Boondocking near Craters of the Moon National Monument
Craters of the Moon is located in south-central Idaho, has 3 lava fields, and contains many protected volcanic features. It truly exceeded our expectations and I think it’s a must-see if you’re ever near the area! After two days of exploring, we can’t say enough how awesome Craters of the Moon National Monument is.
Where we stayed
We boondocked at Honey’s RV Park, which is by far the most unique place we’ve ever parked our RV!
Honey’s RV Park isn’t really an RV park. It’s an 8 acre property that a man named Scar bought years ago and started allowing RVers and tent campers to stay for free.
There is no water or sewer on the property, but he has installed numerous 50amp hookups for his guests to use…for free! For water and sewer, you can use the KOA campround next door or the Conoco gas station around the corner.
Scar invites travelers to stay on his property with no requirement other than to read his website before you come and to follow his rules (and make sure you follow them!)
Scar lives in a skoolie on the land and has created a super unique area for visitors to enjoy. It’s only about 20 minutes from Craters of the Moon, located in Arco, Idaho. His biggest rules are:
Drive no faster than 5MPH on his land
Do not feed his dog or leave food out that she could get, because she has allergies
Be polite, decent, and respectful
What’s so unique about this place?
He has several shared amenities for his guests such as a beer fridge, a library and a coffee area He has an American flag which he salutes each morning and evening, as the pledge of allegiance is played over a loud speaker along with the national anthem.
There is a scavenger hunt he created for kids, that prompts them to run all over the property looking for answers. He’s also got a quirky sense of humor, and you must read all his signs posted and writings scribbled on the buses. There are memorials of his former pets around the property. He has a campfire each evening and all are welcome to join. 🔥
If you are looking for a free, safe, wide-open space for your kids to be able to run around freely, this is the place! We really enjoyed our time here, and the fact that we got to meet up with old college buddies that we haven’t seen in years in this spot will forever be great memories for us. 💛
We highly recommend paying Scar a visit if you’re visiting Craters of the Moon. You must read the rules on his website before arriving and be respectful of his rules. Introduce yourself when you arrive and be sure and leave a donation in the box when you leave!
Craters of the Moon - Day 1
On the first day we visited the Visitor Center, got the kids junior ranger books, and then drove the 7 mile loop that takes you all around the park. We stopped at some hikes/walks that allowed us to check out the unique features and it was a lot of fun.
All of the hikes were short, which allowed us to do multiple hikes throughout the park and see a lot
Our Day 1 Hikes:
Devils Orchard Trail - 0.5 miles, paved (loop)
Spatter Cones Trail - 0.1 miles, paved
Inferno Cone Climb - 0.4 miles (steep but relatively easy)
While all three hikes are worth doing, Inferno Cone was probably our favorite. At the top of the cone, you get an amazing 360-degree panoramic view of the entire national monument. We were told that on a clear day, you can see the Teton Range, which is about 100 miles to the east. It was very cloudy during our visit, which we actually loved as it added to the moon-vibe of the place. All the pictures below are from the Inferno Cone Climb.
Craters of the Moon - Day 2
The second day was cave day! Exploring the caves at Craters of the Moon was one of our favorite things about this place. Day 2 was sunny and hot, so going into caves where it was cool was perfect.
**To hike in the caves of Craters of the Moon, you need a free permit, which are available at the visitor center.
There are over 500 documented caves within the monument currently! Not all of them are open to explore though, as of them are closed to protect sensitive populations of bats and other wildlife that find refuge in them.
Indian Tunnel was our first cave to explore. There were many “skylights” during this cave hike, so it rarely got too dark to see and we didn’t need our flashlights.
The second cave we explored was Boy Scout Cave, which was more of a traditional cave…completely pitch black! There is a collapse at the center of this tube, creating two small crawl entrances going in opposite directions, giving you a choice of which direction to go. We ended up doing both sides.
The easier side (which will be pretty obvious when you see it) is about a four foot crawl space at the opening that opens up to a much bigger area a few feet into the tunnel. The rest of the cave stays pretty big (you can fully stand up throughout the cave). It can get pretty slippery down there because of all the ice, so watch your step!
The other side has a very small, more difficult opening, and it doesn’t get much easier! You’ll have to crawl through a one-foot tall crawl-space that leads to the rear exit of the cave, not for the faint of heart! This is the most adventurous cave, definitely not for those afraid of the dark or tight spaces.
