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Craters of the Moon

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 43.371°N
  • 113.493°W

  • 2005 m
    6578 ft

  • 324020
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports for Craters of the Moon.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Craters of the Moon.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Craters of the Moon.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 14 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

0130 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode South of Big Craters, near Broken Top
0130 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at South of Big Craters, near Broken Top

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
0130 BCE ± 50 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

0260 BCE ± 25 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Big Craters, Trench Mortar Flat
0260 BCE ± 25 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Big Craters, Trench Mortar Flat

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
0260 BCE ± 25 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

0350 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode North Crater
0350 BCE (?) - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Magnetism

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at North Crater

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
0350 BCE
(?)
   - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1680 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Vermillion Chasm to Minidoka-Larkspur
1680 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Vermillion Chasm to Minidoka-Larkspur

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
1680 BCE ± 150 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

2560 BCE ± 100 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Black Top Butte
2560 BCE ± 100 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Black Top Butte

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
2560 BCE ± 100 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

4070 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Big Cinder Butte and vents to the SE
4070 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Big Cinder Butte and vents to the SE

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
4070 BCE ± 50 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

4250 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Sentinel Cone
4250 BCE (?) - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Sentinel Cone

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
4250 BCE
(?)
   - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

4600 BCE ± 100 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Silent Cone
4600 BCE ± 100 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Silent Cone

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
4600 BCE ± 100 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

5470 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Grassy Cone
5470 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Grassy Cone

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Cinder Cone
5470 BCE ± 150 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

5890 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode NW of Echo Crater
5890 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at NW of Echo Crater

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
5890 BCE ± 150 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

8290 BCE Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
9050 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 2 | Eruption Episode
8720 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 3 | Eruption Episode
8290 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

8720 BCE Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
9050 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 2 | Eruption Episode
8720 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 3 | Eruption Episode
8290 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

9050 BCE Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
9050 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 2 | Eruption Episode
8720 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Episode 3 | Eruption Episode
8290 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

10060 BCE Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode Sunset cone
10060 BCE - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Craters of the Moon.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Craters of the Moon.

Photo Gallery

The Highway lava flow forming the black lobe in the center of the photo at the base of the Pioneer Mountains was erupted about 2300 years ago from a vent at or near North Crater, out of view to the right. Two other Craters of the Moon flows, the Devils Orchard and Serrate lava flows, were also erupted at about the same time. The complex vegetated cinder cone to the right of the Highway lava flow is the late Pleistocene Sunset Cone.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
The Blue Dragon lava flow covers about 280 km2 of Craters of the Moon lava field with flat-lying pahoehoe lava. The 3.4 cu km flow, erupted about 2075 years ago, is the largest in the Craters of the Moon volcanic field. It traveled up to 25 km to the east and 15 km to the SW from fissure vents near the center of this photo. The largely pahoehoe lava flow is named for a characteristic iridescent dark- to light-blue, glassy crust.

Photo by Lee Siebert. 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
The ropy surface of pahoehoe lava flows is the dominant lava type at Craters of the Moon. The pahoehoe flows were typically erupted through lava tubes and tube systems. Locally collapse of tube roofs has formed skylights and entrances to lava tunnels that are popular among visitors to the national monument.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
Pressure ridges, formed when moving, still-fluid magma buckled the solidified surfaces of pahoehoe lava flows, are one of the many lava flow features easily observed at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
Silent Cone, the partially forested cinder cone in the background, was the source of lava flows primarily to the south about 6500 years ago. The well-preserved cone of Big Craters in the foreground is one of the youngest features of Craters of the Moon.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
The Big Craters lava flow in the foreground, one of the youngest at the Craters of the Moon, originated about 2200 years ago from vents at the northern base of Big Craters. The flows traveled north before being deflected by the slopes of the Pioneer Mountains in the background and then flowed primarily to the SW.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
The vast extent of the Blue Dragon lava flow, forming the flat area in the middle of the photo, can be appreciated in this view from Big Cinder Butte with Big Southern Butte in the background to the east. The Blue Dragon flow, the largest volume lava flow at Craters of the Moon, covers 280 km2 with 3.4 cu km of lava. The flow was erupted about 2075 years ago and covers broad areas as far as 25 km to the east and 15 km to the SW of its vent area.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
The Craters of the Moon lava field covers 1600 km2 of the Snake River Plain with lava flows erupted from NW-SE-trending fissures and cinder cones. The northern part of the lava field, seen from Big Cinder Butte with the Pioneer Mountains in the background to the north, contains many flows and cinder cones formed during the most recent eruptions about 2300 to 2100 years ago.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).
GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Craters of the Moon in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites