Please stay on roadways and parking pullouts that are provided. If a vehicle goes off the roadway onto cinders, the cinders are compacted and the tracks may remain visible for 10 to 20 years or more.
Information about the Park. Address specific inquiries about the park to the Superintendent, Craters of the Moon National Monument, P.O. Box 29, Arco, ID 83213, or telephone (208) 527-3257.
Make the visitor center your first stop in the park. Ask at the information desk for schedules of ranger-led walks, talks, and other programs and for advice about camping.
Visitor Center and Programs
The park visitor center is located near the only entrance to the park. Here you will find displays and information to help you plan your visit. Slides, postcards, maps, and other publications about the park are displayed for sale. Park Service rangers at the information counter can answer your questions and help you plan your stay in the park.
The displays alert you to wildflowers and wild animals you might expect to see here. Other exhibits describe the park’s geologic history. A film explains how lava flowed from fissures in the Earth to create the cinder cones, lava flows, and other volcanic features you will see at Craters of the Moon. The film includes actual footage of eruptions of the same type that occurred here some 2,000 years ago. Check at the visitor center for the schedules of conducted walks and campfire programs. You also can get information here about two self-guiding nature trails and the park’s Loop Drive (see [page 59]).
Activities and Evening Programs.
In summer, ranger-guided walks and other programs give visitors an intimate look at various aspects of the park. Program schedules vary; we suggest that you contact the park for current information prior to arrival. Several sites have been designed to make it easy to see the park on your own. The visitor center is a good place to stop and plan your visit. Evening programs may find you wanting a sweater or light jacket to ward off the chill, despite the hot summer days. These programs explore such topics as the park’s wildlife and its survival, the powers of nature, and this landscape’s volcanic origins. Some programs are illustrated with slides or movies and take place in the amphitheater.