The Lava Flow Campground is a 42-site campground accessible by automobile from May through November. All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some sites will accommodate large RVs, but no hookups are available.

Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument

Holy Cow! It really was like camping on the moon(except the wind) or on a volcano. This is a barren place due to the volcanic nature of the land, but it was very pretty and the campground was set up in an almost ingenious way to provide privacy for most sites. There were essentially two loops, but the loops had lots of twists and turns and ups and downs in order to squeeze in the most number of sites with the most privacy. I ended up with a deep site where I could set my tent up between some lava rocks to get some semblance of a wind break. From inside my tent I could not see any other sites(which was really nice), but I could see my neighbors from my picnic table. No fires are allowed(which I found interesting since we were camped on a lava flow), and there are no showers(someone told me that maybe I could get a shower at the KOA in Arco, but I didn’t bother). In fact, water is somewhat restricted- there were signs stating RV’s could not fill up, but all were welcome to fill personal water jugs. Even the dish washing station was closed at the restrooms. Speaking of which, the restrooms had flush toilets and sinks with cold water and were fairly clean if a bit outdated. Definitely get some hiking in while you are here. There is a nice trail from the campground that connects to the North Crater Flow trail, and if you have some stamina climb the Inferno Cone for great views(watch the ground for cinders that look like glass!). Get a permit at the visitors center to go into the lava tube caves(its free but required). I only hiked in Indian Cave as I wasn’t comfortable with the pitch black dark of Boy Scout and Beauty Caves by myself. Definitely check out the town of Arco, the first in the nation to be powered by nuclear energy. Not far from Arco is the nuclear power plant, decommissioned, where you can take a free tour. Back at the campground there is one last important note- you have to pay the electronic ranger for your campsite, and NO cash is accepted. Only credit cards.

Camping on the moon

What would it be like to live on the moon... except with gravity, a blue sky, fragile plants and a very low bug count... Craters of the Moon is waiting for you.  The dark rock is a great background to everything you do, and the campground is a gateway to a perfectly sized monument area - big enough for lots of isolated adventures, small enough to not get lost in.  The air is crisp after rain and several natural hot springs are located within a 50 or so mile radius from this campground.  So when the Best Buy salesperson tries to sell you a extra fancy lens or two as part of once-in-a-lifetime new camera package, say yes.  Then head to Craters of the Moon.    

Surreal Setting, Different Rewards

We drove all day from Oregon.  The last 50 miles was on US 93 North.  This was a nice campground with Tent pads of pummeled Lava and ample room to drive to the sight.  They had very nice restrooms and a separate room for washing kitchen  dishes.  This was the manual pay with an envelope after you find the sight you want.  I am so grateful that this was built in the 50s as they desecrated a part of the lava fields with roads and campsites, not sure they would be allowed to do that now.  I see the value in giving people the experience of camping among the Lava.  

Surreal Location to camp among the Lava Dust and boulders

Stayed here in September with excellent weather and quieter crowds. Facilities were still open and in great condition. The park itself is quite the wonder, well worth spending some time at!

Very Intriguing Park

Came here in mid-July. It's a national park, so there's a great interpretative center and a junior ranger program with an awesome badge (space-themed), but I just couldn't get over the camp sites. It's all lava flow (duh) so there's very little vegetation, lots of rocks, and very little space in between the few sites. While there's a couple that have a tiny bit of privacy due to the walls of rocks, most are right in the open, and some of the spots are so tiny they barely fit a tent. Not sure if I'd go back.

Not the worst. Definitely not the best.

The informative visitor's center is a short walk from the campgrounds. The campgrounds forms a large circle with easy access to the bathroom facilities. The various drives through the lava landscapes are within a few minutes of the campground and provide fascinating short and long hikes to caves and across the fields of lava.

Unique!  I had my very own lava walkway into my lava-enclosed campsite!

There's a surreal quality to the place. Driving up the change in terrain is enough to make you speechless. Sleeping here is even better. Great atmosphere and sites and the visitor center is informative.

Welcome to Outer Space

Camping at Craters of the moon is like camping... on the moon

No privacy but awesome location

Scenic and cool campsite smack in the middle of the lava beds of Craters of the Moon National Monument. Interesting information center within a quick walking distance with lots of national park rangers and activities.

Campsites are pretty small, but many are surrounded by LAVA. That said, very little shade, so if it’s the summer, it will be very hot.

Water, toilets, all available. RVs allowed but no hook-ups. No fire pits, but they do have charcoal grills available.

Very cool lava flow hikes and formations all around.

Cool Campground Surrounded by Lava

Right along the river, not too far but not too close to all other campgrounds and town. Some tent sites didn’t have any grass/shade, but still very put together. Had man made port-a-potty’s which were very nice. Renovated old time trailers are for rent per night/weekend also. We were located right by the river so the water blocked out much of the freeway noise however not certain about other sites. There is also a trail leading right to the hot springs from the campground.

Cute and quaint, perfect for a night!

Dry camp, first come first served. An official dark sky location. Great for star gazing.

Beautiful laid out campground. Very well done. 

Located right by the entrance station, this campground has 42 sites, with only a select number suitable for large RVs or 5th wheels(although we encountered a large RV coming toward us that necessitated us backing into an empty site)! It was very windy the day we were here but don’t know if that is typical. Flush toilets but no showers; typical of national park campgrounds. No hookups or dump station. Sites are surrounded by lava rocks; some were very nice but others not as much (sites 1-5 are right by (and I mean RIGHT BY) the entrance station). Sites 34, 35, 42, and 3 are fully accessible and site 34 has an electrical outlet for use by those with medical needs. Open April-November, weather dependent but water only available in peak months. Limited to no cell service (Verizon). $15 during peak season (half price for senior pass holders and when there is no water). No fee during April and November if open.

Cool campground located among the lava flow

I loved this campground we showed up in the early afternoon on a Thursday and they had plenty of spots still available. You are completely immersed into the lava landscape at this campground I really enjoyed it. The sites were nice size bathrooms were very clean lots of families and friendly people. A must if you are in Idaho.
Note: if you plan to walk through any of the caves you need to visit the visitor center to get a permit.

This place rocks

We were looking for an overnight stay while traveling through Idaho.  We didn't arrive until 5pm and were certain the campground would be full.  Much to our surprise it was not full but we were not told how many sites were available so pretty much took the first site we saw.  It was a huge site for our little rig but we grabbed it anyway.  We enjoyed visiting the park in the evening and having it almost entirely by ourselves.  We also had a little time in the morning to catch some areas we missed the night before and also had this time to ourselves.  Had we not stayed in the park I'm not sure we would have had time to visit on our way (20miles) to the next nearest campground.  The park is fascinating and worth the drive.

Worth the drive!

I have never been to a campground like this. Considering all they have to work with are rocks, it is a good campground right next to the visitor center. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because it's just not my style. Don't be expecting Idaho streams and trees. You are truly in a remote area here at Craters of the moon. I highly suggest going down in the caves where you can crawl in the lava tubes. If you are planning on camping here in the summer, be prepared for extreme dry heat. 

A campground like no other

I get it, it looks foreign to those who have never seen a lava field or remnants of volcanos. Somewhere it mentions it was the only one in the continental states... which isnt true! But it is probably the largest for sure. There is a huge area to drive through, and its certainly a sight to see. But the price is too high in my opinion. The campsites are super close together, its windy, hot in the summer and no showers. There are some interesting things to walk up to and literally walk up, but all of the hiking and areas where several people could be in the same area were closed due to health concerns. Yet the price remains at $20... half the park for the same price!    

If you are coming from the east, there isnt much to see as you approach. If you are coming from the west, its almost as good of a view as the  drive through tour! 



As cool as lava rocks, but not worth the fees!

I really don't understand the bad reviews. People complaining there are no rivers or streams or complaining that there are no showers (nps website very clear about that). Sure, if you blindly pulled into this place expecting a KOA you're going to be disappointed. 
This campground is dry camping. Flush bathrooms on site (except Nov-Feb).
Night skies are unbelievable due to the remoteness of the area and the parks decision to make it a dark sky facility.
Campground setting is great (can see it being hot in mid summer but that's to be expected) and o e you are unlikely to experience anywhere else. Limited sites for large rigs and we got lucky to get one. Kids were in awe of the rocks around the campground and the skies at night. More than made up for having to "rough it" for a few nights. 

Fantastic dark sky campground

National Park campground is non/reservable and first come first served. Sites for RV on asphalt. No showers or laundry facilities but there are restrooms. Trails &amp; visitor center within walking distance. Water available but no hook-ups.

Amazing Place to Visit & Stay

This place was great! $8 because water is off for the season, I guess...normally $20. All facilities are closed so it’s just camping and exploring the park which is all within walking distance of the campground. Very friendly ranger working the front! Level sites on pavement. No fires allowed unless propane or grills. Very windy! Get a spot that has rocks on your west side to hide lol! This place was a great stop for a evening/night! Not a lot to see but what’s there is really cool! A must see if you’re passing thru Idaho down to Utah. 

👌🏻


An absolutely beautiful place to camp. Black lava rock everywhere. No cell service. No hookups but if you have a generator it’s all good to run it during normal non quiet hours.  Vault toilets open in winter. Lots of fun hikes within the park. Sites have grills and can be used for RVs or tents. 15 or 7.50 if you are NPS pass holder or senior 



Stunning Spot 

Prepare to have your mind blown as you roll in to Lava Flow Campground. It is nestled in the uniquely lunar landscape caused by, well, lava flow. The grounds sit at the entrance of the scenic 7-mile loop that provides access to trails that take you over, under, and around various volcanic features.

  

We went during COVID times, so there was no access to the caves. Still, it was a memorable experience driving the loop and hiking around. In late October, the water was shut off due to frozen pipes, restrooms were closed except for the vault toilets. We found the vaults to be remarkably clean and unstinky. 

  

The sites varied drastically in quality and size- probably because they were built around existing landscape that begged to be preserved. Because it was a weekday and off-season, we had the grounds to ourselves and took our time selecting the best site, and made sure to mark our favorites for the next trip. Site 27 was our favorite for sweeping views and size, but we ended up staying in 29, which is nestled on its own in some lava rocks that provide wind protection.

Nestled in the lava landscape

Large rigs park close to the Credit Card Kiosk (only Credit cards accepted) park entry fee is also required some spots are only tent and some are huge. Water was not on and only had vault toilets so fees were less.

Stunning campground in the lava flows 

One of best places I’ve been to. I’d definitely recommend several days if you can as some of the trails are pretty challenging though definitely see the spatter cones and the one before it (can’t remember the name but big black hill you can climb even if not in great shape by taking a break every 50 feet or so. Most unique and gorgeous campground with helpful staff. Most spots have at least a couple sides completely blocked off from other spaces. No designations so you can take as big or little of a spot as you want with everything from pull-through s to tent sites with just parking for a car. Recommend to arrive between noon and 3pm for most options to pick your spot. Planning to go back for maybe even a month later on though have to switch spaces after 14 days. Off-season has no running water but vault toilets are clean. If you have handicap/senior access pass, only $4/night off season. If not, you have to also pay park access fee daily. Payment is one-day only so have to go get new receipt from machine every day but close enough for easy walk to entrance.

Could spend a month here!

How often do you get to say that  you camped in the middle of a lava field and lava boulders?  This first come campground gives you just that.  Nice paved sites with picnic tables and grills.  Nice paved, wheelchair accessible walkways to the visitors center.  Flush toilets (a little old, but super clean)  and pit toilets.  Community water source.  Awesome staff.  Cost was very reasonable at $9 with an America the Beautiful pass.  The park loop runs right by the campground so everything to see is conveniently located.  We had hoped to do some astro photography but a rare thunderstorm blew in making for a spectacular sunset and light show.  Yes.  I would definitely check this one out.

Once in a lifetime experience 

This is the coolest campground. Nestled in the lava flow in the National Park. We have a 30ft TT and arrived at the park around 1pm and had no issues finding a spot. Nice private pull through with grill and picnic table. Not much shade (as expected) and can get windy so watch your awnings. Most people seemed to arrive in the evening. Beautiful location as others have said but it is dry camping and FCFS. 

Gorgeous Sites

The campsites are in a volcanic desert setting and no.place to be in hot weather but if it's cool they are some of the nicest in the NP system, mostly paved pull throughs with water close by. Lots of hiking opportunities in the park for the athleticly fit and a nine mile auto touring trail for the less so. At $15 per site per day, half that for Golden Age passes, a real bargain.

Some of the nicest in the NP system

This is a super cool campground. Made up on entirely lava rock, you need to have some serious stakes or your tent will end up in the middle of the lava field next door like we saw with MULTIPLE tents. 

  

Lava rocks are lightweight so you can’t use them to weigh it down, you can have it tied off and to the table and grill if possible. 

  

All sites are exposed to sun for most of the day. There are coveted tucked away sites to protect from wind and some sun but then you don’t get the view of the incredible night sky. 

  

Sites are first come first serve and the sites turn over at 2 pm so arrive during that time and you will be golden for your pick of views. The farthest loop is not advised for large RV’s, you won’t be able to make the turn. This means it is the perfect loop for tent spots. 

  

The bathrooms are clean, reservations are on an automated machine, and the campground is surprisingly quiet for being super compacted in one area of the field to protect the rock. 

  

We were here for Labor day weekend and easily got a site. Plenty of hikes nearby and a great long and hot bike ride around the park from the campground.

HOT HOT HOT but beautiful

We stayed here in October when the water was turned off and the sites were half price.  There were no services at all including water, electric or dump station.  Regardless the sites are all amazing.  The park is very fun and interesting.  Depending on how much hiking your want to do will determine how long you stay.  We did limited hiking, arrived early in the day and only stayed one night,   We took the full auto tour and saw so much.  We had no cell service at all, even at the visitor's center and no WiFi.  Campfires are strictly prohibited.  If you tent camp, you will be laying on a lot of crushed lava rock so bring padding.  It was FCFS in October but plenty of spaces were available.  I would definitely come again in shoulder season, I think it would be very hot in summer.

Great Campground and Park

Had an incredible experience here at this otherworldly campground just inside Craters of the Moon NP. (You can see the welcome center; there’s mild road noise from the highway.) 

On a summer weeknight around 5pm, there were about 25% of sites available. As noted in other reviews, all the sites are different shapes and sizes and situated around the natural landscape, but all are scenic and very unique. Despite few trees, the CG is thoughtfully designed so you don’t feel like anyone is too close. Bathrooms immaculate (no showers). 

Some folks ran generators all evening but turned them off at the stroke of 10:00 PM at which point everyone, from families to college students to retirees, was very quiet and respectful. This is a Dark Sky campground and my gosh, the stars were spectacular, especially on this landscape! So, so beautiful!

The automated machine doesn’t reserve specific sites, so go leave something in your spot, pay at the machine, and come back to display the receipt.

Favorite campground!

Great base camp location for anyone interested in exploring Craters of the Moon National Monument. Rangers were very helpful. Toilets were clean.  No showers. No cell coverage. Location can get windy. 

Camp among lava

We stayed here for 2 nights when we had only planned on one, because it was so interesting and beautiful in the campground and on the drive see the volcano sites.

  

We are seniors with a National Park pass so we paid only $7 per night. There were plenty of sites available on the 3rd and 4th of July. No showers or electricity but we have a Rialta van and are self contained. We stayed at a different site each nite. The 2nd nite we had a great view of the scenery instead of a view of the visitor center.  

  

The campground is located in an area of big lava rocks that must have been moved around to make great campsites surrounded by views and rocks. there were some really interesting sites to choose from, some in depressions with rock walls some on top of the hill for interesting views. It was our favorite campground of our 3 week trip.

  

The drive around the park was worth doing both days as there are nice hikes here and there, up cinder cones and spatter cones. There is a good nature trail with info markers and wildflowers that we enjoyed. The visitor center has a small museum with a short video and good info on how volcanoes function, etc.

Beautiful campground!!

Great place to camp to enjoy the park. Dry camping but restroom pit toilet was very clean. We pulled in at 430 and was able to obtain a spot though lots of campers already parked. Stayed one night. Price was only $7.50 with senior pass.

Craters of the Moon

Great sites in a simple well-run NPS Monument. Sites are placed amongst cool lava rocks and features. Nearby well water, plumbed bathrooms in-season. Cool activities in park, quaint visitor center. Hiking, running, road biking, and casual cave exploring all recommended. 

Affordable, clean, sites in a unique setting !

The wife and I are new to camping. Our plan was to SUV camp at one of their back in site with the hook ups. Last minute I decided to book one of their renovated retro campers. We stayed in "Ruby". This cute little red and white 50-60's style camper had all the amenities,  microwave,  fridge, a/c, heater, coffee maker and a little sitting area for relaxing. The bed was comfy and the entire camper was warm, inviting and clean. Outside there was a firepit and a picnic table. There is also a very clean pit toilet 30 sec walk from camper. If you want hot showers and flush toilets, they have that too. They also had a retro playground for kids. Love love love this place!

Amazing Gem of a Campground 

Very cool park, stayed just for a night but would definitely go again. Great short hikes but the campsites are close together. 

Truly a hidden gem

Came after a few nights in Yellowstone to escape the crowds. Can’t recommend this area enough - the campground/bathrooms are immaculate and the scenery is super cool. Had a very private campsite, could still see the Milky Way despite the bright moon. Worth a detour for sure. 

SO worth it! 

First come first serve, clean bathrooms and water. Easy card payments for campsites. The geology of the area is really neat, and it's right off the main road drive through the rest of the park. Very unique.

Super cool def stop here if you can

Prices are 28$ a night unless you have the America the beautiful pass then it's 4$ they have caves that are free to access but you have to get a permit from the visitor center the spots are small and people get there late sometimes so it was a bit noisy at night we stayed for 4 days the hole attraction is because of lava formations over all a very nice stay