Arco, ID
Sunday, October 4
Plans have a way of changing — good thing we travel with flexibility!
Andi and I planned to leave Idaho early this week, stop in Wyoming for a few days, and then drive to Nebraska to stay with my family next weekend. Unfortunately, my mom has been sick and tested positive for COVID-19. Not only are we really worried about her health, but we also need to change our travel plans as my parents are now quarantining through October 10. Andi and I sat down with a calendar and a map to pencil in a new travel plan for the coming week.
Today, we decided to drive from our current spot in Stanley, Idaho to the small town of Arco, Idaho just outside Craters of the Moon National Monument. On the way, Andi wanted to stop in the small town of Challis. We never know the feeling we’ll get from a town until we visit it. Sometimes Andi or I will see a place on the map that sounds cool for whatever reason (the landscape or something we might’ve heard about it from someone else), but when we get there the town doesn’t appear to be all that special. Other times, we pass through a town and immediately fall in love with it. Our favorite towns to visit seem to be those around 2,000-5,000 people with a cute downtown area. Bonus points if it has a nice bike trail.
Sorry to say, but Challis wasn’t one of those towns - ha! There was nothing much to see, especially on a Sunday morning. Andi and I continued driving to Arco, Idaho which is located just outside Craters of the Moon National Monument. The landscape quickly changed during our two-hour drive from big mountains to flat, grasslands and farming country.
As we pulled into Craters of the Moon National Monument’s visitor center parking lot, Andi and I wondered why this area would have been preserved as a national monument. There were a few black rocks scattered amongst the brown, sage brush fields but nothing spectacular. I picked up a couple “Lunar Ranger” packets from the park ranger’s booth and we set off to find out.
Camping is first-come, first served in Craters of the Moon NM and there was plenty of availability, so Andi and I decided to stay there for the night. We paid for a campsite, parked our RV there, and then set off on our electric bikes to explore the park.
Our first stop along the seven-mile scenic loop was Devil’s Orchard. The 0.5 trail looped through an area that really did feel like a spooky devil’s garden. The dirt on the ground was black and dead witches broom trees & sage brush surrounded us. Even the sidewalks are black inside the park for extra effect.
Next, we hopped on our Rad Power Bikes and pedaled up a big hill to reach Inferno Cone. Now, it was really starting to feel like we were on the moon! The inferno Cone is like a huge hill that towers over the area. There’s a cinder path leading to the top for a gorgeous overlook of the park. Although the 0.5 mile walk up to the top was short, it was steep! The four of us had to catch our breath in the blowing wind.
At first appearance, the ground looked like dirt but it was actually crushed black lava rock. Tory and Aden examined a few lava rocks up close and admired the golden hue to them. It was really neat.
Tory and I wanted to go for a short hike, but Andi and Aden said they were having more fun biking. We decided to compromise and walk a small portion of the Tree Molds trail. It was such a cool, unique place to spend an afternoon.
The final stop along the scenic loop drive were some caves, but they were closed due to COVID. We followed the scenic loop back to the campground to hang out for the rest of the evening. Biking through Craters of the Moon National Monument was such a fun way to see the park up close. There were hardly any other people there when we visited, so we weren’t worried about sharing the road with cars.
At camp, the kids and I worked on their Lunar Ranger books. In the world of COVID, the national park service now deputizes parents to award their children badges after they complete the booklets vs. returning them to a park ranger. Honestly, I much prefer this new method as it takes a lot less time. Tory and Aden completed their booklets and I handed them their badges. DONE.
Andi made chicken teriyaki stir-fry for dinner. We sat outside at the picnic table to eat since it was such a beautiful night. After dinner, the kids snuggled up in the RV with a show while Andi and I walked the campground loop a few times for one of our “RV dates” — the only alone time we get these days.
Andi and I planned to route through Grand Tetons National Park next, but Tory and Aden really want to visit Yellowstone National Park instead. That’s the beauty of RV travel, I suppose. We have the flexibility to change plans! Andi and I believe Tory and Aden have some say in our travel plans, too, so we’re making our way toward West Yellowstone tomorrow.
