Craters of the Moon Tour: Full-Day Guided Exploration

Join a full-day guided tour of Craters of the Moon. Explore lava flows, hike Inferno Cone, and venture into ancient lava tubes. Discover unique flora and fauna.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Craters of the Moon National Monument - Robert Lambert Visitor Center - This fun interactive visitor center features films, exhibits, ranger-led presentations, bookstore, gifts and souvenirs. Pick up a map, explore the museum exhibits, and stamp your passport book.

  • North Crater Flow Trail - North Crater Flow - This short 1/4 mile paved trail crosses one of the youngest flows to monoliths; crater fragments rafted here by lava flows. Keep your eye out for beautiful spring flowers and animals living among the rocks.

  • Devils Orchard - Devil’s Orchard - Take a short 1/2 mile paved walk through weird features where island-like lava fragments stand in a sea of cinders. Thought provoking signs located throughout the walk challenge you to think about ideas, concerns and possible solutions for preservation of this very unique National Monument.

  • Inferno Cone - Inferno Cone - Walk up an ancient cinder cone volcano for a 360 degree panoramic view of the surrounding volcanic landscape. This is a 1/2 mile round trip with 160 feet of elevation gain.

  • Arco - Indian Tunnel - Dare to walk down into the largest tunnel in the park with collapsed portions that allow light to filter in. For even more excitement, climb through to top of its lava tunnel and exit onto ancient lava fields.

  • Arco - Spatter Cones - Take a short walk to the top of Spatter Cone and Snow Cone, miniature volcanoes formed during the final stages of a fissure-type eruption throwing globs of lava up through the air eventually solidifying into unearthly shapes and textures.

  • Perrine Bridge - Spanning 1,500 feet across the Snake River Canyon, the I. B. Perrine Memorial Bridge is at a height 486 feet above the Snake River. It is the only bridge in the United States where B.A.S.E. jumping is legal without a permit every day of the year, attracting jumpers from all over the world to its rails.

  • Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site - On September 8th, 1976, the famous daredevil, Evel Knievel, attempted to jump across the Snake River on his final jump. Though the jump was not successful (Evel landed in the bottom of the Snake River Canyon and was safely rescued), his jump ramp is still visible from the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge and accessible via a paved walking path along the Snake River Canyon Rim or by vehicle down a dirt road that takes you right up to the jump sight.

  • Buzz Langdon Visitor Center - Inside the center, you’ll find everything you need for your trip in Southern Idaho. Discover historic photos, watch informative videos, and learn more about the four national park properties in our area. Talk to staff for maps, travel guides, lodging deals and locals-only recommendations.

The Center’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the Snake River Canyon, the 486-feet-tall Perrine Bridge, and the historic Evel Knievel jump site.

  • Snake River Canyon Trail - Walk along the Snake River Canyon Trail as you make your way to the overlook platform for views of our two beautiful golf courses located in the canyon alongside the winding Snake River while watching kayakers and paddle boarders making their way to Pillar Falls and the mighty Shoshone Falls.

Watch as B.A.S.E. jumpers “fly” off the the I. B. Perrine Memorial bridge right before your eyes as the descend on their 28 second ride into the Snake River Canyon.

What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
  • Snacks
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • On-board restrooms
  • On-board WiFi
Additional Information

Begin your journey by visiting the Visitor Center, where you’ll gain insight into how the Apollo astronauts used this harsh landscape to train for their historic 1969 lunar landing.

Discover the monoliths at North Crater Flow, one of the youngest areas of lava flow within the Monument. Take a leisurely walk through Devils Orchard to witness the bizarre features of this volcanic ‘island’, while learning about our effects on this fragile ecology and the ongoing actions to conserve it.

Venture up Inferno Cone for a panoramic view of the Great Rift’s fissures and Big Cinder Butte, a basaltic cinder cone that is one of the largest known of its kind globally. Pause for a meal break at the Cave Area, right before embarking into an ancient lava tube at Indian Tunnel.

With different varieties of plants and wildlife emerging at varying times throughout the year, Craters of the Moon NM is teeming with unique species - so keep your eyes peeled for the remarkable lifeforms that inhabit this stunning area!

Location
Craters of the Moon National Monument
18 miles southwest of Arco, Hwy. 20/26/93,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
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1 star
Leslie_k
Aug 29, 2024
Must see - Gabrielle is an awesome guide! Our visit was totally amazing! The views and volcanic atmosphere is absolutely beautiful! You will never see it in your lifetime until you actually see it!
Review provided by Viator
Janalyn_p
Aug 5, 2024
Beautiful Landscape with a Great Experience - Gabrielle is very friendly and knowledgeable. She has a likable kindness and sense of humor. She genuinely cares that her guests have a great experience. I wasn't feeling well in the morning because of lack of sleep and she noticed and offered some liquid IV. It helped so much! The tour was so helpful in getting to the best sights to see without having to wander around wondering what would be the best thing to see in such a short amount of time. She also answered all of our questions and gave us things to notice and understand while we were on tour. Sometimes when you go somewhere on your own it is easy to just walk by things and not notice. On tour, we were able to see and notice a lot more than we would have on our own, which made the experience that much better.
Review provided by Viator
N9517kklauried
Jul 29, 2024
Best Experience Ever!!! - We had two tours scheduled, and enjoyed ourselves soooo much, we booked a third tour with Big Green Adventure Tours. Other than Craters of the Moon, we also did the Guided Half day tour to Shoshone Falls and Twin Falls, and the Guided half day Scenic Tour - Off the Beaten Path. We have done tours all over the world and I believe this might have been our best experience with a tour and guide. I know for sure we would not have enjoyed the Craters of the Moon National Monument near as much without all the added information and history provided during our tour. I know we encounter several people that said Craters of the Moon was not worth your time, but they did not go with a guide, which I am sure made all the difference in the world for our experience. Our guide was entertaining, as well as, informative. Highly recommend this experience. She even gave us suggestions of places to visit on our days that we did not have tours booked.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Simranqww
Jun 29, 2024
Amazing Experience with Gabrielle! - Gabrielle is absolutely amazing to take this tour with. She is so well informed and enthusiastic and shared some great insights about the National monument. She is extremely friendly and easy to get along with. She will make sure you are entertained and updated throughout the tour. Also she clicks amazing pictures. Definitely recommend this tour. She has recently started the tour company and is offering great options to cover the attractions. 10/10 Recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamela_j
Jun 28, 2024
A highlight of my trip to Idaho! - I really liked walking up the infernal cone. That was a very unique experience. Hiking in various places of this preserve was really fascinating. Going as a tour group made the experience even more enjoyable.
Review provided by Viator
Janice_h
Jun 22, 2024
Graciela, Guide With A Personal Touch! - Gabriella is one of the best tour guides I have had. She is fun, energetic, safety conscious, educational and provided us an experience of a life time. She was able to provide the path for the boys were are avid hikers so they could go on ahead of the group, while taking the time with the rest of the group. She was encouraging to us on the hike to take it slow and keep going. If you have Gabriella as your tour guide you will enjoy the Craters of the Moon tour and have a fabulous time.
Review provided by Viator
Sandrakw5370zn
May 26, 2024
Awesome, memorable experience! - This was our second tour with Gabrielle. We had previously gone on the tour of Twin Falls and Shoshone Falls and liked it so much that we immediately booked Craters of the Moon with her. We were fortunate to share the tour with another family from a different state and thoroughly enjoyed their company. As on our previous tour, Gabrielle was a wealth of knowledge about the history, wildlife and plants of the area. She was so considerate in providing opportunities for snack and bathroom breaks since the trip to Craters of the Moon is 89 miles from Twin Falls where we stayed. Once we got to Craters of the Moon, we had several chances to get out of the car, if we chose, to take pictures. We watched a short video in the visitor center and then drove through the park. A highlight was climbing one of the cinder cones and being able to see 360 degrees around the valley. Our tour included a delicious lunch provided by Gabrielle. She knew of a perfect spot where we could eat at a picnic table in the shade while we enjoyed the surrounding views. We can't recommend Gabrielle's tours highly enough. Her knowledge and great personality make for wonderful experiences.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cwalworth
Nov 14, 2023
A must-see experience - This isn't just a tour, it's an experience. Craters of the Moon is other-worldly while it couldn't be a more jaw-dropping education in geology, history and ecology. The views are breath-taking, Gabrielle enhances the wonder with her narration of the area's features. She is cognizant of each participant's abilities and special needs which adds to her "perfect hostess" status. This is a must-see and you must experience it with Gabrielle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
133clarkw
Oct 31, 2023
Great trip with an expert guide - Craters of the Moon is spectaclar, and it's even better with Big Green Adventure Tours. Tour guide Gabrielle's knowledge and enthusiasm add an extra layer of enjoyment to an already fascinating trip. From the moment our van left Twin Falls, Gabrielle enlightened and entertained us with facts and stories covering local geography, geology, history, plants, animals and people. From Evel Knevel's Snake River takeoff ramp to a hawk's lava tube hideout, she kept everyone engaged throughout the trip. Big Green gets points for comfort, too. By inviting each guest to pre-order lunch, Gabrielle makes sure to satisfy everyone's tastes and dietary needs. She carefully tailors the adventures to accommodate each person's physicial abilities. AND -- she offers bathroom breaks at every stop. Bottom line: cool place, expert guide, great trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
935belalf
Aug 11, 2021
Awesome - You must have this experience, honestly you will be wrong if you miss it, I enjoyed it so much, thanks Gabrielle for this great tour, I will tell everybody about it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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September 2024
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