore from one end to the other. Our flashlights were only needed sporadically on this tunnel.

Boy Scout Tunnel was a bit more exciting. Depending on the direction you start, you can be climbing hands and knees for large sections. Explore as comfortable but beware that there can be sections only 1 foot wide. For this reason, I would keep a close eye on small children that might easily squeeze where an adult cannot follow!

Craters of the Moon was a perfect family camping experience, complete with adventures the kids LOVED and a bit of education along the way. Make sure to do the Junior Ranger program at this park! Enjoy!