One hundred years ago, on May 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge established Craters of the Moon National Monument to protect this unusual and surreal lava terrain in southern Idaho. The landscape was thought to resemble the surface of the moon and was described in Coolidge's proclamation as "a weird and scenic landscape peculiar to itself."
According to a news release from the National Park Service (NPS) on the monument's centennial, when Craters of the Moon was established, the area encompassed approximately 54,000 acres. Over the last 100 years, it has been expanded four times. Today, Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve includes approximately 738,000 acres of federal land that the NPS and Bureau of Land Management co-manage. The area’s volcanic features include fissure sites that are estimated to have erupted between 15,000 and 2,000 years ago and volcanic cones, craters, rifts, lava flows, caves, natural bridges, and other phenomena those eruptions created.
The monument has a rich cultural history as the ancestral lands of the Shoshone and Bannock peoples; over 43,000 acres of tranquil designated wilderness; robust research opportunities that NASA scientists and astronauts have taken advantage of since 1969; and an expansive dark night sky that makes it one of the best places for stargazing in the country.
The NPS, in collaboration with partners and the public, will celebrate Craters of the Moon National Monument’s centennial from May through September by hosting a variety of public activities and events each month, including special exhibits at the Robert Limbert Visitor Center; star parties; full moon, wildflower, and geology hikes; and activities led by five artists-in-residence. The centennial celebration officially begins on Thursday, May 2, which Governor Brad Little has declared as “Craters of the Moon Centennial Day” in Idaho.
“Craters of the Moon was initially set aside to protect its superlative volcanic features for general interest, education, and scientific purposes,” says Wade Vagias, superintendent of Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. “In addition to these geologic wonders, over the last century, we have discovered that there is so much more to this ‘weird and scenic’ landscape.” For the latest list of events celebrating everything this unique area has to offer, check the Craters of the Moon Centennial website.
Idaho Public Television, the NPS, and others have produced videos to help you explore the fascinating geology, history, and artistic inspiration of Craters of the Moon. You'll want to plan more than one visit after watching these.
