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4 NORTHWEST GETAWAYS ● SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM ● IDAHO STATESMAN
Nearly100yearsago,Robert “Two-gunBob”Limbert followedthe trailsof the
Shoshone Indians into theheartof Idaho’sGreatRift, ahugevolcanicplain that
mostexplorershadavoided.Limbert foundanatural geologicandscenic trea-
surenowcalledCratersof theMoonNationalMonumentandPreserve.
Thenaturalist, photographer, guide, explorer, performerandIdahopromoterde-
scribed“avast expanse, silent, dead, except foranoccasionalbird, acountrywithcold
volcanicmountains, a riotof colorand fantastic shapesounearthlyas tomakeonebe-
lievehimselfonanotherplanet.”Aftera trip sponsoredby the IdahoStatesman in1921,
Limbertpublishedhisaccountandphotos inNationalGeographicmagazine.
KATHERINE JONES / Idaho Statesman file
Sunrise comes gently overthree spatter cones along
the 7-mile loop road atCraters of the MoonNational Monument
and Preserve.
Out-of-this-world sightsUnique geologic features, wildflowers and solace await at Idaho’s Craters of theMoon
BY ROCKY BARKER rbarker@idahostatesman.com
NORTHWEST
GETAWAYSIDAHO
PETE ZIMOWSKY / Idaho Statesman file CONTINUED ON PAGE ??
6 NORTHWEST GETAWAYS ● SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM ● IDAHO STATESMAN
“Ioffer thisasapleanotonlytothepeopleof Idaho,but totheentirenation, that theymayhaveanewnationalparkormonu-ment inmanyrespects theequalandinsomeeasily thepeerofmanyof the45nowwithinourboundaries,”Limbertwrote intheStatesman.
In1924,PresidentCalvinCoolidgedesignated itanationalmonument,calling it “Idaho’sNationalPark.”PresidentBillClintonexpandedthemonu-ment in2001afterseveralvisitsbythen-InteriorSecretaryBruceBabbitt.
It’snotanationalpark, thoughlocalofficials innearbyArcoarepushingfor thatdesignation.Eightmajoreruptiveperiodsbetween15,000and2,000yearsagocreatedthe lavaflowsthatmakeupCratersof theMoon.ThelavarosefromtheGreatRift, aseriesofdeepcracksstretching52milessouthfromthemonumentheadquarters.
GOTOTHEFLOWS
Theflowscover618squaremiles, includingthesmallerWapiandKingsBowl lavafieldsformed2,000yearsago. In1969,ApolloastronautsAlanShepard,EdgarMitchell, JoeEngleandEugeneCernanvisitedCratersof theMooninpreparationfortheirmoonvoyages.
Theenlarged1,117-square-milearea includesmanykipukas(apieceof landthat lavaflowssurroundcom-pletely)andtheremainingpor-tionsof the lavaflowsthathadbeenleftoutof the initialmonu-ment. It includesa largeexpanseof thesagebrushsteppehighdesert landscapeimportant forwildlife, rangingfromsagegrousetopronghorns.Theprim-itiveroadsysteminthisarea ismanagedbytheBureauofLandManagement.TherearestillplaceswhereevenLimbertneverwalkedthatvisitorscanexploreonfoot,bycar, four-wheel-drivehigh-clearancevehicle,andmountainbike.
Thebest timetovisit is inMayandJunewhenwildflowerssuch
as lupine, syringa,blazingstarandhoaryasterareblooming,paintingtheblack lava likenaturalPicassos.But themainentranceandvisitorcenter,18mileswestofArco,aremanagedbytheNationalParkServiceandopenallyear.
Its7-mile looproadis thecenterpieceeachvisitorshouldexplore.Startat thevisitor
center,wherearangercanhelpyoufocusyourvisit, andyoucangetmaps, informationandbooks.Makesureyoustopandget fuelandsnacks inArcoorCareybecausetherearenoservices inthenationalmonu-ment.
ThenextstopisNorthCraterFlowwith itsdistinctivemono-lithsrisingfromtheyounglava.
Several trails fromaquarter-mile tonearly4milesoffervisitorsmorechancestoex-plore.
At theDevil’sOrchard, lavatowersrise fromthecinderswithpatchesofsagebrushat thenextstop.Thenit’sontoInfernoCone,agreatexampleofacin-
KATHERINE JONES / Idaho Statesman file
Two types of lava flows arecommon at Craters of theMoon: a’a (pronounced ah-ah),a Hawaiian word that means“hard on the feet,” and pahoe-hoe (pronounced pa-hoy-hoy),which means “ropy.” This is anexample of the pahoehoe.
93
C R AT E R S O FT H E MOO NN AT I O N A LMO N UM E N T
2
1
5
Grassy Cone6,315 ft.
Silent Cone6,357 ft.
Inferno Cone6,181 ft.
Half Cone6,055 ft.
Broken Top6,068 ft.
Paisley Cone6,107 ft.
VisitorCenter
Snow Cone
Spatter Cones
Sunset Cone6,410 ft.
Indian Tunnel
Boy Scout Cave
Beauty Cave
Dewdrop Cave
Big CinderButte6,515 ft.
POINTS OF INTEREST
1North Crater Flow
2 Devils Orchard
3 Inferno Cone Viewpoint
4 Big Craters and Spatter Cones area
5 Trails to TreeMolds andwilderness
6 Cave area
6
4
3
TO LIMBERT’S ROUTE
TO ARCO
TOCAREY
Gra,3ra
93
3
9
,3666,366666,3
IDAHO
BoiseDETAIL
MONT.
50 MILES
84
Boise is about 190
miles from Arco. To get
to Craters of the
Moon, drive 18 miles
southwest of Arco on
U.S. 20/26/93, or 24
miles northeast from
Carey on U.S. 20/26/
93. It’s 84 miles from
the Idaho Falls Airport
and 90 miles from the
Twin Falls Airport.
GETTING
THERE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ??
A wind-whipped limberpine on the top of InfernoCone frames Big CinderButte, background, — atabout 800 vertical feet(6,515 feet in elevation),it’s one of the world’slargest purely basalticcinder cones.
CONTINUED ON PAGE ??
8 NORTHWEST GETAWAYS ● SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM ● IDAHO STATESMAN
derconeformedbythevolcaniceruptions2,000yearsago.Climbtothetopandgetagreatviewof thearea, includingthenextstop,SpatterCones—miniaturevolcanoes formedwhenblobsof lavawerehurledintotheairduringeruptions.
Takethespurroad justpastInfernoConetotheTreeMoldsTrailhead.This2-mile trailtakesyoutooneof theweirdestfeaturesof themonument:Here, lavaflowedthroughagroveof trees thatburnedandreleasedsteam,promptingacoolingthat left impressionsofthecharredwoodonthesur-face.
The1.8-mileBrokenTopTrailcirclesacindercone,andtheWildernessTrail leadstoagroveofupright lavamoldsofstandingtrees.
EXPLORETUBES,KIPUKAThenextstopis thetrail to
thecaves,whichare lavatubesthat formedduringthecoolingprocess,andincludeDewdrop,BoyScout,BeautyandIndianTunnels.Thehalf-milehike isafavoriteofkidsofallages,whoenjoyexploringthedarkca-
vernsofweirdnesswithflash-lights.Notethat IndianTunnelrequiresacavepermit.
Thelooproad’sattractionscanbeseeninadayorafewdays,dependingonyourcuri-osity.For thedaytripper, thereismorethanenoughtokeepyoubusy. Ifyouaremakingthisaweekendtrip, there isaNationalParkServiceCampgroundinthemonument.
I recommendyoudon’t limityourtriptothe looproad.What’snext?Oneword:Kipuka.
These islandsofsagebrushoffera lookat the landscape,somethat’sstilluntouchedorevenvisitedbyhumans.
Thereare550knownkipukasinCraters, rangingfromatenthofanacretothe largest, thescenic90,000-acreLaidlawPark.Thesewereamongthefeatures thatconvincedInteriorSecretaryBruceBabbittandPresidentClintontoexpandthearea in2001.
InLaidlawPark,Babbitt laidamaponarockandworkedwithseveralof thearea’s ranchers todeterminetheboundaries thatallowgrazingtocontinue inthemonument.
Today, thisareaoffersanadventureexperiencefew
visitorshavediscovered.Geta travelplanmapfrom
thevisitorcenter, theBLMinShoshone,or fromvisitorcen-ters inTwinFallsorIdahoFalls.
BYMOUNTAINBIKEOR4-WHEELDRIVE
FromtheCratersVisitorCenter, it’sabout25miles totheCarey-Kimama-LaidlawParkRoad,whereyouturn left.Atabout2miles,youcometoakioskwhereyouturnright. It’sagravelroadsomostcarscanmakeit fine intoLaidlawParkacrossPaddelfordandLittleKipukas,about12miles fromthekiosk.
This isagoodplacetounloadthemountainbikes,withroadsthat takeyoutoBigBlowoutButte,SnowdriftCrater,or tothetrailofCareyKipuka.This180-acrekipuka is loadedwith6-foot-highbunchgrasses thatscientistssayhavebeenun-affectedbylivestockgrazingorits fewhumanvisitors.
Youneedafour-wheeldrive,high-clearancevehicleormountainbiketoreachthiswildernessstudyareavia itsdirt road.Thehikefromtheroad-closedsignisabout1.5miles.VisitorscandrivetheCarey-KimamaRoadsouthtoMinidokaandthesouthernendof themonumentor theArco-MinidokaRoad.Youshouldhaveafour-wheelhigh-clearancevehicle forbothof theseroads, thoughportionsaremaintainedandgravel.
Features includeBearTrapCave,a large lavatubethat’s150-feet longandperhapsthemost interesting,andKingsBowl,abreathtakingamphi-theater-sizecavethatrequiresapermit toexplore.YouneedtotakethePleasantValleyRoadfromthesouthtoreachthisareatheNationalParkServicehopessomedaytodevelopforeasieraccessandinterpretation.
PETE ZIMOWSKY / Idaho Statesman file
Craters of the Moonoffers hiking trailswith unusual views,many from ruggedlava flows calledfissure eruptions.
Plan your trip
➤Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve Visitor Center,
208-527-1335, nps.gov/crmo
Fee: $8 a week when automobiles can enter the monument. There is no fee
at other entry points into the monument or preserve. Note that the Craters
campgrounds will be closed in July and August for renovations.
➤BLM’s Shoshone Field Office, 208-732-7200, blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/
Education_in_BLM/Learning_Landscapes/For_Travelers/go/geology/cra-
ters_of_the_moon.print.html
LODGING AND FOOD
There are several motels and restaurants in Arco and a few restaurants in
Carey.
MAJOR HAPPENINGS
July 16 to 18: Atomic Days celebrates Arco’s status as the first city lit with
nuclear power, which happened for about two hours on July 17, 1955. This
year is the 60th anniversary celebration and includes a rodeo.
OTHER AREA ATTRACTIONS
Minidoka National Historic Site near Jerome honors the Japanese Amer-
icans who were imprisoned at the Minidoka War Relocation Center during
World War II.
City of Rocks National Reserve near Malta is a National Park Service area
with spires and steeples of tall rocks that look like a city. It’s a popular rock
climbing area.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in Hagerman has the largest
concentration of horse fossils in the world.
Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1 (EBR-I) Atomic Museum is on U.S.
Highway 20/26 between Idaho Falls and Arco. The facility is a National
Historic Landmark where usable electricity was first generated from nuclear
energy in 1951.
The best
time to visit
is in May
and June
when
wildflowers
such as
lupine,
syringa and
hoary aster
are
blooming,
painting
the black
lava like
natural
Picassos.
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