This is bound to upset someone. There are claims floating around the interwebs that Craters of the Moon is actually really boring and not worth a tourist visit.

Is Craters of the Moon a Tourist Trap

I know, crazy right? Or is it? Craters really isn't what anyone visiting for the first time expects and if you don't know what to look for or what to do there - it really is just a bunch of boring rocks.

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Photo by Benito Baeza
Craters of the Moon National Monument, Photo by Benito Baeza
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The good news is that, despite the Business Insider ranking, if you know what to do at Craters it is actually pretty cool for a day. I'll admit that the first time I drove by I was underwhelmed. Later we stopped by for a visit with friends who knew of some cool stuff to do there and we had a fun day.

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That's the key. You have to go with a local so you do the good stuff. There are underground tunnels at Craters and some pretty nice little hikes. The tunnels (if I remember correctly) aren't marked though and they are in the ground so you can walk right by them and miss them.

Picture by Bill Colley.
Picture by Bill Colley.
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Is Craters as good of a tourist spot as the Perrine Bridge, Redfish Lake, or Box Canyon? Not even close. But it is better than Chubbuck and I'd call that a win.


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