Craters of The Moon National Monument

Based on a recommendation from Mike and Donna we altered our route to Yellowstone to go by Craters of the Moon National Monument/Preserve in south-central Idaho. The name originated when it was thought that this is probably what the moon's surface looks like. Astronauts for the initial moon landing even came here to train. After their landing, it was decided that it "ain't necessarily so" but the monument kept the name anyway. The preserve is unique in that the lava came from numerous small volcanoes that "flowed" more than erupted. The lava-covered area is huge, covering about 600 square miles. Betty and I spent part of a day at the visitor's center and driving around the loop through the rugged landscape of the park.