Wilderness adventurers lucky enough to visit this 715,000-acre preserve will find they are as close as they are likely to ever become to visiting another planet.
Sandwiched between mountain ranges in the Snake River Plain of central Idaho, Craters of the Moon National Monument is the most expansive, best preserved and most dramatic example of ancient volcanic activity in the contiguous United States. Aptly named, Craters of the Moon gives wilderness adventurers the distinct impression that they are the first explorers to set foot on the surface of the moon. In fact, this is the very same place the early astronauts trained here for their mission to the actual Moon. This is a surreal landscape, dominated by expansive basalt fields, epic volcanic craters and vast lava tubes. And students on our Northern Rocky Mountain wilderness adventure are lucky to be among the only teenagers able to visit and learn about the lava tubes, volcanic craters and basalt fields of this amazing environment.
The Lava Tubes of Craters of the moon are a series of cylindrical caves that are ripe for exploration by our wilderness adventurers. Lava tubes are created by the underground drainage of an active volcano; eruptions last occurred here as recent as 2,000 years ago (a split second ago in geological time) and so these underground caves seem as if they just cooled yesterday.
Besides these exciting caves. Students on our Northern Rockies wilderness adventure will have the opportunity to explore the tree molds (holes in the lava left by buried tries), basaltic lava fields and namesake craters that make this landscape such a special part of the American West.
The Craters of the Moon National Monument is only one of many dramatic highlights on the Northern Rockies wilderness adventure. This wilderness adventure takes students backpacking into the Eagle Cap Wilderness (western Oregon’s premiere Wilderness area), rafting the waters of the Salmon River (easily considered the best multi-day river trip in the Western US), trekking the famous Continental Divide, sea kayaking Yellowstone Lake (the largest lake above 7,000 feet in the lower 48), hiking in the spectacular Beartooth Mountains and Rock Climbing in the dramatic Teton Range. To learn about the Northern Rockies adventure, and all of our spectacular wilderness adventures, please call 800-533-2281.
