Just 15,000 years ago, huge volumes of lava welled up from fissures in the ground known as the Great Rift. This area is part of the ancestral land of the Shoshonean, or Newenee, Native American tribe. These lava fields were designated a National Monument and Preserve in 1924. It is located about 20 miles southwest from Arco, Idaho.
Sagebrush and twisted trees add to the other-worldly feel of the park. There are hiking trails and picnic areas, as well as a visitor’s center.
Geologist Harold Stearns described the area in 1924 as “the surface of the moon as seen through a telescope.” The strange landscape added to local legends and folklore. It is an eerie experience to walk through the park.
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