Idaho Pictures (4 pictures)
North Crater Flow Trail - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the first stop/parking area.
No facilities.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
The mild paved nature trail (wheelchair accessible) loops its
way through a lava field that inclues both pahoehoe lava
(smooth) aa lava (rocky) as well as some natural lava
sculptures and a chunk of blown crater wall. Some nature
info signs along the way.
Trail Length:
.3 mile paved loop
Area:
Volcano flow area
When I did the hike:
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Recommendation:
Yes, short but a variety of interesting lava features.
North Crater Trail - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
From the north, in Craters of the Moon National Monument,
take the Long Drive Road to the parking area just past the
North Crater Flow Nature Trail (the first stop/parking area
along the road).
From the south, in Craters of the Moon National Monument,
take the Long Drive Road to the one-way loop junction and
continue on the loop. Stop at the 2nd parking area along
the loop for the Snow Cone/Spatter Cones.
No facilities.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
From the north end, the volcano gravel trail loops (while
heading up) half way around the North Crater and then is a
sharp down, another up, a down to a lava flow (turned
around here), and a up the other side.
From the south end, the trail is paved for the first 1/4
mile and then is volcano gravel as it heads steeply up to
the rim of Big Crater. The trail heads along the rim
(turned around here) and then heads down. From the rim,
you can look down into the orange and red crater.
Trail Length + Elevation:
1.8 miles, 758 feet one-way
Area:
Volcano flow area
Picture
When I did the hike:
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Recommendation:
Going to the rim of the Big Crater is worth it, but the
portion from the north side wasn't that exciting and some
work with all the ups and downs.
Devils Orchard Nature Trail - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the first road junction and take a left onto the
road to the parking area for the Devils Orchard.
No facilities.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
The mild paved trail (wheelchair accessible) loops through a
grove of limber trees. The widely spaced trees are neat and
appropriately named as the limbs are very flexible and can be
twisted without harming the tree. There are info signs along
the way, but they preach about man's harm to nature instead
of talking about nature - don't waste your time reading them.
Trail Length:
.5 mile paved loop
Area:
Volcano flow area
Picture
When I did the hike:
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recommendation:
Since you are here, might as well do the loop. The trees
are interesting, but the lava formations aren't.
Inferno Cone - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the one-way loop junction and continue on the loop.
Stop at the first parking area for the loop, the Inferno
Cone.
No facilities.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
The short trail heads directly up the black volcano gravel to
the top of the cinder cone. The top is surprisingly flat and
there are even bushes and trees there. Nice views of the
park at the top.
Trail Length + Elevation:
.2 mile, 164 feet one-way
Area:
Volcano flow area
Picture
When I did the hike:
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recommendation:
An unique spot in the park, go up.
Tree Molds Trail - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the one-way loop junction and continue on the loop.
At the top of the loop, take a right on the spur road to the
end of the road, the Tree Molds Trail parking area.
Chemical toilet.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
The trail heads out from the top left of the parking area.
The pavement soon ends and is volcano gravel the rest of the
way. There is a short up and down to start and then the
trail is mild to the tree molds. The molds are circle holes
in the ground of a large pahoehoe (ropy flow) lava field and
some bark impressions on the flow - nothing that interesting.
Trail Length + Elevation:
1 mile, 108 feet one-way
Area:
Volcano flow area
When I did the hike:
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recommendation:
Skip it.
Broken Top Loop Trail - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the one-way loop junction and continue on the loop.
At the top of the loop, take a right on the spur road to the
end of the road, the Tree Molds Trail parking area.
Chemical toilet.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
At the top left of the parking lot, head left along the
sidewalk as it goes along the road and then turn right onto
the trail. Take a left to walk the loop trail clockwise.
There is a trail guide that you can pick up at the parking
lot and number markers corresponding with the guide along
the trail. The trail is volcano gravel to the wilderness
junction and then hard lava. The trail rounds the Broken
Top mound/hill with various views and features along the
way. About 2/3rds around the loop are the Buffalo Caves,
a collapsed lava tube - it's rocky and not easy to enter
(and you need a flashlight if you go inside). After the
cave, the trail is back to volcano gravel. The trail is
mild with some up, but not hard.
Trail Length:
1.8 mile loop
Area:
Volcano flow area
Picture
When I did the hike:
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recommendation:
It's okay - if you have the time, do it; if you don't,
you're not missing much.
The Caves - Craters of the Moon
Directions:
In Craters of the Moon National Monument, take the Long Drive
Road to the one-way loop junction and continue on the loop.
Continue around the loop, about 3/4ths of the way, to The
Caves parking area.
No facilities.
$8 per car per week or National Parks Pass
Trails:
The Y-shaped paved trail includes 4 caves - actually lava
tubes with collapsed entrances. The trail heads into the
massive pahoehoe (ropy flow) lava field. At the junction
is the Dewdrop Cave - basically a circle hole of a collapsed
lava tube (most of the cave is visible from the trail).
To the left, the trail heads to the Boy Scout and Beauty
Caves. For both of those caves, a flashlight is needed and
the Boy Scout Cave involves crawling over loose rock to
enter.
To the right, the trail heads to the Indian Tunnel. This
cave does not involve crawling nor is a flashlight needed
due to the many skylights (collapsed ceilings of the tube).
A metal stairway heads down into the tube. It's an easy
walk through the tube for 800 feet to the far end. From
there it is a rock scramble up and through a small hole
(pretty neat) to the far entrance/exit. From the top, the
trail heads over the lava flow, following metal posts, back
to the tube entrance and paved trail.
I did the Indian Tunnel, but didn't do the other branch
(wasn't going to go into the Boy Scout or Beauty Caves and
had my fill of volcano stuff (my last stop in the park)).
You can pick up a guide for the trail and caves at the
trailhead ($1 fee to keep).
Trail Length + Elevation:
.5 miles one-way to Indian Tunnel
.8 miles one-way to Beauty Cave
Area:
Volcano flow area
When I did the hike:
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recommendation:
The Indian Cave is neat. Do part of the trail or all of
it - whatever you have time or inclination for.