ビュート郡の天然記念物・トップ19

The 2-mile (roundtrip) Tree Molds Trail leads you through bushes and pine forests to the edge of the Blue Dragon Flow. Here, numerous trees were knocked over and ignited by molten lava. You can still see the imprints of the charred tree trunks in the lava rock along this trail today. In some places, however, the trees remained standing as the lava flowed around them, leaving vertical imprints in the cooling lava.

You will find several information boards with interesting facts about the changing environment in Craters of the Moon National Monument. So take your time to learn a bit more about this unique place. There are also benches, in case you want to rest.

Once you make it to the 6,181 foot summit of Inferno Cone, there is a single old tree that offers some shade. Enjoy the stunning view over the dramatic landscape with the nearby Spatter Cones, the Great Rift, the Snake River Plain, and the Pioneer Mountains.

The Spatter Cones are no classic vents. They were formed when hot chunks of lava were thrown a short distance into the air before falling back to earth at the edge of a central vent. The still molten lumps landed on top of each other, cooled down and formed a kind of mini volcano.

The "Indian Tunnel" is the largest and longest of the lava tubes along the Caves Trail that can be accessed. To do so, you need to obtain a free permit at the Visitor Center. You will climb over rocks that can be slippery in places, but it is a unique small adventure. On the ceiling of the tube you can see lava stalactites formed as the river of lava pulled away from the ceiling, and molten material began to drip from the hot ceiling. The exit is about 800 feet further north.

There is a fairly large parking lot at the Caves Trailhead. You will find restrooms and picnic benches. To enter one or more caves along the Caves Trail, you need to obtain a free permit at the Visitor Center of Craters of the Moon National Monument.

The huge lava blocks you see here are sections of a broken crater wall that have been carried along on top of a so-called aa lava flow. Geologists believe that as many as four separate flows came from a vent at or near North Crater.

North Crater Flow Trail is a popular 0.25-mile loop that leads into old lava flows that occured during the most recent eruptive period. It ended approximately 2,000 years ago and also formed the North Crater. Along the boardwalk that was constructed in 2023, you will visit several information boards for different types of lava like Blue Dragon and other interesting facts.