Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, ID

Craters of the Moon is a huge area of volcanic activity. The interpreted areas are surrounded by a wilderness that stretches for hundreds of thousands of acres. Its landscape is dotted with lava flows, cinder cones, spatter cones, and craters.

Equally diverse are the plants, animals, and insects which inhabit the austere yet remarkable landscape. By visiting multiple spots featuring different characteristics, I began to get a feel for just how much can be found at this national monument.

North Crater

The land is covered in lava flows.

Lava Flows at the Edge of the Preserve

Rising from the flatter land are many cinder cones. On these, hardy plants have found a home.

Plants Grow in Cinders

Among these plants, are some of striking design and beauty.

Cushion Buckwheat

A Hillside Covered in Cushion Buckwheat Almost Seemed to Sparkle from a Distance

Giant Blazingstar

Up Close

On my way to the top of the crater, I entered a low point and had to cross over a lava flow.

Metal Poles Mark the Way

Closer View of the Lava Flow's Surface

As the lava hardened, it often created some curious shapes.

Rolled Lava

When the upper crust broke, it sometimes provided a view of the caves and tubes formed underneath.

Gap underneath the Upper Crust

At the rim of North Crater, one can see one large crater and a couple of smaller ones.

North Crater

Side Craters

From the top, I was able to the wilderness stretching towards the horizon.

Wilderness

Spatter Cones & Snow Cone

Next to North Crater stood some spatter cones.

Spatter Cones

They have designed a path where you can even walk inside one of them.

Hole down through Spatter Cone

Interior Wall of the Spatter Cone

It wasn't until I looked into the bottom of the shortest one that I found out why it is named Snow Cone.

Snow in Bottom of the Spatter Cone

Tree Molds

In this area, I found a bit more plant life including an abundance of sagebrush and trees.

Sagebrush

Approaching Trees

Although not widespread, I also saw a bit of bright colors among the browns, blacks, grays, and pale greens.

Rubber Rabbitbrush

As usual, lava flows surrounded.

Lava Flows Spread toward the Hills in the Distance

Arriving at the end of the trail, I had to hunt to find the tree molds.

Tree Mold

But this led to the highlight of this area and that was the opportunity to walk on the lava flows and see different shapes, colors, and features up close.

The Bluish Pattern Reminded Me of a Dragon's Armor

Looks Like Rolled or Folded Fabric

Green Lichen in the Lava Rocks

This Makes Me Think of Alien Organic Material from a Sci-Fi Movie
(Is It Alive?)

Broken Top

I would often stop, turn around, and just taking in the unique landscape.

Volcanic Landscape

While volcanic materials in their different forms dominated, plant life flourished in some specific areas.

Trees Thrive

The forces of nature often create interesting shapes.

Tree Spreads Its Arms

Smaller plants made a home among the trees.

Hoary Tansyaster

Antelope Bitterbrush

From atop a rise, I took in another view of the diverse volcanic features.

Cinder Cone (upper left) & Big Sink (center; left of road)

I had no idea how spot-on I was at Tree Molds when I thought some of the lava looked like dragon scales.

Blue Dragon Lava Flows

I wonder how much of the surrounding wilderness has actually been explored.

Vast Wilderness

This cinder cone stood out to me for all of the plant life covering its surface.

Cinder Cone

While most of the lava rock was black or gray, I would occasionally find formations of dark brownish red.

Red Rock

One has to wonder at the forces involved that caused the lava to buckle and collapse.

Buckled

Collapsed

This was an interesting section as I could see the lava flow from the side and on top.

Lava Flow (left) Next to Cinders and Craggy Rocks

Atop the Lava Flow

The diversity of shapes in and among the lava rocks continually captured my imagination.

Elephant Skin

Odd Shapes