Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area
Between 15,000 and 2,100 years ago, repeated volcanic eruptions along the Great Rift spilled huge amounts of basalt lava across the Snake River Plain in south central Idaho. After the molten rock cooled...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Idaho |
| Size | 43,243 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.3936, -113.5110 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 10.5 miFish Creek Dam ↗Carey, ID
- 13.2 miArco Baptist Community Church ↗Arco, ID
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
43,243 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area in?
Idaho.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Lava Flow Campground, 1.4 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.394, -113.511. Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve is 8 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Craters of the Moon National Wilderness Area?
2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Fish Creek Dam and Arco Baptist Community Church.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.