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Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument

9 ReviewsAdd Review
SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

Craters of the Moon National Monument manages two distinct camping experiences within its boundaries: a drive-in campground set among the lava fields, and a backcountry wilderness option that draws hikers willing to carry everything in. The drive-in sites sit directly alongside the park's scenic loop road, surrounded by volcanic rock formations. No cell service reaches the campground, and there is no dump station on site, though flush toilets and running water are available.

Sites fill fast. Reviewers arriving by 5 or 6 p.m. frequently found the campground at capacity, while those who arrived by early afternoon secured spots without trouble. Most sites are compact and rocky, making backing in tricky for larger rigs, though pull-through options exist. At $15 per night on a first-come, first-served basis, the park entry fee or an America the Beautiful Pass is also required. Nights here are dark and quiet, with open sightlines toward the sky that make stargazing straightforward.

The wilderness option is a separate experience entirely. Reaching Echo Crater requires a free backcountry permit from the visitor center and roughly three to four miles of hiking, with the final stretch off-trail. No water sources exist along the route, so carrying at least a gallon per person per day is necessary. Fires are not permitted, and waste pack-out rules are strictly enforced. As James B. noted, the campground was "very quiet at night and very dark." Campers wanting a developed alternative can explore Lava Flow - Craters of the Moon National Mon, located a few miles northwest within the same monument.

Fee Info

Cost

$15 per site during the main season and $8 per site when water is not turned on to the campground. The cost is half-price with Senior or Access passes. Pay with a credit card at any time on the automated fee machine located near the campground entrance. No fee is charged when the Loop Road is closed.

Reservation Info

The 42 sites are available on a first come-first served basis; no reservations are accepted.

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Map & DirectionsCraters of the Moon Wilderness is located in Idaho near Craters of the Moon National Monument

Detail location of campground
Public Campground

Coordinates

43.39533719 N
113.51210297 W

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Connectivity

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    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
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    AT&T
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Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Drive Time

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Reviews9 Camper Reviews - Craters of the Moon Wilderness

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5 Stars

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1 Star

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11%
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4.5

out of 5

9 Reviews

Campers frequently mentioned the unique volcanic setting with sites among lava rocks at $15/night first-come basis. Clean facilities and quiet nights with great stargazing were highlights, though narrow roads and no cell service should be expected.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile
Reviewed Jul. 29, 2025

Beautiful area, pin drop is inaccurate

This pin looks like it’s talking about the lava flow camp ground. My husband and I followed this pins coordinates and it took us to a parking lot about 2 miles from the established camping area. It looked like maybe you could camp in parking lot? It was 2 am and we didn’t wanna risk it and were to sleepy to double check signage and went back to lava flow camp

Sitelava flow
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Oct. 3, 2024

Beautiful spot in a hidden gem

We came to Craters of the Moon early, ended up being there most of the day. Instead of going on and trying to find dispersed camping, we treated ourselves to a site in the park. Sites are $15, and you must have the American the Beautiful Pass or pay park entry fee. The sites are dry camping with toilet facilities and water (no dump station). The sites are right in amongst lava field and is quite unique.
Campground was very quiet at night and very dark. Could see the sky and stars wonderfully. Definitely a great park and place to stay.

Site28
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by James B., October 3, 2024
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by James B., October 3, 2024
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by James B., October 3, 2024
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 29, 2024

Great unique campground right inside the national park!

Great sites nestled In The lava rocks. Great hiking or biking the 7mi loop road. We didn't have reservations but got there early (2pm) it looked very full by 6pm. We got our spot, then drove our rv around to the different scenic spots and returned to camp 5 hrs later.

Site11
Month of VisitJune
  • Play button icon
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by mark F., June 29, 2024
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by mark F., June 29, 2024
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2024

Camp in a volcano Crater

It was a special camping experience. They just renewed all the roads in the park. Campground is right next to loop around the park with some nice spots. Clean flushing toilets and water. Get there in time! We had one of the last spots at 5pm

Site24
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Martijn D., June 22, 2024
Reviewed May. 27, 2024

Nice clean quiet

Nice sites . Some more suitable for tents, other for vans. 

15$ per night, first come first serve. We were there Memorial weekend (Sunday) and there were still spots.

Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2022

Right in park

The setting of this campground is nice. Most sites are small. Hard to back into sites due to rocks and narrow road. There are some pull thru sites. First come first served. Check out at noon so try to get there shortly after that. No cell service. Flush toilets with running water. No dump. It is located right in the park.

Site42
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Eric G., August 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Eric G., August 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Eric G., August 13, 2022
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Sep. 17, 2021

Sleep in a volcano crater

What could be more cool than sleeping in the bottom of a volcano.  That is what you can do on the Crater of the Moon National Monument's Wilderness Trail.  Sleep in the bottom of Echo Crater.  To backpack and camp in the wilderness area requires a free backcountry permit.  It is a little more than 3 miles of  backpacking to the crater,  the last bit is off trail so you will need the map provided for the area.  Access to the crater is from the east side of the crater, access the crater from any of the other sides is faster but it will be your last as it is a several hundred foot vertical drop to the bottom.  No water sources so you will need to pack at least a gallon of water per person per day.  Make sure you use the vault toilet at the trailhead before heading out, if you need to due #2 you will need to back all of it out, and that's more than just the paper.  No digging a hole and burying it here.  Plenty of flat ground to pitch your tent in the bottom of the crater.

SiteEcho Crater
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dexter I., September 17, 2021
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dexter I., September 17, 2021
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dexter I., September 17, 2021
  • (12) View All
Reviewed Jun. 7, 2021

Beautiful hike, take a map!

Stayed: 5/12/2021

Cost: FREE (Permit Required)

Site: Just shy of Echo Crater (SEE PIC)

Vehicle: Volkswagen Atlas (Parked at trailhead)

Equipment: Tent

AT&T and T-Mobile: No Service

We were very excited for this hike and dispersed stay. It’s just under 4 miles one way and you must get a free permit from the visitor center to enter the Wilderness area at Craters of the Moon. Unforutanley, we didn’t have an NPS Park Ranger, and we didn’t get as much info as we were hoping while getting our permit. With that, we were relying on the basic park map and previous research to find our way to Echo Crater, the main place to camp.

Take the scenic drive through the entire park until you get to the parking lot and trailheads for 'Tree Molds', 'Broken Top' and 'Wilderness'. From the 'Tree Molds' trailhead, follow the sidewalk that loops back around the parking lot, and look for the sign for the 'Wilderness Trail' (it's a small one and a few steps into the trail - see pic).

I highly suggest using a GPS or more detailed map, to make sure you make it to the crater. We thought we were there, but after getting back to service and pulling up the satellite image, we were just shy of actual Echo Crater (see the map picture for more detail). The sights are stunning, both during the day and night, and both on the hike in and the hike out. No fires are permitted, so make sure to bring a stove. We saw some wildlife, but nothing that was bothersome, or an issue. Also, it definitely gets chilly at night.

However, the trail and hike are absolutely beautiful and very much worth the trek. We only stayed for the one night, but would love to return and actually make it to Echo Crater next time around!

#DareToEverywhere

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dare To Everywhere ., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dare To Everywhere ., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Craters of the Moon Wilderness — Craters of the Moon National Monument by Dare To Everywhere ., June 7, 2021
  • (11) View All
Showing results 1-9 of 9 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

What do visitors say about camping at Craters of the Moon National Monument?

Campers consistently praise Craters of the Moon for its unique, otherworldly landscape that creates a special camping experience. Many highlight the distinctive experience of staying among lava rocks, with some even enjoying the thrill of sleeping in the bottom of Echo Crater on the wilderness trail. The setting gets high marks for its natural beauty and proximity to park attractions. Sites are noted as being nicely nestled among volcanic formations, though some mention that certain spots can be small or challenging to back into due to rocks and the narrow road. Overall, most visitors find it a memorable place to stay with convenient access to the park's 7-mile loop road and hiking trails.

What are the camping facilities available at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?

Craters of the Moon offers dry camping with no hookups. The campground features clean flush toilets with running water and drinking water access. Sites are nestled among lava rocks, with some better suited for tents and others more appropriate for vans or RVs. A mix of pull-through sites and back-in spots are available, though some can be challenging to navigate due to the narrow road and rock placement. There's no dump station or shower facilities on site. Each site includes a defined camping area, and the campground provides access to the park's main attractions via the nearby loop road.

How do I make camping reservations at Craters of the Moon National Monument?

Craters of the Moon operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no advance reservations available. The campground fee is $15 per night, and you must also have an America the Beautiful Pass or pay the park entry fee. For the best chance at securing a spot, arrive early in the day, ideally around noon when check-out occurs or by early afternoon (2-3pm). Sites fill quickly, especially by evening hours. For wilderness backcountry camping, a free permit is required, which you can obtain at the visitor center before your hike.

What wilderness activities can I experience when camping at Craters of the Moon?

Craters of the Moon offers exceptional wilderness activities centered around its volcanic landscape. Hiking is the primary attraction, with trails leading through lava fields and to unique geological features. The Wilderness Trail allows backpackers to trek approximately 4 miles to Echo Crater where backcountry camping is permitted (with a free wilderness permit). The 7-mile loop road provides access to multiple scenic viewpoints and shorter trails, which can be explored by hiking or biking. Visitors can explore lava tube caves, climb cinder cones, and observe the distinctive plant life that has adapted to this harsh environment. Stargazing is excellent due to minimal light pollution in this remote area.

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