Great Rift Science Symposium Field Trips

Leader: Doug Owen, Geologist, Craters of the Moon Park

The Craters of the Moon Visitors Center will be the first stop on this tour. Then we will head out into the park to examine spatter cones, volcanic vents, cinder cones, Broken Top Loop, lava-tube caves, and many other world-class examples of rift volcanism. In addition to geology, this tour will provide opportunities to study plant and animal adaptation in an extreme volcanic desert environment. Teachers will gain insight into learning opportunities at Craters of the Moon National Monument and the Great Rift. This bus tour includes waypoint stops and several short hikes.

Bring: Camera, hiking boots, jacket, water, and wind/rain protective clothing.
Cost: $20 (includes lunch)
When: This 1-day tour will be offered both Saturday, October 8th and Sunday October 9th
Limit: 50 people/day

Geology of the South Great Rift Volcanic Zone

Leaders: Mel Kuntz and Duane Champion, U.S. Geological Survey

The northern part of the Great Rift (at Craters of the Moon National Monument) receives much attention, but the southern port of the Great Rift has amazing and perhaps equally remarkable volcanic features. Recent geologic mapping, paleomagnetic studies, and argon-argon dating provide a new perspective on the geologic evolution of the southern part of the Great Rift volcanic rift zone. Led by two of the premier scientific investigators of Great Rift geology, this tour interprets various volcanic processes and how they produced the remarkable and unique volcanic features of the Great Rift. Visit Creon’s Cave, King’s Bowl, Cottrell’s Blowout, Inferno Chasm, and the Wapi lava field, among other features. This van/Suburban tour includes waypoint stops, short hikes, and includes a printed field guide.

Bring: Camera, hiking boots, jacket, water, and wind/rain protective clothing.
Cost: $20 (includes lunch)
When: This 1-day trip will be offered both Saturday, October 8th and Sunday October 9th. Saturday trip is full.
Limit: 24 people/day

King’s Bowl/South Grotto/Pillar Butte/Wapi Lava Field

Leaders: Scott Hughes, Professor and Chair, Geosciences, Idaho State University, and David Freiberg, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Bureau of Land Management

Hike on a lava lake, discover a steam-blast explosion crater, peer into the Great Rift eruptive fissure system, climb one of the world’s largest spatter cones, and hike across the Wapi lava field to Pillar Butte eruptive center on this tour of some of Craters of the Moon National Monument’s most spectacular and accessible geologic features. This van/Suburban vehicle tour and lava hike takes place in the southern part of the Monument. In addition to several short walks, the hike to Pillar Butte covers three miles round-trip over open lava and can be moderately strenuous. Includes printed field guide.

Bring: Camera, hiking boots, jacket, water, and wind/rain protective clothing.
Cost: $20 (includes lunch)
When: Saturday, October 8th
Limit: 24 people

Lava Tube Cave Tour

Leaders: Silver Sage Grotto (National Speleological Society) of Twin Falls

Venture into the underground wilderness. Learn about the primary mechanism of lava transport and volcanic genesis through a tour of Government Cave, a public land lava-tube. This one-day tour will provide an in-depth look at lava-tube formation, caving practices, volunteer cave management, cave conservation and ecosystems, cave education opportunities and learning environments. This van/Suburban vehicle tour includes waypoint stops, a cave hike, and other short hikes. Helmets, headlamps and knee pads will be provided.

Bring: Camera, hiking boots, jacket, water, and wind/rain protective clothing.
Cost: $20 (includes lunch)
When: Sunday, October 9th
Limit: 24 people

Laidlaw Park/Lava Lake trip has been cancelled.