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Craters of the Moon National Monument


TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #1 of 1 attractions in Arco
Traveler Description: This black jagged landscape, formed between 2,000 and 15,000 years ago, represents the largest lava flow in the contiguous 48 states.
Familiar with Craters of the Moon National Monument? Write your own description and share what you know with other travelers.
Attraction type: Educational site, Geological formation, Monument, Park, Scenic/historic walking area, National park
Activities: Cross-country skiing, Hiking, Camping
Address: 18 miles west of Arco on Highway 20 Arco, ID 83213
Tel: 208-527-1300
Fax: 208-527-3073

Reviews you can trust

[ Date ] [ Rating ]
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5 of 5 stars
NESW_travels   3 contributions
US
Dec 17, 2009

what a thing to stumble upon. we were on a roadtrip and passing through idaho. and like most americans, we only knew idaho for potatoes. so we saw this place on the map and thought it would be a good place to camp for a day. wow. my ears were ringing for the first few hours at how quiet it... more

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5 of 5 stars
SeminarTrekker   1,131 contributions
Sacramento Valley
Oct 19, 2009
1
person found this review helpful

September 2009. We were originally hesitant to visit the Craters of the Moon National Monument, because we thought it was just ancient lava flows. Earlier in the day we had visited Shoshone Indian Ice Caves and after the Caves, had lunch in the town of Shoshone. It was a good drive to get to the Craters though you actually begin... more

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5 of 5 stars
rocinante3   1 contribution
gaithersburg,md
Oct 8, 2009

Camping at Craters of the Moon National Monument is a breathtaking experience. You camp on the lava fields. It is dry camping only, but the hiking is phenomenal. more

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5 of 5 stars
Happytraveler2000   28 contributions
BocaFlorida
Sep 3, 2009

There is no comparison. Here you have lara flow,ice caves, etc. We did both and it was a mistake to do Shoshone caves. Terrible tour and the guides were awful. Craters were wonderful.Run by U.S. government and done well. Skip the Shoshone ice caves and spend extra time at the craters. We did this when visiting Sun Valley more

Sweet!!
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5 of 5 stars
Gixxer_Chixxer   3 contributions
Salt Lake City, UT
May 5, 2009

Arco, the town, and Craters of the Moon is wonderfully strange!! I loved it! Make sure you have plenty of battery power for your camera. Don't be like me. I was very disappointed because it went from being awesome to more awesome and I didn't have a camera. $8.00 for a basic day pass. more

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5 of 5 stars
beardman   25 contributions
plainview,ny.
Nov 11, 2008

The other reviewers covered this attraction very well.It is awesome,interesting,educational and beautiful.Visiting this place is like going to some other planet.I think it is a must see.Also has a very nice visitor center with very friendly and helpful park rangers.I've been told that the whole monument glows at sunrise and sunset ,caused by the minerals in the lava. Nearby,between the... more

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5 of 5 stars
sonybalony   36 contributions
Minot, North Dakota
Nov 7, 2008
1
person found this review helpful

I’ve seen lava flows, lava tube caves and dormant volcanoes in Hawaii, Oregon, and WA. And each is unique in its own way. But what COTM has going for it – the lava tube caves (hollow spaces beneath the surface of solidified lava flows). There are four tubes/caves that visitors can explore, but, there are no guides or park rangers... more

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5 of 5 stars
gaywatts   10 contributions
seymour tn
Nov 1, 2008
1
person found this review helpful

Craters of the Moon is well worth the trip off the beaten path into the middle of nowhere! Take a flashlight because there are some great caves on the last trail that you will need a light for. Also wear omfortable shoes because there are alot of short but memorable trails. Signs there say it gets really hot in summer,... more

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4 of 5 stars
Bill190   31 contributions
Laconia
Apr 5, 2003
17
people found this review helpful

This is one of the coolest, strangest landscapes I've ever seen. It's all black volcanic rock for many miles. In the main part of the monument some features include an old volcanic cinder cone you can hike to the top of, and a couple of cool, small caves that tourists can go into. There's also a campground right in the... more

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Craters of the Moon National Monument Address

18 miles west of Arco on Highway 20, Arco, ID 83213
Tel: 208-527-1300 Fax: 208-527-3073