Crater of the Moon, ID

We first started traveling in an RV twenty years ago.  Our first venture out, sans tow car but with bikes, was along the road we are now traversing to get home, Highway 93 to Craters of the Moon National Monument.  Back then we stayed in the park, rode our bikes to the various sites along the seven mile trail and did a night time ranger walk.  This was before we ever heard of a “blog” so our memories are in our heads and on printed photographs somewhere at home. This time we will share our travels and we will travel by car and on foot.

Craters was used by astronauts back in the sixties because it was thought the moon was of a similar surface.  The surfaces may be a bit alike, but where the moon’s craters were caused by being hit by meteors, this park has an entirely different origin, volcanic.  This is also a relatively young area with mounds of lave both 4000 and 2000 years old.  It seems that it is due for eruption again at any time but our trip was smooth.

We started our tour at the  Devil’ Garden, named by a preacher who though this must be what hell is like.  Actually the stark land is quite beautiful.

Deep black deposit of aa (rocklike) and pahoehoe (ropelike) lava tumble all around.

Craters and Volcanic NP in Hawaii are often studied and compared.

This witches broom is the result of dwarf mistletoe growing on a limber pine tree.  The mistletoe doesn’t kill the tree so much as poisons and weakens it.

In between are lovely beds of flowers in rose, white, purple and yellow.

Colorful rocks also added to the landscape.

We took a hike to Indian Cave led by an excellent young ranger (a grad student at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke U, where Cheryl also got her degree).  She explained that the plant life takes root primarily in areas where the wind has blown dust, building up a shallow soil base.

These rings were created by Shoshone Indians about 200 years ago but their actual purpose is unknown.

We went into the cave down many steep steps and over tumbled rocks.  We chose not to continue over boulders to the far exit but returned by the original entrance.

 Here we stand on the rocks.

On our previous trip we climb Cinder Cone but passed this time.  Look for the wee person at the top of the cone.

Going up Spatter Cone affords an excellent view into a collapse pit where there is snow on the bottom.

The contrast between the black lava on the surface and the snow on the mountains is dramatic.

Though the campground in the park is excellent, we arrived rather late in the day and stayed in another KOA.  This one earns high praise for the lovely lady who runs it and for the way she gets the campers to socialize.  Delicious free waffles and coffee in the morning and ice cream in the evening gave us opportunities to have delightful conversations with our temporary neighbors.

This car was “planted” near the campground.