North Crater Trail
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
| Address: | N Crater Trail, Idaho 83213, USA |
| GPS: |
43°26'30.3"N 113°33'28.1"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Idaho |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.8 mi |
Restrooms Pet Friendly Bicycles Motorized Use
Hike
This one-way trail is especially interesting for its variety. The trail traverses North Crater and drops into the crater mouth, the vent for the North Crater flow. Notice that the northwest flank of North Crater is missing. An eruption tore the wall apart, and a series of flows rafted the fragments away. The trail continues to the rim of Big Craters before descending to the Spatter Cones. No off-trail travel is permitted in the Big Craters area in order to protect fragile lava formations.Courtesy of NPS.gov
More Information
Add ResourceBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
- Head east on Loop RdParts of this road may be closed at certain times or days(2.8 mi)
- Continue straight (0.1 mi)
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Snow Cone
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
0.0 miles SEThe Snow Cone is one of the more surprising little features at Craters of the Moon National Monument, a small, narrow, deep spatter cone on the volcanic Snake River Plain of central Idaho that holds...
Hike 0.1 mi
Spatter Cones
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
0.0 miles SEMiniature volcanoes formed by lobbed molten lava blobs at Craters of the Moon — a must-see feature that symbolizes this unique national monument; stay on trails to protect the delicate spatter cones.
Hike 0.4 mi
Inferno Cone
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
0.3 miles EA steep climb up Inferno Cone at Craters of the Moon, rewarded with panoramic views of the Great Rift, Snake River Plain, and Pioneer Mountains — and on clear days, the Tetons 100 miles away.
Hike 1.7 mi
Broken Top Loop Trail
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
1.1 miles SEA hike over, under, and around a 2,000-year-old cinder cone and lava flows in Craters of the Moon, with access to Buffalo Cave — bring a flashlight and free permit.
Cave, Hike 1.9 mi
Tree Molds Trail
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
1.1 miles SEA paved trail winding through Craters of the Moon Wilderness to a lava flow that captured the shapes of fallen and standing trees in cooling rock — look for wooden posts marking the molds.
Hike 8.8 mi
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Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
1.1 miles SEA solitary wilderness hike through young lava flows and cinder cones at Craters of the Moon, passing lava trees and ending near Echo Crater — a great backcountry camping spot.
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North Crater Flow
Arco, Idaho
1.1 miles NThe North Crater Flow Trail is one of the best first stops at Craters of the Moon National Monument, a short, paved, accessible loop that carries visitors out across a genuine river of hardened lava...
Hike 0.5 mi
Devil's Orchard Trail
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
1.2 miles NEA paved, wheelchair-accessible trail through cinder beds and ancient North Crater wall fragments, with exhibits on protecting this fragile volcanic environment.
Hike 1.0-1.3 mi
Caves Trail
Visitors Center, Craters of the Moon National Monument
1.2 miles EThe Caves Trail at Craters of the Moon National Monument leads into one of the most otherworldly landscapes in Idaho: a field of lava tubes formed by ancient volcanic eruptions on the high sagebrush...
Cave, Hike 0.6 mi
Hidden Mouth Cave
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36.5 miles NA surprisingly large lava cave with three chambers and a secret back exit — reached by quad or a quarter-mile steep hike above Moore, Idaho.
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Quigley Canyon
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Carbonate Mountain
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Hike, Mountain Bike
Pioneer Cabin Trail
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Hike, Mountain Bike
Croy Creek Trail System
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Two Dog
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Hike, Mountain Bike
Bald Mountain Trail
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Hike, Mountain Bike
White Cloud Loop
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Hike, Mountain Bike
Adams Gulch Loop
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45.3 miles NWKetchum's busiest trail network, with easy loops on Shadyside and Sunnyside, the Griffin Butte intermediate loop and the one-way, bike-only Forbidden Fruit flow trail. The trailhead is less than two miles north of town.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Fox Creek Loop
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Hike, Mountain BikeNearby Campsites
Lava Flow Campground
Arco, Idaho
1.3 miles NA campground surrounded by a young lava flow near the Craters of the Moon visitor center and popular trails — 42 first-come sites at $15/night during main season.
Camp
Magic Reservoir
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44.6 miles WMagic Reservoir is a big irrigation lake on the Big Wood River surrounded by BLM sagebrush land, with free ramps and primitive camps. It is known for trout, perch and ice fishing, but water levels swing hard with irrigation demand.
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Kimama Wind Caves
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