Craters of the Moon National Monument, Arco, Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a U.S. national monument and national preserve in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho . It is along US 20 ( concurrent with US 93 and US 26 ), between the small towns of Arco and Carey , at an average elevation of 5,900 feet (1,800 m) above sea level . The protected area 's features are volcanic and represent one of the best-preserved flood basalt areas in the continental United States. The Monument was established on May 2, 1924. In November 2000, a presidential proclamation by President Clinton greatly expanded the Monument area. The 410,000-acre National Park Service portions of the expanded Monument were designated as Craters of the Moon National Preserve in August 2002. [1] It spreads across Blaine , Butte , Lincoln , Minidoka , an...