Blackfoot Library, Idaho
A first shot of the Pioneer Range on the way to Craters of the Moon National Monument
The rounded hill looks suspiciously like a cinder cone/dome -- except that it's not very black.
Another view of the Pioneer Range with spring snow from the previous day.
One of the plaques at a Scenic Viewpoint near the entrance to the National Monument. Click once on the photo to see an enlarged photo. If you look closely, many of the passengers are wearing dust masks.
A hint of things to come within the Monument.
From the parking lot at the North Crater, which was volcanically active c2,000 years ago.
A look up a cinder cone which is slowly being repopulated with vegetation -- particularly limber pines.
Click once to see an enlarged photo of the plaque.
Ditto.
A shot of Grassy Cone, which is explained in the above plaque.
What the Hawaiians call Pahoehoe, pronounced Pah-hoy-hoy; it is lava which oozes out and looks like rope.
How lava flows.
In the Devil's Orchard, a couple of basaltic formation.
As you'll see later, lichen can grow on the outer surface of a rock, basaltic, granitic, etc.
Part of my rig in the North Crater Parking lot.
Some varied colors of rocks, not lichens.
The majority of the trees are not Utah junipers but rather limber pines.
If there are cinder cones, this area might be called a cinder field.
Or a cinder field with grass.
Some of the lava rock floated on top of the ciders. And there they stayed when both cooled.
More evidence of the above.
The hilltop volcanic formations look like a toadstool and a mouse.
The National Park Service used the trail to this "cave," actually a "pipe" like those at Lava Beds Natl Monument in Northern California, to chide visitors for wearing a path to the cave instead of staying on the paved trail.
Lichens functions much as canaries did in mines years ago.
Bet monument visitors won't walk on these rocks!
Just as the U.S. Forest Service learned not every fire should be surpress, the Park Service has apparently learned that dead are part of the ecosystem.
The boys with the chains saws missed these dead trees -- or "got religion" early on.
In the distance, the Big Southern Butte in the haze. [Click to enlarge.]
A plaque outlining strategies for surviving in a climate with hot summers and cold winters.
The top of all cinder cones is not necessarily the source of the frothy volcanic material spewed into the air.
Inferno Cone and the well-worn path to the top.
My rig with the snow-capped Pioneer Range in the background.
A cinder cone (or field) yet to be populated with larger vegetation.
One of the spatter cones (spewed heavier pieces of lava instead of lighter, frothier lava) with a small arch -- likely what's left of a collapsed pipe.
The other spatter cone is called the Snow Cone.
Here's a closer view. Ice! Think the name should be the Ice Cone rather than the Snow Cone.
The other spatter cone with a paved path up to a pipe near its top.
Three of the cones along The Great Rift, which is 52 miles long.
A volcanic field near the spatter cones.
The tube at the top of the spatter cone with the arch.
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Links:
- National Park Service web pages for Craters of the Moon National Monument
- Wikipedia article on Craters of the Moon NM
- More photos of Craters of the Moon on the NPS website
F 20 Apr Actual Route: Riverside RV & Trailer Park - Preston, ID - Pocatello - Bannock County Fairgrounds
Sa 21 Apr Actual Route: Bannock County Fairgrounds - Pocatello - Fort Hall - Blackfoot boon-dock
Su 22 Apr Actual Route: Blackfoot boon-dock - Idaho Falls - Targhee Inn & RV
M 23 Apr Actual Route: Targhee Inn & RV - Idaho Falls - Jcn US20 & US26 - Arco boon-dock
T 24 Apr Actual Route: Arco boon-dock - Craters of the Moon Natl Monument - Arco Lib - US26 boon-dock
W 25 Apr Actual Route: US26 boon-dock - Blackfoot Lib - Blackfoot boon-dock
Th 26 Apr Actual Route: Blackfoot boon-dock - Blackfoot Lib - Pocatello - Bannock County Fairgrounds
F 27 Apr Actual Route: Bannock County Fairgrounds - Pocatello Lib - American Falls - Willow Bay RV Park
Sa 28 Apr Actual Route: Willow Bay RV Park - American Falls Lib - Massacre Rocks State Park
Su 29 Apr Actual Route: Massacre Rocks State Park - Burley - Oakley City RV Park
M 30 Apr Route: Oakley City RV Park - City of Rocks National Reserve - Almo - Elba - Malta - Delco - Burley
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
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