I heard of Mount St. Helens and the huge eruption that happened in 1980. That was so unexpected and shocking, but it was nothing like the volcanic lava flows of Hawaii or the fiery displays of Iceland. For Mount St. Helens, it was a loud, catastrophic explosion with no lava. It was an event that reshaped the mountain and its surroundings. But the changes were very much localised.
When I was planning our trip last summer, called America The Beautiful, I was completely surprised to learn that a large area of land had been covered in lava, some of it as recently as 2000 years ago. I had no clue there were volcanoes in North America that spewed lava, not just blow up like Mount St. Helens. I was excited to see this place. Needless to say, I was quite excited to visit this location. Plus, they offered camping.
We like to camp. First, it is so much cheaper than a hotel. Second, it really adds to the experience of travelling. We are out doing something different. Why go to a hotel that looks so much like a room that we have at home? Camping keeps us busy, gets us outside, gets us to cook our own food, and we enjoy the night, which is very much missed in a hotel room. My first goal was to explore as much of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve as possible. We would then set up camp, explore even more, and in the morning, explore again.
One of the first places we explored was Inferno Cone. The description of the trail to Inferno Cone calls it challenging, but when we arrived and looked it over, it seemed harmless. It looked like a big pile of gravel. For all the hiking trails we have done, it was only a mere 800 metres. “Let’s do this,” was my way of telling my wife that I wanted to hike to the top.
Despite its innocent appearance, the walk to the top was just as challenging as described. The ground was made up of coarse, pumice-like material. It slipped a bit as we ascended, making the effort a bit harder. Once at the top, it was a unique experience. We could see the entire region. The lava flow in the area is enormous. Much of the peak is a flat area, allowing many people to enjoy it without feeling crowded, and there are a couple of spots where the wind is intense. We would stand on a lone boulder and experience the strength of the wind rushing up the side of the cone.
The wind at Glacier was very strong, like it was at Craters.
This was our second time on this trip, where we had felt the power of air. Glacier National Park in Montana, at Wild Goose Island Lookout, was the first. We ascended the vantage point, and at one particular spot, the wind funneled, adding to the experience. It was hard to hold onto my phone as I tried to take pictures. The top of Inferno Cone was the same.
We would explore many of the smaller trails that this place had to offer. Much of the visitor portion is in one section of this vast reserve. There are trails that lead farther into the flow site, but we were not willing, nor prepared, to spend hours alone in a hot, harsh environment. We went to the Tree Molds Trail, which was interesting. It would be the second-longest hike we did while at this Park.
Devils Orchard is the best place to explore if you only have limited time. It held so many features in a small area. North Crater Flow Trail was another short hike that showcases the different formations lava can create. There are trees that are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old.
The longest trail we did, almost by accident, was the North Crater Trail. I had intended to do only part of it and return, but because of the hike’s uniqueness, we did the whole thing. It would be the first time we had actually walked on the rim of the crater of a volcano. The ruggedness of the land, the shape of the rocks, the sparse but unique vegetation, and the remote feeling were the reasons why we kept pushing forward. The hike was strenuous, and we did it as early as possible to minimize heat exposure.
Trying to describe what we all saw is impossible. Pictures of where we went do not do this place justice. It has to be seen and experienced to fully appreciate what is here and how and why it happened. I can guarantee there is no other place like this on Earth.
- All The Places We Have Been Map features all the places we have been, including Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
- Provincial and State Park Campgrounds is another map I created. I prefer government-owned campsites because they are usually larger sites and better maintained.
- Admission is included with the America is Beautiful pass.
- Campsites are first-come, first-served.
