Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve is a National Monument & Preserve in Idaho. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Craters Of The Moon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:04 AM | 8:48 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:24 PM | 241° | 9h 21m |
| February | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 254° | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:47 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:17 PM | 285° | 13h 24m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:51 PM | 298° | 14h 40m |
| June | 5:54 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:16 PM | 304° | 15h 22m |
| July | 6:08 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:13 PM | 301° | 15h 04m |
| August | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 290° | 13h 58m |
| September | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 275° | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:48 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 259° | 11h 04m |
| November | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:11 PM | 245° | 9h 43m |
| December | 8:00 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:14 PM | 5:00 PM | 238° | 9h 00m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.2035, -113.4792); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Craters Of The Moon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.8 | 14° |
| April | 3:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 1:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| June | 11:36 PM – 3:26 AM | 3.8 | 18° |
| July | 11:24 PM – 2:14 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| August | 10:28 PM – 12:08 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| September | 9:23 PM – 10:03 PM | 0.7 | 14° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather at Craters of the Moon is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. In February, average snow depth ranges from 26 inches at the north end of the monument to just 2 inches at the south end. Intense summer sun bakes the black lava, generating surface temperatures of 170°F and air temperatures in the 90s. Drying winds are a daily occurrence, especially in the afternoon, and may reach 15 to 30 miles per hour.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Visitor Center and Loop Drive are located 18 miles southwest of Arco, Idaho on U.S. Highway 20/26/93, 24 miles northeast of Carey, Idaho on U.S. Highway 20/26/93, 84 miles from Idaho Falls, and 90 miles from Twin Falls. Physical address is 1266 Craters Loop Road(Lat/Long: 43° 27.711'N/113° 33.7) Access to the main visitor use area is via a paved highway. Unpaved roads provide additional access to the BLM monument and NPS Preserve but should only be utilized by four wheel drive and high clearance vehicles.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Caving
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
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