Could the area erupt again?

Yes, scientists expect future eruptions

Craters of the Moon Quiz: Idaho Lava Fields and Cinder Cones

This Craters of the Moon quiz walks across the black lava of Idaho's Snake River Plain. Play 10 interactive questions on the Great Rift, eruptions from 15,000 to about 2,000 years ago, pahoehoe and aa lava, spatter cones, Inferno Cone, lava tube caves, Apollo astronauts training in 1969, dwarf buckwheat and whether it will erupt again.

Start Craters of the Moon Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

State
Which state is Craters of the Moon in?
Rift
Which crack in the Earth fed the eruptions?
Age
When did the lava flows erupt?
Smooth
What is ropy, smooth lava called?
Rough
What is jagged, rubbly lava called?
Cone
Which feature forms when blobs of lava pile up at a vent?
Tubes
What are lava tubes?
Apollo
Who trained at Craters of the Moon in 1969?
Plant
Which small plant spreads its roots widely in cinders?
Future
Could the area erupt again?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which state is Craters of the Moon in?
Answer: Idaho
It is on the Snake River Plain.
Q2: Which crack in the Earth fed the eruptions?
Answer: The Great Rift
It runs for dozens of miles.
Q3: When did the lava flows erupt?
Answer: From about 15,000 to 2,000 years ago
They are geologically young.
Q4: What is ropy, smooth lava called?
Answer: Pahoehoe
The word comes from Hawaiian.
Q5: What is jagged, rubbly lava called?
Answer: Aa
It is hard to walk on.
Q6: Which feature forms when blobs of lava pile up at a vent?
Answer: Spatter cone
They look like little volcanoes.
Q7: What are lava tubes?
Answer: Caves left by flowing lava
Visitors can explore some with lights.
Q8: Who trained at Craters of the Moon in 1969?
Answer: Apollo astronauts
They studied volcanic geology.
Q9: Which small plant spreads its roots widely in cinders?
Answer: Dwarf buckwheat
Its roots spread far to find water.
Q10: Could the area erupt again?
Answer: Yes, scientists expect future eruptions
The Great Rift is still active.

Lava Fields, Cinder Cones and Moon Training

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve covers a vast field of black lava on Idaho's Snake River Plain. Eruptions along the Great Rift, a long crack in the Earth's crust, built these flows from about 15,000 to 2,000 years ago, and scientists expect more in the future.

Visitors see smooth, ropy pahoehoe lava and jagged aa lava, spatter cones built from blobs of molten rock, and cinder cones like Inferno Cone. Lava tubes, caves left behind when flowing lava drained away, can be explored with a flashlight and a free permit.

In 1969 Apollo astronauts trained here to learn volcanic geology before going to the Moon. Life is tough on the cinders, but plants like dwarf buckwheat survive by spreading their roots widely to find water. The monument is also known for very dark night skies.

What This Quiz Teaches

Geology fans will enjoy these questions.

How the lava formed
Which lava types exist
Which features to explore
Who trained there
How life survives

Did You Know?

Cave visitors need a permit to protect bats.
Summer cinders can get very hot.
Wildflowers bloom across the cinders in spring.
A loop road links the main sites.
Kipukas are islands of older land surrounded by lava.