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A close-up shot of a folded, waving sea of lava rock, with mountains in the far distance.

← Idaho guide · National Monument & Preserve

A walk that feels almost lunar.

Craters of the Moon · A day that begins with one good stop.

See your first day
Photo: NPS / David Hunter · NPS source ↗
01 / IDAHO

Why this place matters

Craters of the Moon

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.

Read the full NPS story ↗
The Craters entrance sign sits below a starry night sky, with the milky way brightly-lit.
Photo: NPS / Jacob W. Frank · NPS source ↗

A flexible first day

Start here. See where it takes you.

These are ways to explore, not a timed itinerary. Check conditions before you set out.

01 · ARRIVE

Start with the lava landscape drive and a short marked walk.

02 · GO DEEPER

Stay after dark when programs and conditions allow.

03 · BEFORE YOU GO

Surface heat, cave access, and seasonal road openings can change.

Check current Craters of the Moon access with the National Park Service ↗

Find your bearings

Explore nearby chapters.

Switch stops to see where this chapter sits in the wider state.

Craters of the Moon1Nez Perce Country2City of Rocks3Minidoka History4Boise Airport: 17.6 inches average annual snowfall1Ketchum: 102.0 inches average annual snowfall2

Outline: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic boundary files. Points show guide starting areas and NOAA stations.

Snow markers compare station normals only. They are not a statewide snow cover or forecast map.

NOAA 1991–2020 · monthly normals

A little weather context.

These stations show two parts of the state; neither is a forecast or necessarily local to this site.

Ketchum · average temperatureMonthly mean °F
NOAA station data ↗
Show all 12 monthly values
Ketchum · monthly mean temperature (°F)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Value19.623.130.639.448.254.862.661.152.641.829.319.7

Normal = 1991–2020 average at the named NOAA station. Snowfall is new snow over a month, not snow currently on the ground. A blank NOAA snow series is shown as unavailable, never as zero. See current NOAA snow depth ↗

Weather changes the trip

Let the season shape the day.

Surface heat, cave access, and seasonal road openings can change. The graph above uses a named NOAA station; conditions at this place may differ with elevation and weather. Check the local NWS forecast ↗

Keep exploring Idaho

Where next?

Nez Perce CountryListen to the land’s living story.Explore →City of RocksGranite spires with stories in the stone.Explore →Minidoka HistoryPause here. The history deserves it.Explore →

Use Boise for food and a river walk, or add a mountain town near Ketchum as a separate chapter. See current events ↗

Make the trip yours

Build around what you want to remember.

Tell WTDO your dates, where you start and how you travel. The first plan is free.

Plan this trip free