|
Arco is an Outdoor Wonderland
Gateway to Craters of the Moon
The unearthly lava landscape of Craters of the Moon National Monument attracts nearly a quarter million visitors each year. The monument also offers local residents a variety of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in a one-of-a-kind setting. The park has the youngest lava features of any of the contiguous 48 states. It also provides guided activities and programs in the summer and cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The monument is the prefect place for seeing wildflowers, bird watching, photography, biking, hiking, camping, and just finding a bit of solitude. The monument offers both developed sites as well as an area the size of Rhode Island to roam about on your own. Only a small portion is readily accessed from the visitors center and the road in from that point. The remainder of the vast quarter of a million acre monument is accessible by foot, or 4X4 outside of the wilderness area.
The Big Lost River and Pioneer Mountains
Recreational opportunities abound in the National Forest that surrounds Arco. Fishing in the Big Lost River and Mackay Reservoir, hunting for deer, elk, and other game animals in the foothills, and snowmobiling up Antelope Canyon or the Copper Basin are just a few of the activities available. Hang gliders launch off of mountain slopes, campers head for the forest, and hikers take off on trails into alpine lakes. All of this is available within a short distance of Arco.
Snake River Plain
A vast area of sagebrush and lava, this high desert is a stark contrast to the mountain ranges that border it. Most of it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the area offers a whole new set of recreational possibilities. Visitors can camp, look at wildflowers, ride all-terrain vehicles, hunt, and explore areas such as Kings Bowl, a huge blow out in the lava caused by hot magma exploding as it contacted water just below the earth's surface. The Big Southern Butte is also in the snake river plain, and is a national natural landmark volcano that juts nearly 1/2 mile from the plain. There is a road to the top, and the view from the top offers a panorama of mountains and plains that stretch for hundreds of miles in all directions.
|
