Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve

Idaho

National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Department of the Interior

 CRATERS OF THE MOON

NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
FRONT AND BACK COVER PHOTOS BY DAVE CLARK.

USED BY PERMISSION
Craters of the Moon 

National Monument 

and Preserve

Monument 

Management Plan

U.S. Department of the Interior,

National Park Service 

and Bureau of Land Management

Overview

This Monument Management

Plan documents the overall management strategy, developed by

the National Park Service and

Bureau of Land Management, for

Craters of the Moon National

Monument and Preserve. This

document summarizes the selected alternative from the Proposed

Plan / Final Environmental Impact

Statement (July 2005). The

Record of Decision, approved by

both agencies in September

2006, is included in this document as an appendix. The Record

of Decision includes a summary

of changes to the plan made following release of the Proposed

Plan / Final Environmental Impact

Statement in response to public

and interagency review.

TABLE OF CONTENTS v

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

MONUMENT OVERVIEW 3

Monument History 3

Monument Description 4

DIRECTION FOR THE PLAN 6

Purpose 6

Significance 6

Mission Goals 7

POLICY AND PLANNING 7

ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN 9

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM 9

NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM 9

CHAPTER 2: THE PLAN 11

DESCRIPTION OF MANAGEMENT ZONES 13

ROAD AND TRAIL CLASSIFICATIONS 15

BOUNDARIES 16

Monument Boundaries 16

National Preserve Boundaries 17

Boundary Modifications 17

MANAGEMENT OF MONUMENT RESOURCES 17

Natural Resources 18

Cultural Resources 35

Native American Rights and Interests and Ethnographic Resources 39

Land Use and Transportation 42

Visitor Experience 53

Social and Economic Conditons 61

Research 61

CHAPTER 3: THE IMPLEMENTATION 65

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY 67

FUTURE PLANNING NEEDS 67

Travel Management Plan 67

NPS Resource Stewardship Strategy 68

Fire Management Plan 68

Wilderness / Wilderness Study Area Management Plan 68

Long-Range Interpretive Plan 68

Cave Management Plan 68

Cultural Resources Management Plan 68

Integrated Pest Management Plan(s) 68
vi CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Kings Bowl Development Concept Plan 69

Volcanic Hazards Analysis and Response Plan 69

Sign Plan 69

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE RESPONSIBILITIES 69

CONSULTATION, COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION 69

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS 70

Relationship to Current BLM Plans and Policies 71

Relationship to Current NPS Plans and Policies 72

Relationship to Other Plans and Policies 72

PLAN EVALUATION 72

CHANGING THE PLAN 73

Maintenance 73

Amendment 73

APPENDIXES 99

APPENDIX A: RECORD OF DECISION 101

APPENDIX B: PROCLAMATIONS AND ENABLING LEGISLATION 115

APPENDIX C: BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS 133

GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 141

GLOSSARY 143

BIBLIOGRAPHY 151

LIST OF PREPARERS 155

INDEX 157
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

FIGURES 75

FIGURE 1. REGIONAL LOCATION 77

FIGURE 2. PLANNING AREA 79

FIGURE 3. THE PLAN 81

FIGURE 4. TRAVEL AND ACCESS 83

FIGURE 5. VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION 85

FIGURE 6. BIOTIC INTEGRITY 87

FIGURE 7. LAND STATUS 89

FIGURE 8. VALID EXISTING RIGHTS 91

FIGURE 9. SPECIAL DESIGNATION AREAS 93

FIGURE 10. IDFG GAME MANAGEMENT UNITS 95

FIGURE 11. VISUAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 

CLASSIFICATION 97

TABLES

TABLE 1. MANAGEMENT ZONES 14

TABLE 2. ROAD AND TRAIL INVENTORY BY 

MANAGEMENT ZONE 16

TABLE 3. APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF EACH VEGETATION TYPE IN THE MONUMENT AND 

PERCENTAGE THAT OCCURS IN EACH FIRE CONDITION CLASS 25

TABLE 4. SPECIAL STATUS ANIMAL SPECIES IN THE MONUMENT 31

TABLE 5. ROADS WITHIN THE MONUMENT 42

TABLE 6. LANDOWNERSHIP 48

TABLE 7. VALID EXISTING RIGHTS 48

TABLE 8. SUMMARY OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS 51

 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 3

MONUMENT OVERVIEW

This document is the Craters of the Moon

National Monument and Preserve

Management Plan (Monument

Management Plan or Management Plan),

which sets forth the future direction for

the use and management of the

Monument. It includes the Record of

Decision (see Appendix A). This plan covers all federal lands added by

Proclamation 7373 and the original NPS

Monument. It addresses the direction set

forth in the proclamation and the designation of National Preserve status for NPS

lands. The Bureau of Land Management

and the National Park Service manage

separate portions of the area according to

different laws, regulations, and policies.

However, this plan provides a jointly

developed framework for cooperative

management of the entire area by both

agencies. It serves as a combined

Resource Management Plan (RMP) /

General Management Plan (GMP) to

replace portions of four existing BLM

resource management plans and one NPS

general management plan. From here on,

any reference to “the Monument” refers

to all lands within the current Monument

boundaries, including the BLM National

Monument, the NPS National Monument,

and the NPS National Preserve.

This Monument Management Plan provides a framework for proactive decisionmaking, including decisions on visitor use

as well as on managing and preserving

natural and cultural resources. It prescribes the resource conditions and visitor

experiences that are to be achieved and

maintained in the Monument over time.

Where law, policy, or regulations do not

provide clear guidance, management decisions have been based on the Monument’s

purpose, public concerns, and analysis of

social and resource impacts of alternative

courses of action, including long-term

operational costs.

This document does not describe how

particular programs or projects will be

implemented or prioritized. Those decisions will be deferred to more detailed

activity-level implementation plans, which

will follow this document. Chapter 3

describes the implementation of this

Management Plan in more detail.

For more detailed information regarding

the planning process, alternatives, and

environmental analysis, readers should

refer to the Proposed Monument

Management Plan / Final Environmental

Impact Statement (USDI NPS and BLM

2005).

MONUMENT HISTORY

Craters of the Moon National Monument,

the first national monument in Idaho, was

established on May 2, 1924 (Presidential

Proclamation 1694), to protect some of

the unusual landscape of the Craters of

the Moon Lava Field. This “lunar” landscape was thought to resemble that of the

moon and was described in the proclamation as “a weird and scenic landscape

peculiar to itself.”

Since 1924, the original Monument was

expanded and boundary adjustments

were made through five presidential

proclamations issued pursuant to the

Antiquities Act (34 Statute 225, 16 U.S.

Code 431). Presidential Proclamation

1843 of July 23, 1928, expanded the NPS

Monument to include certain springs for

water supply and additional features of

scientific interest. Further adjustments to

the boundaries were made in Presidential

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

CINDER GARDEN
4 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Proclamation 1916 of July 9, 1930;

Presidential Proclamation 2499 of July 18,

1941; and Presidential Proclamation 3506

of November 19, 1962. In 1996, Section

205 of the Omnibus Parks and Public

Lands Management Act of 1996 (PL 104-

333, 110 Statute 4093, 4106) made a minor

boundary adjustment to the original NPS

Monument.

Presidential Proclamation 7373 of

November 9, 2000, expanded the boundary to 737,700 acres of federal land (from

about 53,400 acres) to include many more

of the area’s volcanic features — including

the 60-mile-long Great Rift. It also

enlarged the Monument’s administration

by adding the efforts of the Bureau of

Land Management to those of the

National Park Service, all under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior.

Federal legislation (PL 107-213, 116

Statute 1052), on August 21, 2002, made

one further adjustment by designating the

area within the expanded NPS boundaries

of Craters of the Moon National

Monument as a National Preserve, allowing hunting on lands that were closed to

this activity by the November 2000 proclamation. Appendix B provides copies of

the proclamations and legislation related

to creation of the current Monument and

Preserve.

MONUMENT DESCRIPTION

Craters of the Moon National Monument

and Preserve is in South Central Idaho

(see Figure 1) in Blaine, Butte, Lincoln,

Minidoka, and Power Counties. It is within a one- to two-hour drive of Twin Falls,

Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and other population centers along the Interstate 84 (I-84),

I-86, and I-15 corridors.

The Monument contains the youngest and

most geologically diverse section of

basaltic lava terrain found on the Eastern

Snake River Plain, an extensive area of

volcanic formations that reaches across

southern Idaho east to Yellowstone

National Park. It includes three distinct

lava fields: Craters of the Moon, Kings

Bowl, and Wapi. The Craters of the Moon

Lava Field is the largest basaltic lava field

of predominantly Holocene age (less than

10,000 years old) in the conterminous

United States.

The Monument also protects most of the

Great Rift area, which includes the

numerous lava flows and other discharge

from the Great Rift volcanic rift zone. It

compares in significance to other volcanic

rift zones such as those found in Hawaii

and Iceland. The Great Rift varies in

width between 1 and 5 miles and extends

for more than 50 miles.

A VIEW OF THE 

PIONEER MOUNTAINS

FROM BIG CINDER

BUTTE.
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 5

Many features and structures associated

with basaltic volcanism are represented in

the Great Rift zone, including various

kinds of lava flows, volcanic cones, and

lava tubes. There are also lava-cave features such as lava stalactites and curbs,

explosion pits, lava lakes, squeeze-ups,

basalt mounds, an ash blanket, and low

shield volcanoes. Some lava flows within

the Great Rift zone diverged around areas

of higher ground and rejoined downstream to form isolated islands of older

terrain surrounded by new lava. These

areas are called “kipukas.” In many

instances, the expanse of rugged lava surrounding these small pockets of soil has

protected the kipukas from people, animals, and even exotic plants. As a result,

these kipukas represent some of the last

undisturbed vegetation communities on

the Snake River Plain.

Young (dominantly Holocene) lava flows

and other features cover about 450,000

acres of the Monument. The remaining

300,000 acres in the Monument are also

volcanic in origin, but older in age and

covered with a thicker mantle of soil. This

older terrain supports a sagebrush

(Artemisia spp.) steppe ecosystem consisting of diverse communities of grasses,

sagebrush, and shrubs and provides habitat for a variety of wildlife. This area also

includes lava tube caves, older volcanic

formations, and volcanic buttes.

Approximately 70% of the Monument is

in Wilderness Study Area status or designated Wilderness. The Craters of the

Moon Wilderness, designated in 1970, is

located south of U.S. Highway 20/26/93

(US 20/26/93) within the original

Monument. A substantial portion of each

of four Wilderness Study Areas within the

Monument includes lava flows administered by the National Park Service.

Both the Great Rift zone and sagebrush

steppe ecosystem contain a wealth of cultural resources dating back to the last volcanic eruptions, which were likely witnessed by the Shoshone people. Today,

local tribes and communities, as well as

visitors and other stakeholders, have an

interest in the Monument.

Most visitor and educational opportunities are located near US 20/26/93 between

the “gateway” communities of Carey and

Arco in the north. In addition to guided

walks and programs by BLM and NPS

staff, the Monument has several self-interpreting trails with waysides and a 7-mile

loop drive. Facilities include a visitor center complex, which consists of a campground, museum, and bookstore.

When the original NPS Monument was

expanded in November 2000, lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management

were included from three field offices of

the Upper Snake River District (Burley,

Idaho Falls, and Shoshone field offices).

On October 1, 2004, Idaho BLM district

boundaries were realigned and the Twin

Falls District was created. As a result, the

Craters of the Moon National Monument

and Preserve lies entirely within the BLM

Shoshone Field Office, which is now part

of the Twin Falls District.

FROM NORTH LAIDLAW BUTTE

LAVA FLOWS EXTEND IN ALL

DIRECTIONS.
6 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

DIRECTION FOR THE PLAN

Monument purpose, significant features,

and agency mission and mandates (laws)

form the basis for management decisions

and planning. Decisions about the management of resources are generally measured against these elements to determine

activities that may be acceptable in the

Monument.

PURPOSE

Purpose statements are the foundation for

all subsequent decisions and qualify the

language used in the proclamation and

legislation to more clearly state why the

Monument was established. They are the

specific reasons why this area warrants

National Monument status. Based upon

the proclamations and legislation (see

Appendix B), the purposes of Craters of

the Moon National Monument and

Preserve are as follows:

• Safeguard the volcanic features and geologic processes of the Great Rift.

• Provide scientific, educational, and

interpretive opportunities for the public

to foster an understanding and appreciation of the volcanic geology and associated natural phenomena.

• Maintain the wilderness character of the

Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area

and of the Wilderness Study Areas.

• Perpetuate the scenic vistas and great

open western landscapes for future generations.

• Protect kipukas and remnant vegetation

areas and preserve important habitat for

Greater sage-grouse, a BLM sensitive

species.

• Continue the historic and traditional

human relationships with the land that

have existed on much of this landscape

for generations.

SIGNIFICANCE

Significance statements are also drawn

from the proclamations establishing

Craters of the Moon National Monument,

as well as other descriptive documents.

Significance statements explain what

resources and values warrant the area’s

designation as a National Monument.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

and Preserve is significant because of the

following:

• It contains a remarkable and unusual

diversity of exquisitely preserved volcanic features, including nearly all of the

familiar features of purely basaltic volcanism — craters, cones, lava flows,

caves, and fissures.

• It contains most of the Great Rift area —

the deepest known land-based open volcanic rift, and the longest volcanic rift in

the continental United States.

• It contains many diverse habitats for

plants and animals as a result of a long

history of volcanic deposition.

• Many of the more than 500 kipukas contain representative vegetative communities that have been largely undisturbed

by human activity. These communities

serve as key benchmarks for scientific

study of long-term ecological changes to

AN AERIAL VIEW OF CAREY KIPUKA. the plants and animals of sagebrush
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 7

steppe communities throughout the

Snake River Plain.

• It contains the largest remaining land

area within the Snake River Plain still

retaining its wilderness character. The

Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area

and Wilderness Study Areas within the

Monument encompass more than onehalf million acres of undeveloped federal

lands.

• It contains abundant sagebrush steppe

communities that provide some of the

best remaining Greater sage-grouse

habitat and healthiest rangelands on the

Snake River Plain.

• It is a valued western landscape of more

than 750,000 acres that are characterized

by a variety of scenery, broad open vistas, pristine air quality, and a rich human

history.

MISSION GOALS

The following statements are general

desired future conditions, or mission

goals, for the Monument. These goals

incorporate mandates required of

Monument management and include

input solicited from the public on how

they would like to see this area managed.

• The Monument protects, restores, and

monitors the geological features, the

native biological communities, and the

viewscape that characterize the Great

Rift area.

• The public enjoys a range of recreational

and educational opportunities compatible with protecting Monument

resources.

•The Craters of the Moon Wilderness

Area and the Wilderness Study Areas

retain natural conditions and remarkable

opportunities for solitude.

•The public has opportunities to learn

about and appreciate the Monument’s

diverse history, prehistory, and important cultural resources.

•The livestock permittees work with the

Bureau of Land Management to develop

management actions to achieve sustainable, healthy rangelands.

•The public receives efficient and coordinated services from the National Park

Service and the Bureau of Land

Management.

POLICY AND PLANNING

BLM planning regulations and NPS directives require preparation of planning criteria to guide development of all resource

management plans / general management

plans. Planning criteria are the constraints,

or ground rules, that guide and direct the

development of the plan. They influence

all aspects of the planning process, including inventory and data collection, formulation of alternatives, estimation of effects,

and ultimately the selection of a preferred

alternative. They ensure that plans are tailored to the identified issues and that

unnecessary data collection and analyses

are avoided. Planning criteria are based

primarily on standards prescribed by

applicable laws and regulations and

agency guidance; consultation with federally recognized tribes; coordination with

other federal, state, and local agencies;

input from the public; analysis of information pertinent to the planning area; and

professional judgment.

The National Park Service and the Bureau

of Land Management jointly developed

the planning criteria for this planning area

(see Figure 2), although the authorities of

each agency differ. Each agency’s authorities have their origin in separate and different enabling legislation and proclamations. As a result, some planning criteria

are specific to one agency or the other.

Other laws, such as the Clean Water Act,

apply equally to both agencies. A single set

of planning criteria served to guide the

development of a single Management Plan

for the Craters of the Moon National

Monument and Preserve. (See the

Proposed Monument Management Plan /

Final Environmental Impact Statement,
8 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Appendix F, for more information on

these planning criteria.)

BLM and NPS staff developed management alternatives for the Monument

based upon public responses to newsletters and public meetings, as well as input

from staffs of both agencies. National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and BLM and NPS planning regulations require the formulation of a reasonable range of alternatives that seek to

address identified planning issues and

management concerns. Each alternative

was evaluated to ensure that it would be

consistent with the area’s purpose and significance; the mission goals for the

Monument; and current laws, regulations,

and policy.

The four management alternatives developed for the Monument were:

Alternative A — No-action Alternative

(required by NEPA) — retained current

management of the Monument

Alternative B — Placed emphasis on a broad

array of visitor experiences within the

Monument

Alternative C — Placed emphasis on retention

and enhancement of the Monument’s primitive character

Alternative D — Placed emphasis on protection and restoration of physical and biological resources (the preferred alternative)

Each alternative had a somewhat different

concept, defined in terms of area allocations into different management zones.

Each alternative also varied somewhat in

desired future conditions and management prescriptions for various resource

topics. All alternatives provided the high

degree of protection for Monument

resources required by Proclamation 7373.

Planning provides an opportunity to create a vision and to define the Monument’s

role in relation to its national, historic, and

communal settings. The planning process

is designed to provide decision-makers

with adequate information about

resources, impacts, and costs. Analyzing

the Monument in relation to its surrounding natural, historic, and communal setting, as well as future challenges, helped

managers and staff understand how the

Monument could interrelate with neighbors and others in systems that are ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable. Decisions made within this planning context are more likely to be successful over time and promote more efficient

use of public funds.

The plan will now be implemented, subject to available funding and additional

environmental analysis for site-specific

actions. The most dynamic parts of

resource management planning are the

activity-level implementation plans that

are prepared to implement the decisions

in the Management Plan. These implementation plans may change as often as

necessary to accommodate new information. Examples of implementation plans

that may be necessary at the Monument

are listed under “Future Planning Needs”

in Chapter 3.

The “Management of Monument

Resources” section in Chapter 2 is organized by resource topic. This guidance in

essence is the selected Alternative (D),

which represents the desired future conditions and management actions for each

resource. Desired future condition statements describe the preferred long-term

condition for specific resources or activities. Future decisions and actions by management will be judged by whether they

further progress towards these desired

conditions. Management actions describe

specific activities that help to achieve the

desired future conditions.

ORGANIZATION

OF THE PLAN

This Management Plan contains three

chapters:
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 9

Chapter 1 (this section) includes background information; plan direction;

the purpose, significance, and mission of the Monument; an overview

of the planning process; and the mission and objectives of the BLM’s

National Landscape Conservation

System and the National Park System.

Chapter 2 contains resource- and program-specific desired future conditions and related management actions

grouped by resource topic.

Chapter 3 includes information on how

the Management Plan will be implemented. Topics covered include

future planning needs; compliance

responsibilities; relationship to other

plans policies, and programs; evaluation of the plan; and future changes

to the plan.

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE

CONSERVATION SYSTEM

Craters of the Moon National Monument is a part of a larger system within

the Bureau of Land Management — the

National Landscape Conservation System

(NLCS). The overarching mission of the

National Landscape Conservation System

is to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes recognized for

their outstanding cultural, ecological, and

scientific values. The National Landscape

Conservation System assembles BLM’s

premier conservation designations,

including National Monuments,

Wilderness, and Wilderness Study Areas,

into an organized system to increase public awareness of the cultural, scientific,

educational, ecological, and other values

associated with these areas. An essential

consideration in developing this

Management Plan was that it be consistent

with the overall vision of the Conservation

System.

Five NLCS objectives help to achieve this

vision:

• Above all, commit to conserving, protecting, and restoring special values of

the landscape, as directed by BLM’s

organic act (Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976, as amended).

• Sustain local heritage and natural

resources through cooperation with

local communities and stakeholders.

• Continue to manage compatible uses

and valid existing rights, consistent with

the values for which the special area is

federally recognized.

• Provide opportunities for public education and individual exploration of special landscapes.

• Foster and support scientific research to

acquire a better understanding of how

best to manage these landscapes.

NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

The original Craters of the Moon National

Monument and Craters of the Moon

National Preserve are units of the

National Park System. The National Park

System consists of more than 388 units,

encompassing 84 million acres in 49

states, the District of Columbia, American

Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin

Islands, which collectively represent the

diverse natural and cultural heritage of

our nation. All units of this system are

managed according to the NPS Organic

Act of 1916 and the NPS General

Authorities Act of 1970, including amendments to the latter law enacted in 1978.

The key management-related provision of

the Organic Act is:

[The National Park Service] shall

promote and regulate the use of the

Federal areas known as national

parks, monuments, and reservations

hereinafter specified ... by such

means and measures as conform to

the fundamental purpose of the said

parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve

the scenery and the natural and
historic objects and the wild life

therein and to provide for the

enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave

them unimpaired for the enjoyment

of future generations (16 U.S. Code

1).

The fundamental purposes of these two

national systems have been brought

together at Craters of the Moon National

Monument and Preserve to enhance protection of nationally significant natural

and cultural resources while retaining

many of the traditional uses of the land.

10 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
 Chapter 2

THE PLAN

Chapter 2: THE PLAN 13

The key components of the Craters of the

Moon National Monument and Preserve

Management Plan are as follows:

• Promotes use of partnerships at off-site

facilities such as visitor centers, state

parks, and gateway communities to provide Monument information and interpretation.

• Emphasizes protection of vegetation

resources in North Laidlaw Park.

• Maintains a road network suitable for

aggressive fire management within the

Monument.

• Encourages outfitter and guide services

in the expanded portion of the

Monument instead of new agency-provided services and facilities.

• Supports a large and proactive integrated

weed management program.

• Proactively protects and restores sagebrush steppe communities.

• Continues to focus visitor experience

within the Monument on the existing

NPS lands and facilities at the north end

of the Monument.

DESCRIPTION OF 

MANAGEMENT ZONES

All federal lands within the Monument are

assigned to one of the four management

zones (see Figure 3 and Table 1). The management zones — Frontcountry, Passage,

Primitive, and Pristine — guide future

management

actions within the

Monument.

Management zones

are tools that help guide decision-making

on appropriate visitor uses, facility development, and other uses. Management

zones do not address natural and cultural

resource management. Management zoning is established throughout the planning

area to provide and maintain a range of

recreation and access for different usertypes with varying interests and abilities.

Each separate zone has distinct settings to

be provided and maintained. Physical settings consider the degree of naturalness

and amount and type of facilities, as well

as proximity to roads. Social settings consider the number of contacts with other

people, the size of groups, and evidence of

other users. Managerial settings consider

the amount of visitor management used to

achieve desired social and resource conditions, the compatibility of traditional land

uses with the recreational environment,

and the type of access and vehicle use

allowed in the area.

Although different management emphasis

will be applied in each of the management

zones of the Monument, the actions of

managers must always be consistent with

the purposes for which the Monument

was established, applicable laws, regulations and policies, and with the mission

goals identified in Chapter 1.

Chapter 2: THE PLAN

AREAS ZONED AS PRISTINE 

ARE UNDEVELOPED AND 

PROVIDE A WILD EXPERIENCE.

DEVELOPED TRAILS IN THE

FRONTCOUNTRY ZONE PROVIDE ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF

VOLCANIC FEATURES.
TABLE 1. MANAGEMENT ZONES

FRONTCOUNTRY ZONE PASSAGE ZONE PRIMITIVE ZONE PRISTINE ZONE 

Basic Concept 

The frontcountry zone is 

defined by structures and 

grounds provided for visitor 

support services such as 

information, education, and 

recreation. Access will be easy 

and convenient, and the 

encounter rate very high. High 

maintenance and intervention 

will be required to 

accommodate concentrated 

visitor use. Challenge and 

adventure is less important 

compared to other zones. 

Zone corridor will be 660 feet 

wide along roads. 

The passage zone is intended 

to accommodate the flow of 

people and vehicles from one 

place to another and to 

provide minimal 

accommodations such as 

parking, trailheads, primitive 

campsites, and information 

kiosks or signs for people 

preparing to venture into the 

Primitive and/or Pristine Zones 

of the Monument. Where the 

zone is only a narrow corridor 

following a road (660 feet 

wide), the expectation is that a 

particular road will be 

maintained to a consistent 

standard along the length of 

the corridor, normally a Class 

B or Class C road from one 

end of the corridor to the 

other. 

The primitive zone provides an 

undeveloped, primitive, and 

self-directed visitor experience 

while accommodating 

motorized and mechanized 

access on designated routes. 

Facilities will be rare and 

provided only where essential 

for resource protection. 

The pristine zone includes 

mostly lava flows, designated 

Wilderness, and Wilderness 

Study Areas. This zone 

provides an undeveloped, 

primitive, and self-directed 

visitor experience, generally 

without motorized or 

mechanical access. Facilities 

will be virtually nonexistent. 

High chance for encounters 

with people. 

Medium chance for 

encounters with people. 

Low chance for encounters 

with people. 

High chance for solitude. 

Travel on paved, improved, or 

maintained roads. 

Travel on higher level of road 

maintenance than the 

Primitive Zone. 

Travel on low-standard roads 

with challenging driving 

conditions. 

Travel involves challenging 

conditions and no roads. 

Developed campgrounds. Rustic, designated campsites. No developed campsites; 

dispersed primitive camping. 

No developed campsites; 

dispersed primitive camping. 

A high level of interpretation 

programs; informational 

exhibits. 

Limited interpretation, wayside 

exhibits. 

Minimal on-site interpretation. No on-site interpretation. 

Diverse trail system, some 

paved. 

Multiuse, maintained, and 

designated trails. 

Low-standard multiuse trails 

with little or no maintenance. 

Very few trails. 

Low chance for encounters 

with livestock or associated 

developments. 

High chance for encounters 

with livestock or associated 

developments. 

Medium chance for 

encounters with livestock or 

associated developments. 

Low chance for encounters 

with livestock or associated 

developments. 

High level of contact with 

agency staff. 

Low to moderate level of 

contact with agency staff. 

Very low level of contact with 

agency staff. 

Essentially no contact with 

agency staff. 

Visitor 

Experience 

Typical visitor activities: 

sightseeing, driving, bicycling, 

walking, nature study, rangerled programs, camping, and 

picnicking. 

Typical visitor activities: 

driving, sightseeing, hiking, 

mountain biking, horseback 

riding, and dispersed camping. 

Typical visitor activities require 

self-sufficiency: hiking, 

hunting, horseback riding, 

mountain biking, remote 

camping, and driving on 

unimproved roads. 

Typical visitor activities require 

self-sufficiency and involve 

challenge, risk, and adventure: 

dispersed camping, 

backpacking, nature study, 

and hunting. 

Paved roads and highstandard gravel roads. Class B-D roads. Some 

arterial roads would be 

regularly maintained to allow 

seasonal car, SUV, light truck 

passage. 

Class C-D roads. Dirt roads, 

accessible seasonally only 

with high-clearance vehicles 

and off-highway vehicles. 

No roads. 

Hardened and maintained 

pedestrian trails. 

Trailheads; maintained 

motorized and non-motorized 

trails. 

Low standard multiuse trails. Very few trails; no motorized 

trails. 

Frequent signs for directions, 

safety, and interpretation. 

Signs for directions, safety, 

resource protection, and 

interpretation. 

Minimal signs for visitor safety 

and resource protection only. 

Very few signs. 

Access and 

Kinds of 

Development 

Offices, utilities, maintenance 

facilities, storage areas, visitor 

center, employee housing, and 

restrooms. 

Minimal administrative 

structures, vault toilets. 

No buildings. No buildings. 

14 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

TABLE 1. MANAGEMENT ZONES
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 15

ROAD AND TRAIL

CLASSIFICATIONS

Within the Monument, a “road” is defined

as an established route capable of accommodating travel by a full-sized automobile

or truck. Following other routes or establishing new routes with motorized or

mechanized vehicles is considered “offroad” use, which is prohibited in the

Monument. Following are four different

road classifications and two trail classifications within the Monument:

Class A Roads generally are paved

and have a surface of asphalt, concrete, or similar continuous material.

In addition to US Highway 20/26/93

(US 20/26/93), the only Class A roads

are the loop drive, spur roads, and

associated parking areas in the original NPS Monument. Class A roads

are only found in the Frontcountry

Zone.

Class B Roads are improved roads

constructed with a natural or aggregate surface, and they may have

berms, ditches, or culverts. Regular

maintenance allows passage by standard passenger and commercial vehicles such as cars, light trucks, and

some heavy trucks. Seasonal conditions and lack of snow removal may

render these roads impassable. Class

B roads are found primarily in the

Passage Zone.

Class C Roads have a natural surface

and may be either constructed or

established over time by repeated

passage of vehicles. The natural surface may be dirt, sand, or rock. A

minimal amount of maintenance, if

any at all, is limited primarily to spot

surface grading to allow vehicle passage within the original road corridor.

Maintenance on these roads is performed only as necessary, not in

accordance with any regular schedule. Class C roads accommodate a

much smaller range of vehicles than

Class B roads, usually high-clearance

two-wheel-drive and four-wheeldrive vehicles. Seasonal conditions or

wet weather may render these roads

impassable at any time. Class C roads

are found primarily in the Passage

and Primitive Zones.

Class D Roads are primitive roads

that were not constructed but have

been established over time by the

passage of motorized vehicles. These

roads receive no maintenance or

grading. However, management

retains the authority to perform occasional emergency repairs or maintenance as necessary for administrative

purposes and general resource protection. These roads are generally

referred to as “two-tracks” or a set of

two ruts with vegetation growing in

between the wheel ruts. The condition of these roads varies from sometimes passable by a passenger car to

only suitable for high-clearance fourwheel-drive vehicles. Seasonal conditions or wet weather may render

these roads impassable at any time.

Class D roads are found primarily in

the Primitive Zone.

Class D Roads and other existing

roads include only those roads in

existence as of the date of Monument

Proclamation 7373 and shown on

Figure 4. Any routes created by crosscountry vehicle or mechanical use

since the date of Proclamation 7373

are considered illegal and will be

closed.

MANY ROADS WITHIN THE

MONUMENT ARE PRIMITIVE

DIRT TRACTS CLASSIFIED AS

CLASS D ROADS.
Class 1 Trails are restricted to nonmotorized/non-mechanized travel

(wheelchairs are allowed). Examples

of permitted forms of travel include

foot travel, pack animal, and horseback. Examples of prohibited forms

of travel on Class 1 trails include

mountain bikes and all motorized

vehicles. Class 1 trails may be further

restricted, for example, to foot travel

only.

Class 2 Trails are open to motorized/

mechanized travel in addition to foot

travel, pack animal, horseback, and

other forms of passage. Examples of

prohibited forms of travel include any

vehicle with a footprint wider than an

18-inch tread (all-terrain vehicles,

four-wheelers, and four-wheel-drive

vehicles). Class 2 Trails can only be

created from decommissioned roads

that will no longer be open to use by

full-sized vehicles. No new Class 2

Trails will be created in any other

manner.

Table 2 summarizes where the various types of roads would fall within

the management zones.

BOUNDARIES

MONUMENT BOUNDARIES

The original Craters of the Moon National

Monument is an area of 53,420 acres, with

all federal lands administered by the

National Park Service. Proclamation 7373

expanded the boundaries by adding to

Craters of the Moon National Monument

all lands and interests in lands owned or

controlled by the United States within the

boundaries of the area described on the

map entitled “Craters of the Moon

National Monument Boundary

Enlargement,” which is included as part of

Appendix B.

In a memorandum from the Secretary of

the Interior (memo from the Secretary of

the Interior dated November 24, 2000),

the Bureau of Land Management was

instructed to complete a metes and

bounds description of the Monument

boundary. A cadastral survey of the external monument boundary was completed

in 2001. Based on that survey, the total

area encompassed by the Monument

boundary is 753,333 acres including

738,680 acres of federal land, 8,157 acres

of state land, and 6,642 acres of private

land. State and private lands within the

Monument boundary are not affected by

this plan.

16 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

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Chapter 2: THE PLAN 17

NATIONAL PRESERVE BOUNDARIES

Proclamation 7373 states that the National

Park Service shall have primary management authority over the portion of the

Monument that includes the exposed lava

flows. This land area was described as

including approximately 410,000 acres

and is specifically designated as a unit of

the National Park System “Craters of the

Moon National Preserve” by Public Law

107-213 on August 21, 2002.

Proclamation 7373 describes the boundary between the NPS- and BLM-administered lands as being the edge of exposed

lava fields, an irregular natural feature.

When a determination of the National

Preserve boundary within the greater

Monument area is required, the line will

generally be described by the edge of the

brown-colored shading for lava flows on

the most recent U.S. Geological Survey

7.5-minute series topographic quadrangle

maps available on the date of the

Proclamation 7373.

BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Potential boundary modifications are

examined to identify potential additional

lands with significant resources or opportunities, or which are critical to fulfilling

the Monument’s mission. The agencies

referred to previous studies of boundary

modifications for Craters of the Moon,

including the Reconnaissance Survey —

Expansion of Craters of the Moon

National Monument (1989) and

Management Alternatives — Expansion of

Craters of the Moon National Monument

(1990), and concluded that no additional

recommendation for boundary adjustments needed to be proposed in this plan.

However, when the Bureau of Land

Management develops the Shoshone

Resource Management Plan, areas such as

Sand Butte (identified by the public for

inclusion within the Monument) will be

examined to determine if additional protection is warranted.

Based on these criteria, eight areas have

been identified for potential boundary

modifications and are described in

Appendix C. All resolve potential conflicts

with existing grazing use by transferring

small tracts within the National Preserve

to the BLM Monument where grazing is

authorized.

MANAGEMENT OF

MONUMENT RESOURCES

Laws, regulations, and policies provide

the legal basis for management. These can

expressly mandate certain things and prohibit others. Such legal guidance leaves

certain decisions up to the discretion of

the agencies. This section describes these

discretionary decisions, made by the

Bureau of Land Management and

National Park Service, regarding future

management of natural and cultural

resources, development, and recreational

and non-recreational uses within the

Monument.

Organized by resource topic, this section

includes a brief summary on the status of

the resource in the Monument, the

desired condition of each resource in the

monument, and specific management

actions identified to maintain or achieve

these desired conditions. In addition to

resources, topics include the recreational

experience of visitors to the Monument,

facilities such as roads and campgrounds,

and uses such as livestock grazing.

Desired condition statements describe

what the status of the resource or recreational experience should be, which may

or may not currently be the case.

Management actions maintain the

resource condition at the desired condition or help move it closer to the desired

condition.
18 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

NATURAL RESOURCES — 

GENERAL

The awesome effects of volcanism are evident throughout the Monument. During

the past 15,000 years, lava eruptions created a rugged but scenic landscape that has

forced animals and plants to adapt, and

people to endure, detour, or ponder.

Located on the Snake River Plain, a volcanic terrain spanning southern Idaho, the

Monument encompasses the Great Rift

volcanic rift zone. In places, this plain is

60 miles wide, with basalt lava deposits

more than 10,000 feet deep in some locations. Eruptions 2,000 years ago at the

Craters of the Moon and the Wapi Lava

Fields are among the most recent volcanic

activity to take place anywhere in this

immense geographic area.

The protection, study, and appreciation of

the Monument’s unique natural features

in this remote and often harsh environment are the overriding purposes of the

Monument as directed by Proclamation

7373. To that end, basic and applied scientific research, resource inventories, and

monitoring of resource conditions play

important roles in the identification, characterization, and interpretation of the

Monument’s resources.

Today the Monument provides unique

opportunities for visitors to encounter

plants and animals in various lava habitats,

enjoy hiking on a number of trails, or simply partake in the solitude and beauty of

this incredible place.

Desired Future Conditions:

Resource inventories and surveys documenting the condition and extent of natural resources including geologic features

and processes, kipukas, and sensitive

species are given sufficient emphasis to

enable completion during the life of the

plan.

Monitoring programs are developed and

implemented to track changes in the condition of key resources serving as “vital

signs” of ecosystem health or to fulfill

other purposes of enabling proclamations

and laws.

Management Actions:

NRES-1: Resource inventories, surveys,

and monitoring programs will

be provided for and implemented.

NRES-2: Proactive management activities will be undertaken to mitigate potential effects of public

use.

NRES-3: Information gained will be disseminated to the public and

used in management decisions.

NRES-4: The agencies will seek opportunities with the tribes and

state and federal agencies for

partnering in long-term monitoring of the Monument’s natural resources.

GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

The purpose and significance of the

Monument tie directly to its volcanic geology. Volcanism has generated an array of

features and habitats that make the

Monument a recognized outdoor laboratory. As a result, the Monument draws scientists and visitors from around the world

to study and experience the diverse volcanic terrain.

The Monument is in the Snake River

Basin-High Desert (Omernik 1986) and is

comprised of three geologically young

(Late Pleistocene-Holocene) lava fields

that lie along the Great Rift. The Great

Rift volcanic rift zone, which varies in

width between approximately 1 and 5

miles, is a belt of open cracks, eruptive

NATURAL RESOURCES
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 19

fissures, shield volcanoes, and cinder

cones. It begins north of the Monument,

approximately 6 miles from the topographic edge of the Snake River Plain, in

the vent area of the Lava Creek flows

located in the southern Pioneer

Mountains (Kuntz et al. 1992). The Great

Rift extends southeasterly from the Lava

Creek vents for more than 50 miles to

somewhere beneath the Wapi Lava Field

(Kuntz et al. 1982).

The Craters of the Moon Lava Field is the

northernmost and largest of the three

young lava fields. Kings Bowl Lava Field is

the smallest and lies between Craters of

the Moon Lava Field and the Wapi Lava

Field. The rest of the Monument is composed of Pleistocene-age pahoehoe and

a’a flows, near-vent tephra deposits, cinder cones, lava cones, and shield volcanoes (Kuntz et al. 1988). These older areas

are mantled with loess deposits (windblown silt) and in some places by windblown sand. During the Holocene (last

10,000 years), the most volcanic activity of

any of the Eastern Snake River Plain

basaltic rift systems was exhibited by these

three lava fields associated with the Great

Rift (Hughes et al. 1999).

Kings Bowl Lava Field formed approximately 2,200 years ago during a single

burst of eruptive activity that may have

lasted as little as six hours (Kuntz et al.

1992). Kings Bowl has a central eruptive

fissure approximately 4 miles long, flanked

by two sets of non-eruptive fissures. The

dominant feature is a bowl, 280 feet long,

100 feet wide, and 100 feet deep, produced when lava came into contact with

groundwater, causing a steam or phreatic

explosion.

The Craters of the Moon Lava Field

formed during eight eruptive periods with

a recurrence interval averaging 2,000

years, and it has been more than 2,000

years since the last eruption. The constancy of the most recent eruptive periods

suggests that slightly more than one cubic

mile of lava will be erupted during the

next eruption period. 

In the past, eruptions in the Craters of the

Moon Lava Field have generally shifted to

the segment of the Great Rift with the

longest repose interval. The next eruptive

period should begin along the central portion of the Great Rift in the Craters of the

Moon Lava Field, but may include the

northern part of the Monument (Kuntz et

al. 1986). Initial flows, based on past performance, will probably be relatively nonexplosive and produce large-volume

pahoehoe flows. Eruptions from potential

vents on the northern part of the Great

Rift may be comparatively explosive and

may produce significant amounts of

tephra, destroy cinder cones, and build

new ones (Kuntz et al. 1986).

There are many different kinds of caves in

the Monument. Shelly pahoehoe areas

contain many small open tubes and blisters. There are thousands of these small

open tubes and blisters in the Monument.

Pahoehoe flows can travel more than 20

miles because the ceilings of lava tubes

insulate them from heat loss and some of

the tubes are greater than 30 feet in height.

Some fissure caves associated with the

Great Rift can be passable to hundreds of

feet below the surface. The nature of flowing lava can produce shallow caves and

PILLAR BUTTE IS THE

HIGHEST POINT ON THE

WAPI LAVA FIELD.
20 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

overhangs at flow fronts as a result of

inflation processes. Differential weathering of cinder layers on some cinder cones

has also generated a few shallow caves.

Some of these small caves are more than

10 feet deep.

These various types of caves in the

Monument can be associated with archeological and paleontological features, and

they can harbor wildlife such as the blind

lava-tube beetle, bushy-tailed woodrats,

and Townsend’s big-eared bats. Deep

cracks and fissures, including cracks with

likely connections to lava tubes beneath,

and the entrances to caves often create or

provide microenvironments or microhabitats. Some of these microenvironments

support impressive moss, algal, or lichen

communities and even ferns. People are

attracted to caves, and some of the easily

accessed caves in the Monument now

contain considerable graffiti (e.g., Lariat

Cave), litter, and other forms of vandalism.

Desired Future Conditions:

Natural processes remain the dominant

agents of change to geologic resources

within the Primitive and Pristine Zones.

Unique or representative geologic features

within Frontcountry and Passage Zones

are identified and documented and have

protective strategies implemented to minimize any adverse effects from improved

public access to the areas.

Knowledge and understanding of geologic

resources and process are sufficient to

interpret the interrelationships between

geology and biotic communities.

Resource inventories and surveys that

document the condition and extent of

geologic features (including caves and

paleontological resources) and also the

geologic processes are sufficiently completed to provide scientifically defensible

management decisions.

Disturbed or degraded geologic features

are identified and restored when feasible.

Geologic knowledge and understanding

are effectively shared with the public in

order to stimulate appreciation and protection of the geologic resources.

Management Actions:

GEOL-1: When developing any visitor

access within the Frontcountry

and Passage Zones, the least

impacting methods will be utilized to facilitate visitor access

while also protecting geologic

features.

GEOL-2: Steps will be taken to protect

geological features from damage

resulting from unrestricted public access and/or poorly

designed or constructed public

facilities.

GEOL-3: Threats to unique or outstanding examples of geologic features, including paleontological

and cave resources, will be identified and mitigated as appropriate.

GEOL-4: Prior to authorizing surface-disturbing activities, areas will be

surveyed for unique, rare, or

special geologic resources

including fossils.

HUNDREDS OF

LAVA TUBE CAVES

OCCUR WITHIN

THE MONUMENT.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 21

GEOL-5: A cave management plan will be

developed to meet Federal Cave

Resources and Protection Act

requirements.

GEOL-6: An intensive restoration program will be initiated to remove

graffiti from caves and foster

public understanding of the

need for cave resource protection.

GEOL-7: Public access to caves and other

geological features that are

experiencing recreational userelated damage will be controlled, and damaged geological

features will be restored as

needed and when feasible.

SOILS

The soils of the Monument area reflect

the differences and interactions between

parent material, topography, vegetation,

climate, and time. The most notable differences in soils involve the presence or

absence of more recent volcanic materials

and the degree of soil development on

volcanic substrates.

The basalt flows that are visible on the

surface of the majority of the Snake River

Plain began approximately 2 million years

ago, during the Pleistocene, and continued until approximately 2,000 years ago.

The younger or more recent lava flows

occupy two-thirds of the Monument. The

soils on the younger basalt flows and cinder beds are limited to the initial decomposition of rock and cinders and deposition of windblown loess within crevices,

cracks, and fissures. Plants can establish

and grow in little to no soil. As time progresses, soil development continues and

more vegetation establishes.

Sagebrush steppe, mountain areas, and

kipukas within the Monument have deeper, well-formed soils derived from weathering geologic parent materials within the

Basin and Range Province — sedimentary,

igneous, and silica-rich lava rocks deposited during a sequence of geologic events

that began almost 600 million years ago.

The high desert environment results in

lighter colored soils with low organic matter content. Soil textures in the

Monument range from fine to coarse;

however, most of the soils in the

Monument area are silt loam to sandy

loam in texture and vary in depth. They

are moderately drained to well drained,

except where clay horizons are present.

Soils that are disturbed, not properly vegetated, or located on steep slopes are susceptible to water and wind erosion.

Biological soil crusts are a feature common to nearly all plant communities in

arid and semiarid regions throughout the

world (Belnap et al. 2001). The development of biological soil crusts is dependent

on a number of factors, including soil texture and chemistry, annual precipitation

amount and timing, associated vegetation,

and disturbance history. Biological soil

crusts have not been observed as a highly

conspicuous element in the Monument,

which could be due to any one of these

factors.

Desired Future Conditions:

Soils are stable and functional. The

amount of bare mineral soil and cover of

perennial vegetation, litter, and biological

soil crust are within 10% of that expected

for the ecological site.

Management Actions:

SOIL-1: Soils will be protected from

accelerated or unnatural erosion

from ground-disturbing activities. For example, post-fire stabilization efforts will protect

erosion-prone soils through natural and assisted revegetation.

SOIL-2: The potential for, or presence,

extent and condition of, biological soil crusts will be investigated to provide specific management guidance.
22 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

SOIL-3: Biological soil crusts will be

considered in management decisions where appropriate.

VEGETATION, INCLUDING

SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES,

AND FIRE MANAGEMENT

Although some of the younger lava flows

are devoid of vegetation, there is a surprising diversity of plants and plant communities in the Monument (see Figure 5). The

type and density of vegetation varies widely, depending on the availability of soil.

The lavas and kipukas (islands of vegetation surrounded by younger lava flows)

show a full range of ecological succession

— from pioneer plants, such as lichens

and mosses on the basalt surfaces, to complex mid- to late- seral plant communities

in the kipukas and rangelands bordering

the lava flows. The rough topography of

the lava flows creates numerous microsites

where soil and water accumulate to support plants that would normally occur in

higher precipitation zones.

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) stands occur

on the cinder cones and lava flows in the

northern part of the Monument. A transition between limber pine and juniper

(Juniperus spp.) vegetation types occurs

between Blacktail Butte and the original

Monument. This ecotone normally occurs

only in montane regions and is thus an

unusual feature for the lava flows.

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands

are found on some north-facing slopes in

the northern portion of the Monument.

Riparian and wetland habitats are directly

influenced by the watersheds of the

Pioneer Mountains and are limited to the

northern periphery of the Monument due

to the geology, topography, and climate of

this Basin and Range Province.

Early successional plant communities on

the cinder cones produce stunning spring

wildflower displays. Areas with greater

soil development support the sagebrush

steppe vegetation that typifies the Snake

River Plain. Sagebrush steppe is found on

approximately 60% of the Monument and

covers the more developed soils of the

rangelands, kipukas, cinder cones, older

lava flows, and the foothills of the Pioneer

Mountains. This once was the most common vegetation throughout the Snake

River Plain, as well as in the

Intermountain West and Upper Columbia

River Basin. However, fire, agriculture,

and livestock grazing have modified composition and reduced the extent of this

vegetation type throughout these regions

(Blaisdell et al. 1982; Whisenant 1990;

Bunting et al. 2002).

Sagebrush steppe, which is the dominant

vegetation in the Monument, appears to

be a monotonous landscape; however,

there is a range of plant and community

types occurring over an elevation gradient. Many factors influence the diversity,

density, cover, distribution, and health of

this high desert sagebrush steppe, including differences in soil depth and development; the precipitation gradient ranging

from 8 to 16 inches; the elevation gradient

ranging from 4,000 to 7,500 feet between

the southern and northern ends of the

Monument; historical and current land

management; invasive species; and fire frequency. In turn, vegetation structure and

composition influence the ability of the

plant community to (1) resist invasive

species infestation; (2) its susceptibility to,

as well as recovery from, fire; and (3) land

management goals, decisions, and practices.

LIMBER PINE

LOW ELEVATION SAGEBRUSH STEPPE
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 23

Understory components in the sagebrush

steppe complex vary in type and abundance, but common species include

Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), Idaho

fescue (Festuca idahoensis), needle-grasses

(Stipa spp.), bluebunch wheatgrass

(Pseudoroegneria spicata), and the exotic

annual cheatgrass. Forbs such as buckwheats (Eriogonum spp.), arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), lupine

(Lupinus spp.), phlox (Phlox spp.), and

milkvetches (Astragalus spp.) are also

commonly found growing in these vegetation types. Both diversity and abundance

of herbaceous plants increase with

increasing elevation and moisture in the

Monument (Hironaka et al. 1983).

The variation of sagebrush steppe communities influences the multiple values

and uses of this landscape in the

Monument. These areas are valued as

crucial winter range habitat for mule deer

and pronghorn, essential habitat for sagebrush-obligate wildlife such as Greater

sage-grouse, important watersheds,

sources of forage for livestock, and enjoyable recreational sites. There is a range of

conditions, primarily due to relative

isolation and past and present land uses.

The Monument contains more than 500

kipukas, many of which have not been

grazed by domestic livestock and have

seen little in the way of other humanrelated disturbances. While fire, livestock

grazing, recreation, or cheatgrass invasion

have altered some of the kipukas, others

that are protected by new rough lavas

offer some of the best remaining examples

of native sagebrush steppe for the Snake

River Plain. They are valuable as examples

of range conditions in the absence of

domestic livestock, and offer an opportunity to observe climax vegetation, as well

as successional processes associated with

natural disturbances such as fire. Four of

these areas — Carey Kipuka, Brass Cap

Kipuka, Sand Kipuka, and Big Juniper

Kipuka — were designated as Research

Natural Areas for their long-term value as

reference areas. Brass Cap, Sand, and Big

Juniper Kipukas were formerly managed

by the Bureau of Land Management; all

four are currently under NPS management.

There are no proposed or listed threatened or endangered plants known within

the Monument. However, two BLM sensitive plants are known to occur within the

Monument. Obscure phacelia (Phacelia

inconspicua) is one of Idaho’s most rare

plants, with only six occurrences (population areas) known statewide. This species

is also listed as endangered in Nevada. It is

a diminutive annual that occurs on northand east-facing slopes of volcanic-based

mountains and buttes. Picabo milkvetch

(Astragalus oniciformis) is a perennial

species that is narrowly endemic to stable,

sandy soils near the foothills of the

Pioneer Mountains and in the central portion of the northern Snake River Plain.

Fire plays a key role in determining the

diversity and condition of vegetation communities. Large tracts of sagebrush have

been lost due to extensive wildfires, and

fires have perpetuated exotic annual

grasslands. However, fire also plays an

important role in the maintenance of

some vegetation types, including aspen

and mountain shrub.

Between 1970 and 2005, more than

300,000 acres have burned in wildfires

within the boundary of the expanded

Monument, primarily on BLM-administered land. Nearly a third of this acreage 

CHEATGRASS HAS

INVADED EXTENSIVE

AREAS OF SAGEBRUSH

STEPPE HABITAT.
24 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

has burned two or more times. About half

of Laidlaw Park and Paddelford Flat and

nearly all of Little Park have remained

unburned in the last decade. Relatively

small fires have burned on vegetated lava

and in kipukas, notably Little Prairie in

1992 (1,900 acres) and Echo Crater in

2000 (632 acres). Overall, fires within the

original NPS Monument boundaries represent less than 10% of the total area

burned since 1970.

The length and timing of the fire season is

highly dependent on annual weather and

fuel conditions. Generally, the season can

extend from mid-May through midOctober. Warm, dry, and windy weather

associated with thunderstorm cells can

result in lightning activity with or without

rain. Ignition of vegetation can occur from

natural sources, primarily lightning, or

from human sources such as vehicles,

campfires, or cigarettes.

Fire management in the Monument is

directed by the Fire Management Plan for

the South Central Idaho Fire Planning

Unit (USDI 2005), and the NPS Craters of

the Moon National Monument Wildland

Fire Management Plan (USDI NPS 2000a)

within the original Monument boundaries. Under these plans, all wildfires are

suppressed except for naturally ignited

fires in designated wilderness, which may

be managed for resource benefit (also

known as wildland fire use).

Federal wildland fire policy (USDI and

USDA 1995; USDI et al. 2001; USDI BLM

2003) focuses on protecting sensitive

resources while using fire along with other

treatments (such as herbicides and seeding) to achieve desired future conditions

for vegetation resources. Currently all federal land management agencies are implementing, or preparing to implement, this

policy through a cohesive strategy

(Laverty and Williams 2000). This strategy

presents guidelines for reducing wildland

fire risk to human communities and to

restore and maintain ecosystem health

within fire-prone areas.

The cohesive strategy is based on the concept of restoring vegetation composition

and structure (and thus fire regimes) to

historical levels. As part of this process,

three fire condition classes (FCC1 through

3) have been identified to help clarify the

degree to which a particular vegetation

community departs from its historic fire

regime, with FCC1 having the least departure and FCC3 having the greatest. These

ratings, along with recent inventories,

were used to categorize vegetation conditions within the Monument and prioritize

areas for fuels reduction and restoration

projects (see Figure 6 and Table 3). In general, FCC3 corresponds with poor biotic

integrity, FCC2 with fair biotic integrity,

and FCC1 with good biotic integrity.

Ten species of weeds designated as noxious by Idaho State Law (State of Idaho

2001) have been identified in the

THE 2006 SHALE

BUTTE FIRE IN LOW

ELEVATION SAGEBRUSH STEPPE.

CONTROL OF NOXIOUS WEEDS REQUIRES CONTINUOUS CONTROL EFFORTS.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 25

Monument: spotted knapweed, diffuse

knapweed, Russian knapweed, rush skeletonweed, leafy spurge, Canada thistle,

musk thistle, Scotch thistle, dalmation

toadflax, and field bindweed. Most of the

noxious weeds occur in areas particularly

susceptible to invasion by exotics — previously disturbed areas such as road rightsof-way, intensively grazed areas, and wildland fire burns.

Other invasive exotic species such as

cheatgrass are as much of a concern as

state-listed noxious weeds. Cheatgrass is

extremely competitive and readily invades

and dominates disturbed land. It is also a

common component of undisturbed or

otherwise healthy sagebrush steppe in an

arid environment. Cheatgrass has been

documented in several kipukas. This

annual grass outcompetes native vegetation and perpetuates a frequent fire

regime that further discourages regrowth

of native species and encourages more

cheatgrass. This has been a key management concern for the Bureau of Land

Management and has driven the development of more effective disturbed land

rehabilitation techniques.

Both the Bureau of Land Management

and the National Park Service have implemented nationwide policies against invasive exotic species through integrated

weed management programs. Selective

herbicide programs to control these

species are in effect. Limited biological

control agents have been released. The

priority species discussed have been targeted specifically for mapping, treatment,

and prevention programs. Education and

public awareness are emphasized by both

agencies. Involvement in cooperative

weed management areas has resulted in

strong community commitment and costeffective management of noxious weeds.

Desired Future Conditions:

The high ecological condition of the vegetation of North Laidlaw Park and Bowl

Crater is maintained.

There is no net loss, and preferably a net

gain, of sagebrush steppe communities

over the life of the plan.

Native plant communities sustain biodiversity and provide habitat for native

wildlife.

RUSH SKELETON WEED

IS A NEW INVADER OF

THE MONUMENT.

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Woodland communities (e.g., limber pine,

aspen, and juniper) are maintained as

healthy mixed-age communities within

their natural range and distribution.

Natural ecological processes are the dominant factor in determining the composition and distribution of plant communities in the Preserve and Wilderness areas.

Continuity of habitat for special status

species and general wildlife are emphasized.

Preventing or limiting the spread of noxious weeds using integrated weed management perpetuates the natural condition

and biodiversity of the planning area.

The areas dominated by invasive annual

species (cheatgrass and other similar

plants) are minimized.

Kipukas in the Pristine Zone are free of

noxious weeds.

Sustainable forage is available for livestock

and wildlife.

All plant communities are in or making

progress towards Fire Condition Class 1

(see Table 3).

Fire is allowed to function as a natural

process in the Wilderness and Preserve.

Management Actions:

VEG-1: To protect vegetation resources,

no new livestock developments

will be permitted in North

Laidlaw Park pasture and Bowl

Crater allotment unless they

result in a net benefit to those

resources identified as needing

improvement or protection.

VEG-2: Existing sagebrush steppe communities will be protected to

prevent loss of shrub cover and

managed to promote a diverse,

desirable grass and forb understory.

VEG-3: Annual grasslands and highly

degraded sagebrush steppe

communities will be restored to

achieve a mosaic of shrubs,

forbs, and grasses capable of

sustaining native animal populations.

VEG-4: Restoration projects will be prioritized relative to locations of

key Greater sage-grouse habitats

and population strongholds.

Emphasis will be on projects

that restore annual grasslands

and degraded sagebrush steppe

communities, as well as enlarging and connecting habitats in

good condition.

VEG-5: National and Idaho state habitat

guidelines for Greater sagegrouse and sagebrush steppe

obligates developed by interagency working groups regarding

composition and structure of

sagebrush habitats on a landscape scale will be adopted to

guide sagebrush steppe management.

VEG-6: Current science and best available technologies and plant

materials will be considered in

analysis and implementation of

all restoration projects.

Restoration treatments may be

active or passive and may

include but are not limited to

the following: prescribed fire,

thinning, mowing, herbicide

treatment, seeding, temporary

removal of livestock and/or

changes in grazing regimes or

facilities, and road closures.

VEG-7: Areas classified as poor to fair

biotic integrity will be highest

priority for restoration treatments (see Figure 6; see also Jurs

and Sands 2004).

VEG-8: Aggressive protection of existing

sagebrush steppe communities

and proactive restoration of

areas with poor to fair biotic

26 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 27

integrity through both active

and passive means (see Figure 6)

will be emphasized.

VEG-9: Approximately 80,000 acres of

BLM-administered land (11% of

the entire Monument) will be

restored. About 31,000 acres of

annual grassland and 49,000

acres of highly degraded low

elevation sagebrush steppe

(poor to fair biotic integrity) will

be treated to control cheatgrass

and restore big sagebrush cover

with a perennial understory.

VEG-10: All special status species in the

Monument will be inventoried

with monitoring plans established, particularly when and

where adverse impacts may

occur.

VEG-11: Actions and stipulations necessary to protect special status

species and their habitats will be

made part of land use authorizations (e.g., limiting fragmentation of special status species

populations when considering

road maintenance) and fire

planning.

VEG-12: Use of native plants will be

emphasized in rehabilitation and

restoration projects, and only

native plants will be used for

rehabilitation or restoration

projects within the Pristine

Zone. Integrated weed management principles will be used to

• detect and eradicate all new 

infestations of noxious weeds;

• control existing infestations; 

and 

• prevent the establishment and 

spread of weeds within and 

adjacent to the planning area.

VEG-13: Weed infestations in wilderness

areas will be controlled by methods consistent with minimum

tool requirements and integrated weed management principles,

including prevention of disturbance activities, use of cultural

and mechanical methods to control or physically remove

noxious weeds, and selective

application of herbicides and

possibly biological controls.

VEG-14: Integrated weed management

principles will be applied proactively throughout all zones. This

program will emphasize protection of weed-free areas and

aggressive detection and control

of noxious or highly invasive

exotic weeds and will include an

analysis of the trade-offs

involved in herbicide use versus

non-chemical methods of weed

control.

VEG-15: Only certified weed-free hay,

straw, and mulch will be permitted within the Monument.

VEG-16: Wildland fire will be suppressed

to protect life and property,

healthy sagebrush steppe communities, recent rehabilitation

and restoration projects, cultural

sites, and the Little Cottonwood

Creek watershed.

VEG-17: Fire will be managed to maximize protection and restoration

of sagebrush steppe in the

Passage and Primitive Zones.

VEG-18: Wildland fire use will be allowed

in the Wilderness and Preserve

except when incompatible with

resource management objectives

MONITORING OF

VEGETATION

ALLOWS MANAGERS

TO DETERMINE

WHETHER DESIRED

CONDITIONS ARE

BEING ACHIEVED.
28 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

or there is danger to life or

property.

VEG-19: Limited prescribed fire (<500

acres) will be used in the aspen,

conifer, and mountain shrub

vegetation types to improve

wildlife habitat and invigorate

plant communities while protecting the Little Cottonwood

watershed.

VEG-20: In the event of wildland fire,

burned areas will be rehabilitated when necessary to restore the

appropriate mosaic of sagebrush

species and subspecies, along

with a diverse perennial understory, and to suppress invasive

and noxious weeds.

VEG-21: The cooperative arrangement

between the Bureau of Land

Management and the National

Park Service related to fire management will continue, including

cooperative agreements with

local fire departments and rural

fire districts.

VEG-22: The Bureau of Land

Management and the National

Park Service will develop a joint

fire management implementation plan for the Monument.

VEG-23: The network of main arterial

roads will be managed to support access for wildland fire

suppression.

WATER RESOURCES 

Surface water resources are limited in the

Monument. Stream channels are largely

nonexistent within the exposed lava flows,

and streams draining the Pioneer

Mountains rapidly become subterranean

once they encounter the lava flows. There

are several small perennial streams in the

Pioneer Mountains at the north end of the

Monument. The entire watersheds of

Little Cottonwood and Leech Creeks are

in the Monument. Very short segments of

the Little Wood River, Big Cottonwood

Creek, Fish Creek, and Huff Creek fall just

within the Monument boundaries.

The slopes of the Pioneer Mountains contain numerous perennial and ephemeral

springs that feed small creeks and marsh

wetlands. Just north of the Craters of the

Moon Lava Field is a small hot springs

complex. Parts of Lava Lake and Huff

Lake are also in Monument boundaries.

Dozens of groundwater-fed pools exist in

the lava flows near Carey Lake marsh.

Seasonal playa lakes are scattered

throughout the sagebrush steppe desert.

Many of these playas have been developed

by the Bureau of Land Management to

create reservoirs, which increases their

water holding capacity and longevity.

Numerous caves within the Monument

lava flows contain year-round ice deposits,

which produce melt water during the

summer.

Steep-sided canyons with high gradient

channels and a narrow floodplain characterize the watershed of Little Cottonwood

and Leech Creeks. Mean discharge rates

for both streams are less than 1 cubic foot

per second. Streamwater quality in Little

Cottonwood and Leech Creeks has been

monitored and has generally been found

to be good, with no violations of Idaho

state standards for temperature, dissolved

oxygen, and turbidity (Falter and Freitag

1996).

The state granted the National Park

Service federal reserved water rights within the original Monument in 1998. The

rights provide for domestic, irrigation, or

industrial use within the Monument, as

well as in-stream flow rights on areas

including Little Cottonwood and Leech

Creeks (Hurlbutt 1998). The Bureau of

Land Management has 337 filed water

right claims on 18 springs, 192 playa lakes,

and 127 reservoirs within the Monument.

Priority dates of the water rights claims

are as early as 1926.

Many of the water resources in the

Monument are used in a variety of ways —
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 29

drinking water for the visitor center and

campground, irrigation water for farms,

livestock watering sites, and recreational

opportunities like bird watching. Human

use and activities may alter water and

associated resources. Playas and reservoirs developed by the Bureau of Land

Management are an integral part of this

semiarid ecosystem, and they often are the

only source of water for wildlife and livestock.

Desired Future Conditions:

Riparian areas and wetlands within the

planning area are maintained, restored, or

enhanced so that they provide diverse and

healthy habitat and water quality conditions for riparian and wetland obligates

and other wildlife species.

Little Cottonwood watershed yields sufficient safe drinking water for current public and administrative uses in the visitor

center complex.

Management Actions:

WATER-1: No additional playas will be

modified or developed.

WATER-2: Playas will be evaluated for

restoration on a case-by-case

basis.

WATER-3: The agencies will work with

appropriate state authorities to

obtain water resources needed

for Monument purposes.

WILDLIFE, INCLUDING 

SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES

During some portion of each year, about

200 species of birds, 60 species of mammals, 10 species of reptiles, and at least

three species of amphibians can be found

in the Monument. (See the Proposed

Monument Management Plan / Final

Environmental Impact Statement,

Appendixes D and E, for more information on these species.) Limited surveys in

the late 1960s identified more than 2,000

species of insects (Horning and Barr

1970).

Sagebrush steppe communities comprise

much of the wildlife habitat in the

Monument. Sagebrush obligates that

occur in the Monument include the sage

sparrow, black-throated sparrow, Brewer’s

sparrow, sage thrasher, Greater sagegrouse, pygmy rabbit, sagebrush vole, and

sagebrush lizard. Some species, such as

Brewer’s sparrows, are at their highest

densities statewide in ungrazed portions

of the Monument (Bart 2001).

GROUND WATER 

HAS CREATED WATER

HOLES WITHIN THE

LAVA FLOWS NEAR

CAREY LAKE.
30 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Extensive lava flows also serve as habitat

for numerous animal species. At least

seven species of bats, several species of

rodents, and several species of cave invertebrates use lava tubes and flows in the

Monument. The flow surfaces also are

used by many species of vertebrates and

invertebrates, and several species are

dependent on the lava structures. Species

such as pika, woodrats, skinks, and rock

wrens are found primarily on the rock

surfaces. Several snake and bat species are

dependent on cavities in the lava for

hibernation sites. Two of the three known

bat maternity colonies of Townsend’s bigeared bat in Idaho are found in the

Monument lava tube caves (Pierson et al.

1999).

Six species of large mammals are known

to inhabit the Monument — mule deer,

pronghorn, elk, cougar, black bear, and

moose. Most are widespread throughout

the Snake River Plain and Pioneer

Mountains and regularly can be found in

the Monument.

Special status species are those listed as

endangered or threatened under the

Endangered Species Act; candidates or

species proposed for listing under the act;

species listed by the Idaho Department of

Fish and Game as endangered, threatened,

or species of special concern; and/or

species listed by the Bureau of Land

Management as sensitive. The Bureau of

Land Management manages all species

identified as sensitive to minimize the

need for future listing as threatened or

endangered under the Endangered

Species Act. The National Park Service

strives to manage its lands to protect any

federally listed, state-listed, or BLM-listed

species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has

provided a list of endangered, threatened,

proposed, and/or candidate species that

may be present in the area of the

Monument (see Table 4). According to this

list, threatened and endangered animal

species that could potentially occur in the

Monument area are Canada lynx (Lynx

canadensis), gray wolf (Canis lupus), bald

eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), bull trout

(Salvelinus confluentus), Bliss Rapids snail

(Taylorconcha serpenticola), Utah valvata

snail (Valvata utahensis), and Snake River

physa (Physa natricina). However, sufficient habitat for Canada lynx, bull trout,

and the snails is not available. The

Monument area is not in a lynx analysis

unit because it lacks suitable habitat for

the species. There is not adequate surface

water present in the Monument area for

the survival of bull trout or the snails, all

of which require substantial riverine habitat.

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus

urophasianus) is a BLM sensitive species.

Since 1950, 148 Greater sage-grouse leks

have been documented on BLM-administered land in the Monument. Between

1979 and 1983, 83 leks were active, and

between 1999 and 2003, there were 53

active leks. These observations (made by

the Idaho Department of Fish and Game

personnel) indicate a 36% decrease in

Greater sage-grouse leks over the past 25

years.

Pygmy rabbits have been documented in

several areas of the Monument. Records

ranging from the 1930s through 2003 indicate locations from the southernmost

areas to the original Monument lands

(Hoffman 1988). Pygmy rabbit populations have experienced severe declines

throughout their range, including in

Idaho. The rabbits generally prefer mature

sagebrush stands with a dense canopy

cover (Gabler et al. 2001). However, there

are few surveys for the species in southern

Idaho, and the distribution and status of

the species is not well understood.

The Monument contains hundreds of

caves and several cave-related species of

concern, including seven species of bats

that are U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

species of concern, Idaho species of special concern, or BLM sensitive species. As

of 1999, three maternity colonies of
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 31

Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus

townsendii) have been identified in Idaho

(Pierson et al. 1999), with two occurring

in the Monument. Numerous hibernacula

have been identified in the Monument for

this and other bat species. Six other cave

roosting bat species that are classified as

sensitive or of concern are found in the

Monument (see Table 4; Keller 1996). In

addition to bats, other cave species are of

concern, including the blind cave leiodid

beetle (Glavcicavicola bathyscioides). Two

of the four known worldwide sites for this

species are in the Monument (Idaho

Conservation Data Center 2002).

Desired Future Conditions:

Habitat within the planning area supports

a diverse range of native wildlife species

and gives the public high-quality opportunities for wildlife-based recreation.

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TABLE 4. SPECIAL STATUS ANIMAL SPECIES IN THE MONUMENT
32 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

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TABLE 4. SPECIAL STATUS ANIMAL SPECIES IN THE MONUMENT
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 33

Habitat for migratory birds, including forage, water, cover, structure, and security, is

available within the Monument to support

healthy populations of resident and

migrant species.

Greater sage-grouse restoration habitat

(R1 & R2) will achieve significant progress

towards reclassification as Key habitat.

(See glossary for definitions and details.)

High-quality habitats for sagebrush obligate species are provided.

Species composition in key Greater sagegrouse habitat will reflect site potential.

Management Actions:

WLIFE-1: Inventory and monitoring of

wildlife will emphasize species

that are regionally or nationally important.

WLIFE-2: A monitoring program will be

established to detect species

populations in decline and

species as indicators of the

health of the ecosystem, and

to record the presence of

species of special concern.

WLIFE-3: The National Park Service, in

consultation with the state and

tribes, will designate areas

within the Preserve and periods of time when no hunting

will be permitted for protection of the area’s resources.

WLIFE-4: On all NPS-administered

lands, predator control will

not be authorized by the Park

Service except on a case-bycase basis.

WLIFE-5: Native animal species identified as pests will be managed

in accordance with the applicable BLM or NPS management policies depending upon

the administrative area in

which the pest occurs.

WLIFE-6: All special status species in the

Monument will be inventoried

with monitoring plans established, particularly when and

where adverse impacts may

occur.

WLIFE-7: Actions and stipulations necessary to protect special status

species and their habitats will

be made part of land use

authorizations (e.g., limiting

fragmentation of special status

species populations when considering road maintenance)

and fire planning.

WLIFE-8: Active and historic leks will be

protected from disturbance

during the Greater sagegrouse breeding season. Some

examples of potential protective measures as presented in

the Idaho Sage-grouse

Advisory Committee’s 2006

Conservation Plan for the

Greater Sage-grouse in Idaho

include the following:

• Apply use restrictions where

needed and appropriate on

existing roads or trails near

occupied leks to minimize

nonessential activity between

6:00 PM to 9:00 AM (in general this guideline should be

applied from approximately

March 15 through May 1).

• Avoid human activities such

as fence maintenance or construction or any project or

related work at or near (1 km

or 0.6 mile) occupied leks

that results in or will likely

result in disturbance to

lekking birds, between 6:00

PM to 9:00 AM (in general

this guideline should be

applied from approximately

March 15 through May 1).

• Avoid creating unnecessary

disturbances related to livestock management activities

near occupied leks whenever

possible.
34 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

• Improve the dissemination

of information to elementary

and high school students,

hunters, resource usergroups, and others to

increase their understanding

of Greater sage-grouse and

sagebrush steppe conservation issues.

• Monitor leks in a manner

that minimizes disturbance

to Greater sage-grouse following established protocol

(Idaho Sage-grouse Advisory

Committee 2006, Sections

5.2.1.1 and 5.2.1.2).

Note: Road closures or

restrictions during the Greater

sage-grouse breeding season

will not apply to agency (BLM

and NPS) vehicles, including

Idaho Department of Fish and

Game vehicles and personnel

who conduct necessary

Greater sage-grouse inventory

and monitoring.

WLIFE-9: Consistent with Idaho

Standards for Rangeland

Health and Guidelines for

Livestock Grazing

Management (USDI BLM

1997) determinations, livestock grazing management will

be modified as necessary to

ensure that key Greater sagegrouse habitat achieves site

potential.

WLIFE-10:The Bureau of Land

Management will continue to

hold annual meetings and

coordinate closely with U.S.

Department of Agriculture,

Wildlife Services Program, and

livestock lessees to reduce

livestock losses. The Bureau of

Land Management will

encourage using non-lethal

methods, education, and the

targeting of specific offending

animals for lethal methods.

These procedures will be

implemented to protect both

public safety and the natural

resources for which the

Monument was designated.

AIR QUALITY

The Monument is within one of the cleanest air regions of the country. While generally well below the national average for

most air pollutants, some pollutants, such

as ozone, are currently trending upwards.

Air quality varies, depending on the location within the unit, the pollutant being

measured, the season and time of day,

wind direction, and climatic factors. Clean

air greatly enhances the understanding

and appreciation of the Monument’s geologic resources by allowing clear views of

distant landscape features.

The Craters of the Moon National

Wilderness Area (43,243 acres) within the

Monument is a mandatory Class I area, as

defined in Clean Air Act (42 U.S. Code

Sections 7401-7671q; as amended in 1990,

Public Law 101-549). Congress created a

Prevention of Significant Deterioration

(PSD) section, the purpose of which is “to

preserve, protect, and enhance the air

quality in national parks, national wilderness areas and other areas of special

national or regional natural, recreational,

scenic, or historic value.” Specifically, the

PSD section reflected the law’s intention

that, among the clean air regions of the

country, certain areas — the Class I areas

— deserve the highest level of air quality

protection. The impairment of visibility

within Class I areas was a major concern

addressed in the Clean Air Act. Because of

the Class I designation the National Park

Service has operated an extensive air quality monitoring program at the Monument

for more than 25 years.

The rest of the Monument is a Class II

area (including the Wilderness Study

Areas). Class II areas also have limits on 
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 35

ARCHEOLOGICAL AND

HISTORICAL RESOURCES

Both the National Park Service and the

Bureau of Land Management are responsible for identifying, protecting, managing,

and enhancing archeological, historic,

architectural, and traditional lifeway values located on their lands, as well as those

that might be affected by BLM or NPS

undertakings on non-federal lands. The

National Park Service and the Bureau of

Land Management both manage archeological remains, historic values, and traditional cultural properties important to

federally recognized Native American

tribes.

There are more than 500 known, recorded

cultural resources sites in the Monument,

representing a variety of types and

chronological periods, dating from at least

8,000 years old to the present. Identified

prehistoric sites include lithic scatters,

rock shelters, rock structures and piles,

and pictographs. Near the north end of

the Monument there may be stone tool

quarry sites yet undocumented. These

remains mainly represent activities in the

area before European contact in the

1800s.

The Monument contains portions of

Goodale’s Cutoff, which was an alternate

route of the Oregon Trail that skirted the

northern edge of the Craters of the Moon

Lava Field. Portions of Goodale’s Cutoff

from US 20/26/93 in Butte County west to

Blaine County are on the National

Register of Historic Places. Historic sites

in the Monument include portions of the

historic trail, as well as sheepherder

camps, cairns, and dumps. A few stockraising homestead claims were filed in the

Monument in the 1890s and early 1900s,

but the environment proved too harsh for

them to succeed and most were canceled.

Virtually no visible physical evidence of

these endeavors remains (Louter 1995).

During the early days of Euro-American

settlement in southern Idaho, sheep and

CULTURAL RESOURCES

MONITORING OF AIR

QUALITY HAS BEEN 

AN ONGOING 

ACTIVITY IN THE

MONUMENT 

SINCE 1980.

increases of particulate matter and sulfur

dioxide above baseline concentrations.

The allowable increases for Class II areas

are higher than those established for Class

I areas.

Desired Future Conditions:

Air quality related values, particularly visibility, within the Class I Craters of the

Moon Wilderness Area are not degraded

and adverse impacts do not occur.

Air quality parameters that negatively

affect human health, visibility, or biological diversity remain at or below current

levels.

Management Actions:

The agencies will work proactively with

surrounding communities, land management agencies, and the Idaho Department

of Environmental Quality to limit increases of particulate matter and sulfur dioxide,

which could reduce visibility, throughout

the entire Monument.
36 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

cattle grazing were the predominant economic pursuit in this area. During the late

19th and 20th centuries, silver, gold, and

lead mining also took place in the mountains just north of the Monument.

The Monument headquarters complex,

including the visitor center, employee residences, and maintenance buildings, was

recently determined to be eligible for

nomination to the National Register of

Historic Places (USDI NPS 2000b). The

eligibility is based on the continued

integrity of the modern architectural

design with grouping of public and

administrative facilities in a headquarters

area. This approach typified the NPS

Mission 66 Program of the late 1950s and

early 1960s (Allaback 2000). Mission 66

was a 10-year development program

designed to upgrade facilities throughout

the National Park System. The current

NPS visitor center and headquarters complex was designed and constructed during

the Mission 66 era of National Park development. The concept of a single complex

incorporating public facilities, interpretive

programs, and administrative functions

originated during the Mission 66 Program.

Cultural resources are generally identified

through field inventories conducted by

qualified professionals in compliance with

Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act of 1966 or under the

authority of Section 110 of that act.

Interviews and historical records can also

be used to identify archeological, historical, and traditional lifeway values. David

Louter (1995) completed the Craters of

the Moon National Monument: Historic

Context Statement.

Three types of inventories — Class I, II,

and III — are conducted to identify and

assess cultural values on BLM lands. A

Class I inventory, a literature review, was

completed for the BLM portion of the

Monument in 1982, as part of a larger

study that included the Boise and

Shoshone management areas. Since then,

several smaller Class III intensive 

inventories have been completed in the

Monument to fulfill Section 106 responsibilities. These inventories were associated

with project activities where sites needed

to be identified and evaluated to protect

significant values and minimize effects on

these values. No Class II inventories have

been conducted in the Monument. No

formal inventories for traditional cultural

properties of importance to tribes have

been completed for the Monument.

Over the years, several different universities have also conducted Class III inventories on the Monument, unassociated with

any specific development project, expanding the information base. It is estimated

that less than 5% of the Monument has

been intensively inventoried for cultural

resources. No systematic inventory of the

caves associated with the lava flows has

been completed. There may be many

important cultural resources associated

with the lava tubes, as well as the harder to

reach kipukas, which have not been

recorded by archeologists because of their

remote nature.

Early surveys in the 1960s suggested that

there was not a great deal of prehistoric

use in this area, but more recent surveys

on the adjacent BLM lands would seem to

indicate otherwise. These early surveys

were concentrated in areas archeologists

deemed likely because they contained

known water sources. We now know that

Native Americans used this area much

more than archeologists originally

believed. Data from recent nearby fire

rehabilitation surveys indicate a rather

high density of prehistoric sites in association with the lava flows. Therefore, it is

believed that there is a significant prehistoric cultural component associated with

the Monument area, in addition to the

well-documented historic component.

Cultural resource conditions and trends

within the Monument vary considerably

because of the variability of terrain and

geomorphology, access and visibility, and

past and current land use. Exposed 
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 37

artifacts and features on the ground surface can be disturbed by elements such as

wind and water erosion, animal and

human intrusion, and development and

maintenance activities. Based on limited

site monitoring and documentation, the

trend of site conditions within the

Monument is considered stable in most

areas. Vandalism and unauthorized collection at sites constitutes the main source of

cultural resource degradation.

Looting of archeological sites has been

occurring in the Monument for some

time, especially in the remote, hard-toreach kipukas. With the advent of Internet

auctions, illegal artifact collection is

becoming more profitable than ever. As

long as there is a market, looting will continue to be a problem.

It is likely there are many sites in the interior of the lavas that are unknown at present, and they might lead to clues needed

to understand just what prehistoric people

were doing in this area thousands of years

ago. Undisturbed caves also may hold a

fascinating record of the Monument’s

early natural history in the form of fossilized skeletal material of Pleistocene

mammals. Other caves on the Snake River

Plain have produced fossil remains of

mammoth, grizzly bear, bison, musk ox,

and camel.

Desired Future Conditions:

The extent and condition of cultural

resources and traditional cultural properties are documented and adverse effects

are avoided.

The agencies maintain a single, consolidated cultural resource database.

Archeological resources either listed in or

eligible to be listed in the National

Register of Historic Places (national register) are protected in an undisturbed condition unless it is determined through

appropriate consultation that disturbance

or natural deterioration is unavoidable.

The qualities that contribute to the eligibility for listing or listing of prehistoric/

historic structures and historic trails in the

national register are preserved and protected in accordance with the Secretary of

the Interior’s Standards, unless it is determined through appropriate consultation

that disturbance or natural deterioration is

unavoidable.

Management Actions:

CULT-1: A comprehensive Archeological Overview and Assessment

of known and potential archeological resources (baseline

research report) within the

planning area will be completed.

CULT-2: A Cultural Resource Management Plan that describes how

specific sites will be managed,

defines what areas need additional inventory, and designates potential use categories

for sites will be completed for

the Monument.

CULT-3: Measures such as access limitations and periodic monitoring will be identified to

proactively manage and protect cultural resources, including traditional cultural properties.

CULT-4: Projects will be planned and

designed so as to avoid

THIS ENTRANCE TO

BAKER CAVE HAS

BEEN PARTIALLY

BLOCKED BY THE

ROCKS ON THE RIGHT,

CAREFULLY PLACED

THERE BY HUMANS

SOME 700 TO 1,000

YEARS AGO.
38 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

adversely impacting cultural

resources where possible. The

Bureau of Land Management

and the National Park Service

will consult with Tribes and

the Idaho State Historic

Preservation Officer to develop alternatives to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any potential

adverse effects.

CULT-5: Through consultation with the

Idaho State Historic

Preservation Officer, areas for

Section 110 cultural resource

inventories will be prioritized.

CULT-6: A proactive Section 110 inventory will be conducted as

funding allows, expanding the

cultural resource database for

the Monument.

CULT-7: A minimum of 10% of the

Monument will be inventoried

(Section 110 National Historic

Preservation Act) for cultural

resources over the life of the

plan. The focus of the Section

110 inventory will be in the

Primitive and Passage Zones.

CULT-8: The significance of known

archeological and historic

resources, structures, and

landscapes will be evaluated

and documented, in conjunction with the Idaho State

Historic Preservation Officer,

for listing in the national register.

CULT-9: Activities that may affect the

Goodale’s Cutoff of the

Oregon Trail, the NPS headquarters/visitor center Mission

66-era area, or other properties listed or eligible for the

national register will be undertaken in consultation with the

Idaho State Historic

Preservation Officer.

CULT-10: At-risk national register eligible sites will be monitored for

vandalism or other disturbances and protected/stabilized as necessary.

CULT-11: National register eligible properties will be monitored periodically, and steps will be

taken to stabilize any property

found to be deteriorating and

to limit access as needed.

CULT-12: The agencies will pursue more

public education and interpretation off site, with increased

monitoring and protection for

those sites at risk.

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

The Monument’s museum collections

include objects, specimens, and archival

and manuscript collections that serve as

scientific and historical documentation of

the Monument’s purpose and resources.

Museum collections are currently stored

at the NPS visitor center in a dedicated

storage facility. There are no Native

American Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act materials in the existing

museum collections from the Monument

and Preserve. In the event that materials

are inadvertently discovered or encountered during authorized archeological

excavations, the affiliated tribes would be

contacted immediately and the procedures outlined in the act would be followed.

Desired Future Conditions:

Museum collections (prehistoric and historic objects, works of art, historic documents, and natural history scientific specimens) are maintained according to NPS

museum management program requirements.

Management Actions:

MUSE-1: Monument collections will be

accessible for legitimate

research and educational purposes.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 39

MUSE-2: All resource management

records directly associated

with museum objects will be

managed as museum property.

These and other resource

management records will be

preserved as part of the

archival and manuscript collection because they document and provide an information base for the continuing

management of the

Monument’s resources.

Native Americans inhabited southern

Idaho, including the present-day

Monument lands, for thousands of years

prior to European contact. Ethnographic

information suggests that aboriginal populations constantly traversed the Snake

River Plain during their seasonal subsistence rounds, moving to the Camas Prairie

in the spring and then further into the

mountains for the summer. In the fall,

they would return to the Snake River for

the winter (Steward 1938, Liljeblad 1957,

1960, Murphy and Murphy 1960).

According to Shoshone-Bannock tribal

legends and information, Indians traveled

throughout the Salmon River Basin following subsistence resources based on the

seasons. Some bands traveled to the

Camas Prairie area to gather plants, others

traveled to buffalo country, and others

went to the Salmon and Snake Rivers for

fish. The different bands of Shoshone,

Bannock, and Paiute all have their place

names for specific areas and locations

within this region, which includes the

Great Rift area. Indians have always utilized the unique features of the Great Rift

area for various uses, and they continue to

hold this area sacred and important. This

ancient way of life was dismantled when

large numbers of immigrants seeking land

sought to displace the tribes. During the

1850s and 1860s, treaties were negotiated

with the tribes in the northwestern United

States in part to acquire Indian lands for

homesteading.

On July 3, 1868, the Eastern Band of

Shoshone and Bannock Tribes and the

United States signed the Treaty with the

Eastern Band Shoshone and Bannock,

commonly referred to as the Fort Bridger

Treaty (15 Statute 673). In the Fort Bridger

Treaty, the tribes relinquished claims on

approximately 20 million acres to the

United States. The Treaty retains the

tribes’ rights to hunt, fish, and gather natural resources, and provides other associated rights necessary to effectuate these

rights on open and unoccupied lands of

NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS AND INTERESTS

AND ETHNOGRAPHIC RESOURCES

LIMBER PINE IN

PAHOEHOE LAVA.
the United States. The Shoshone-Bannock

Tribes have a long, rich, historical association with the Monument, and their use of

those trust resources continues today.

The agencies also maintain a trust relationship with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe

of the Duck Valley Reservation, which was

established by Executive Order in 1877.

Western Shoshone, Northern Paiute, and

some Northern Shoshone people were

relocated to the remote Duck Valley

Reservation, which lies in northeastern

Nevada and southwestern Idaho. These

people once roamed much of Nevada,

Oregon, and southern Idaho. The

Shoshone-Paiute never formally ceded any

of their territory to the U.S. government

through treaty. Today, agency consultation

and coordination with the ShoshonePaiute takes place in monthly meetings

with tribal representatives using a process

known as Wing and Roots.

The Bureau of Land Management and

National Park Service have a unique relationship with federally recognized Native

American tribes and are responsible for

maintaining a formal government-to-government relationship with tribal leadership. As outlined in treaties, executive

orders, legislation, and federal policies,

this relationship focuses on ensuring that

the rights and/or interests of tribes are

considered and protected. This includes

consulting with tribal representatives and

identifying and protecting important

archeological, religious, and/or sacred

sites, as well as providing tribal members

appropriate access to these sites. Also

included are provisions for reasonable

access for tribal members to gather and

harvest plant, animal, and aquatic

resources on certain state and federal

lands where these activities are not otherwise prohibited.

No specific sacred sites or traditional cultural properties within the Monument

have been identified by the ShoshoneBannock Tribes or Shoshone-Paiute

Tribes, but there are oral histories documenting the use of the area by tribal members. It is possible tribal members still visit

the isolated areas of the Monument for

spiritual purposes today. The local tribes

generally do not disclose sacred site locations to federal agencies. Not knowing the

location of these sacred areas makes it difficult for land managers to assess the

impacts of federal actions on them.

Continued consultation with tribes is the

best way to maintain an open dialog so

tribal members can voice their concerns

should a federal action threaten a sacred

site or traditional use area.

Desired Future Conditions:

Traditional cultural properties of Native

American tribes and access to those properties are preserved within the Monument

for the use and benefit of current and

future tribal members.

For Native American tribes that have ties

to this land as part of their ancestral

homeland, the Monument holds meaning

and value and is a place where treaty

rights and religious/sacred traditions may

be practiced in a manner supportive of the

purpose of the Monument.

Agencies and tribes maintain a government-to-government relationship, and the

agencies routinely consult on matters

involving the treaty interests and/or rights

of the tribes.

Tribal oral history will be considered and

incorporated into interpretive materials, as

well as resource management.

Management Actions:

NAAM-1: Native American tribes that

have expressed an interest in

traditional cultural properties

within the Monument will be

consulted on a regular basis

regarding the management of

those properties.

40 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 41

NAAM-2: Handling of Native American

Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act materials will

be addressed as a component

of a Cultural Resources

Management Plan.

NAAM-3: Should any Native American

Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act materials ever

be inadvertently discovered

within the Monument, the

agencies will follow the tribal

consultation procedures outlined in the act regarding their

treatment.

NAAM-4: The agencies in consultation

with the tribes will identify

protection measures for places

of traditional cultural importance to Native Americans to

preserve the integrity and use

of these areas as described in

National Register Bulletin 38.

NAAM-5: Agencies will consult with

associated Native American

tribes to develop and accomplish the programs of the

Monument in a way that

respects their beliefs, traditions, and other cultural values.

NAAM-6: Agencies will consult with

Native American tribes prior

to taking actions that will

affect natural and cultural

resources that are of interest

and concern to them.

NAAM-7: Hunting, gathering, and use of

certain natural resources as

sacred objects for religious use

will continue on the Preserve

and expanded areas of the

Monument.

FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES ASSOCIATED WITH

CRATERS OF THE MOON, THE ROOTS OF BITTERROOT

(LEWISIA REDIVIVA) ARE AN IMPORTANT TRADITIONAL

FOOD.
TRAVEL AND ACCESS

One of the most important issues to be

considered in this planning effort is the

amount and type of access to and within

the Monument. This plan characterizes

the existing road and trail network using

the best available data on current condition and historical maintenance practices.

With the exception of road closures

implicit in the application of Pristine Zone

areas, decisions affecting the status or

condition of all roads and trails within the

Monument will be made in a follow-up

travel management implementation-level

plan. As stated in the Desired Future

Conditions section below, there will be a

net decrease in road mileage within the

Monument. All travel and access will be

limited to the existing roads and trails.

The existing roads and trails were evaluated by agency staff and organized into the

following classification system to provide

for a reasonable baseline data set to be

used within the context of a more specific

travel management plan to follow. 

Class A — paved surface roads

Class B — improved, maintained,

constructed roads with natural or

aggregate surface

Class C — roads constructed or

established through use with a natural surface and little or no maintenance

Class D — primitive roads established through use with no maintenance

Class 1 Trail — restricted to nonmotorized/non-mechanized travel;

wheelchairs allowed

Class 2 Trail — open to motorized/mechanized travel with a footprint no wider than an 18-inch

tread

Table 5 summarizes the current status of

roads and their designated classes in the

monument.

Desired Future Conditions:

There is a net decrease in road mileage

within the Monument.

42 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

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LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 43

The road system in the planning area provides access for visitors, permittees, nonfederal landowners, and administrative

needs while protecting those resources

and values the Monument was established

to preserve.

The agencies coordinate road management inside and outside of the Monument

in a cooperative fashion with local government agencies so that the transportation

system is managed in a comprehensive,

logical manner.

The agencies also work cooperatively with

local government agencies to provide

appropriate access to the Monument and

private land within the Monument.

The road system within the planning area

supports efficient response time for fire

suppression activities.

Most management direction related to

travel and access is covered by management zone allocation.

Management Actions:

ROAD-1: All lands except for the existing roads shown on Figure 4

are designated as “closed” to

vehicle use. Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use is “limited” to

existing roads shown on

Figure 4 unless and until such

roads are closed, converted to

Class II Trails, or are further

limited by operation of this

plan or by the forthcoming

travel management plan.

(OHV designations do not

apply to specifically authorized administrative use.)

ROAD-2: All land within the Monument

other than designated roads

and trails will be designated

“closed” for off-highway vehicle (OHV) and mechanized

vehicle use.

ROAD-3: The agencies will prepare an

implementation-level travel

management plan showing

road and trail classifications,

standards, restrictions, and

closures. Current road standards and classifications will

be in effect until the travel

plan is approved.

ROAD-4: The agencies will prepare

guidelines and procedures for

authorization of emergency

and administrative off-road

travel.

ROAD-5: The agencies will prepare a

travel map showing allowable

uses, road and trail classifications, and standards and

restrictions.

ROAD-6: No motorized vehicle roads or

trails will be permitted within

the Pristine Zone.

ROAD-7: The agencies will close and

rehabilitate all routes established in Wilderness Study

Areas that were not identified

in the wilderness inventory as

“existing ways.”

ROAD-8: All roads and trails shown on

Figure 4 within the BLMadministered portions of

Monument will be designated

“limited” for OHV/motorized

vehicle use unless further limited or closed in the forthcoming travel management plan.

ROAD-9: All authorized roads on NPSadministered portions of the

Monument and Preserve will

be open only to bicycles and

highway licensed motorized

vehicle travel and will be designated as “park roads.”

ROAD-10: The agencies may close individual roads and trails temporarily or permanently to

protect resources on a caseby-case basis.

ROAD-11: Snowmobile use on BLMadministered portions of the

Monument will be addressed
in an upcoming travel management plan.

ROAD-12: The agencies will seek local

jurisdiction concurrence

(county or highway district)

for any change in the commitment to future maintenance

for any roadway under that

entity’s jurisdiction.

ROAD-13: Existing Class B and C roads

will remain open, but maintenance will be driven by natural

resource management needs,

primarily fire suppression,

weed management, and

restoration activities.

ROAD-14: A Class B standard will be

allowed on the ArcoMinidoka Road through the

Monument should the adjacent road segments outside

the Monument be upgraded.

ROAD-15: Selected Class D roads in the

Primitive Zone could be converted to trails or closed for

resource protection. Class D

roads in the Pristine Zone

could be converted to Class I

trails where resource protection needs dictate.

ROAD-16: Temporary improvements to

existing Class C and D roads

could be authorized in the

Passage and Primitive Zones to

facilitate fire suppression and

restoration activities or other

management actions aimed at

natural resource protection.

ROAD-17: In cooperation with the counties, the agencies will maintain

the primary access roads to

provide better access for fire

management.

ROAD-18: Redundant, unnecessary, or

unused roads will be closed as

determined by management

after completing a travel management plan.

LIVESTOCK GRAZING

The proclamation expanding the

Monument states:

Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the Bureau of Land

Management in issuing and

administering grazing permits or

leases on all lands under its jurisdiction shall continue to apply

with regard to the lands in the

Monument administered by the

Bureau of Land Management.

Proclamation 7373

The Monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and

the Bureau of Land Management. The

National Park Service administers

465,047 acres, or 62% of the Monument,

and that area is not available for livestock

use. These areas consist primarily of

exposed lava flows, which are mostly

devoid of available forage and/or inaccessible to livestock; therefore, prohibiting

grazing in these areas has little to no

impact on the livestock industry.

Three BLM field offices (Idaho Falls,

Burley, and Shoshone) in the Idaho Falls

and Twin Falls Districts administer livestock use on the 286,487 acres (including

BLM, private, and state lands) in the

Monument. Sheep and/or cattle graze

these lands, which are divided into management units known as allotments.

Grazing permits are awarded to permittees by allotment. These permits, or leases,

44 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

LIVESTOCK GRAZING IS AUTHORIZED ON MOST OF

THE BLM MONUMENT.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 45

convey no right, title, or interest in the

land or resources. Although the proclamation specifically mentions livestock grazing, it does not establish the practice as a

“right” or convey to it any new status.

There are an additional 1,800 acres of

BLM-administered land adjacent to privately owned agriculture fields and NPSadministered lava that are designated not

available for grazing.

Grazing systems, or acceptable grazing

practices, for allotments are detailed in

Allotment Management Plans. Grazing

systems result from certain decisions and

agreements and are subject to standards

and guidelines, as are adjustments made

to stocking rates. Animal unit months

(AUMs) reflect current authorizations and

are not a mandated level of use.

Desired Future Conditions:

Sustainable rangeland ecosystems are

healthy; public rangelands are maintained

or restored to meet Idaho Standards for

Rangeland Health and Guidelines for

Livestock Grazing Management (USDI

BLM 1997).

Livestock forage is provided on a sustainable basis for the life of the plan, consistent with other resource objectives and

with public land use allocations.

Livestock developments are consistent

with the desired future conditions for natural, cultural, and visual resources.

Management Actions:

GRAZ-1: Nine allotment boundaries

will be altered to accurately

reflect the NPS/BLM boundary. There will be no change in

AUM preferences actually

available for grazing. (See

Appendix F of the Proposed

Monument Management Plan

/ Final Environmental Impact

Statement [USDI NPS and

BLM 2005] for additional

details.)

GRAZ-2: BLM land available for livestock use totals approximately

273,000 acres. BLM land not

available for livestock use

totals approximately 1,800

acres. NPS land not available

for livestock use totals approximately 465,000 acres.

GRAZ-3: Permitted livestock use totals

36,965 animal unit months.

The current livestock use

authorizations will be maintained until Idaho Standards

for Rangeland Health evaluations or similar NEPA-compliant decisions identify the need

for adjustments in livestock

use to meet standards, vegetation, livestock, or resource

objectives.

GRAZ-4: Use of existing livestock developments in Primitive and

Pristine Zones may continue.

The Bureau of Land

Management may remove

developments if they are no

longer serving a useful purpose or resource objectives

warrant their removal. Sites

will be restored.

GRAZ-5: The Brigham Point and

Paddelford Flat sheep trails

across NPS land will be evaluated for future use.

GRAZ-6: There will be no new livestock

developments permitted in

North Laidlaw Park pasture

and Bowl Crater allotment

unless they result in a net benefit to those resources identified as needing improvement

or protection.
46 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

FACILITIES

Administrative and visitor facilities in the

Monument are concentrated in an area of

about 90 acres adjacent to US 20/26/93 in

the north area of the Monument. These

are the visitor center/administrative building, maintenance shop, five residential

buildings, the entrance station, paved

parking areas and roads, a campground, a

campsite, and related utilities. The visitor

center (which also serves as the NPS

administrative headquarters), the maintenance building, and five residential buildings were built in the late 1950s as part of

the NPS Mission 66 Program.

The visitor center building contains a

lobby with book displays, sales, and an

information desk; a small exhibit room;

and public restrooms. The administrative

office area of the building originally consisted of six rooms serving as offices and

shared work areas. Renovation of the

building and additions of 1,800 square

feet for staff work area and curatorial

space and 450 square feet for a multipurpose audiovisual room were completed in

2005.

The maintenance building provides limited area for its intended purposes, since

parts of the building have been converted

to offices for maintenance staff and storage of supplies. One of the residential

buildings has been converted to staff

offices. The campground contains more

than 50 campsites, a 130-seat 

amphitheater, and three restrooms. An

entrance station where visitors are contacted before entering the paved loop

drive is adjacent to the campground.

North of the highway is a public group

campsite. In this vicinity are the

Monument’s potable water wells and

delivery systems and underground water

storage reservoirs.

A 7-mile paved loop drive with short spur

roads, pullouts, and parking areas gives

visitors access to scenic vistas, hiking trailheads, and other attractions. Vault toilets

are available at three of the parking areas.

Kings Bowl was once a developed site.

From the mid-1960s to late-1980s, private

operators under permits from the Bureau

of Land Management operated a concession at the site with a developed trail/tunnel system into Crystal Ice Cave, a parking

and picnicking area, a trailer pad, a generator building, and a small concession

stand. All of the aboveground facilities

have been removed because of safety concerns. A small parking area and remnants

of footpaths and vehicle trails remain. In

2002 the National Park Service and

Bureau of Land Management installed a

series of waysides and signs in the area to

convey important safety and resource protection messages to people who might visit

this site.

Desired Future Conditions:

Visitor and administrative facilities within

the Frontcountry Zone of the NPS

Monument meet visitors’ needs.

The agencies cooperate with gateway

communities in providing information and

services to visitors at sites outside the

Monument.

Location of agency facilities and staffing

levels promotes efficiency of operations

and public needs.

Principles of sustainable and universal

design are incorporated into all facilities

and operations.

Off-site facilities for new visitor services

are emphasized.

THE MONUMENT

VISITOR CENTER

HOUSES INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITS,

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND

ADMINISTRATIVE

OFFICES.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 47

Management Actions:

FAC-1: Existing paved road system and

parking areas will be modified to

address safety and maintenance

concerns.

FAC-2: BLM fire stations at Carey and

Kimama will include Monument

information. There will be informational kiosks located along

roads leading into the

Monument.

FAC-3: Opportunities for sharing BLM

and NPS facilities and staff will

be evaluated.

FAC-4: Signs and wayside exhibits previously approved for visitor safety and resources protection will

be installed at Kings Bowl.

FAC-5: Monument informational materials will be provided for display

or distribution at non-agency

sites in communities surrounding the Monument.

FAC-6: Partnerships will be encouraged

in developing new visitor information facilities in gateway communities.

FAC-7: The Bureau of Land

Management and National Park

Service will become involved

with other agencies and the private sector in seeking opportunities for visitor information

centers in communities along

the interstate corridor.

LANDS AND REALTY

The planning area encompasses approximately 753,333 acres (see Table 6 and

Figure 7). Private and state land within the

Monument boundary is not part of the

Monument and is not subject to the direction in this plan. Most of the private land

holdings in the planning area were

obtained through agricultural entries such

as the Desert Land Act, the Carey Act, the

Reclamation Homestead Act, and the

Stock Raising Homestead Act. There were

no pending agricultural entries in the

Monument on the date of Proclamation

7373. The private and state land inholdings are used for grazing and contain related developments such as fences, wells,

corrals, camp trailers, and seedings. There

are no houses, cabins, or other permanent

human dwellings on the private or state

land.

The agencies will consider acquiring private and state land in the Monument

through exchange, purchase, or donation.

Acquisitions of private land will only be

initiated by the private landowners as a

willing seller. Private or state land

acquired by the agencies will automatically become part of the Monument and subject to the direction in this plan.

Proclamation 7373 withdrew all federal

land within the Monument and Preserve

from all forms of entry, location, selection,

sale, and other forms of disposition.

Therefore, the agencies cannot exchange,

sell, or dispose of any federal land in the

Monument except for extremely rare situations that would further the protective

purposes of the Monument. This withdrawal includes the disposal of land to

local governments for public purposes

and community expansion.

Lands and realty authorizations fall into

two broad categories — valid existing

rights and other valid but lesser interests.

Proclamation 7373 states that: “The establishment of this monument is subject to

valid existing rights.” Valid existing rights

within the Monument include highway

rights-of-way, powerlines, phone lines, a

seismic station, a snow fence, a well, and

mineral material sites (see Table 7 and

Figure 8).

Other existing authorizations in the

Monument are three Free Use permits for

mineral materials (see the “Mineral

Materials” section, below) and 14 easements held by the Bureau of Land

Management across state and private land.

At the time of Proclamation 7373, there
48 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

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Chapter 2: THE PLAN 49

were no other pending lands and realty

cases or applications such as rights-ofway, land use permits, exchange or sale

proposals, or trespass cases.

Desired Future Conditions:

Existing access to private lands is maintained, consistent with applicable laws,

while minimizing environmental impacts.

Valid existing rights are protected.

Management Actions:

LANDS-1: Private or state lands within

the Monument boundary

acquired by the agencies will

automatically become part of

the Monument and subject to

the direction in this plan.

LANDS-2: The agencies will pursue

acquisition or exchange for

private inholdings within the

Monument based on initiation

by willing seller.

LANDS-3: The agencies will pursue an

exchange with Idaho

Department of Lands for state

lands located in and near the

Monument.

LANDS-4: Action on applications for new

discretionary land use authorizations will be guided by existing NPS and BLM policies.

MINERAL MATERIALS

The proclamation expanding the

Monument withdrew all federal lands and

interests in lands within the Monument

from entry, location, selection, sale, lease,

or other dispositions (except for

exchanges that would further the protective purposes of the Monument) under

the public land laws, including the mineral

leasing and mining laws. Thus, new federal mineral leases or prospecting permits

may not be issued, nor may new mining

claims be located within the Monument.

No mining claims existed in the

Monument on the date of Proclamation

7373.

There are no known natural gas, oil, or

mineral deposits within the Monument

boundaries. The general area has moderate potential for developable geothermal

resources (Kuntz et al. 1979, Ridenour

1979). Active mining claims for locatable

minerals, primarily gold, exist just north of

the Monument in the Pioneer Mountain

foothills. The National Park Service has

rehabilitated two old abandoned gold

mine adits in the northern portion of the

original Monument. The Bureau of Land

Management processed several applications for geothermal leases in the 1970s

and issued one lease, which was relinquished in 1982.

There are three Free Use Permits for

pumice/cinders on BLM lands in the

Monument. Butte County and Blaine

County use these sites as a material source

for gravel road maintenance. Free Use

Permits authorize use only by state or

local governments. These material sites are

not available to the general public or commercial parties.

The amount of suitable road surface material available within the Monument is

essentially unlimited. However,

Proclamation 7373 and agency policy

restricts extraction of mineral materials to

valid existing rights and administrative

uses only. Cinders are generally considered to be an undesirable material for road

maintenance because they are not very

durable compared to gravel. Cinders are

very light, which reduces transportation

costs. High quality crushed gravel is available outside the Monument, but at a substantially higher cost than the readily

available cinders.

The Idaho Transportation Department

also holds three right-of-way grants for

five pumice/cinder material sites in the

Monument. These right-of-way grants are

valid existing rights unaffected by

Proclamation 7373. The former General
50 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Land Office granted these rights-of-way in

the 1940s during the construction of US

20/26/93.

Desired Future Conditions:

Material sites (sites excavated for gravel,

cinder, and other materials) are reclaimed

and restored where feasible when no

longer in use.

Current BLM reclamation requirements at

material sites include: sloping of all pits to

a natural contour and appearance;

replacement of stockpiled topsoil and

reseeding with recommended seed mix;

reduction or removal of all vertical slopes

and removal of all overhangs; scarification

and rehabilitation of all created roads

used to access the site; and other stipulations as agreed upon by the Bureau of

Land Management and applicant at the

time that the use was permitted and

included in the mining and reclamation

plan for mineral material disposal.

Although complete restoration may not be

practical, feasible, or desirable, reclamation of a mineral material site in the

Monument shall be deemed successful

when the site has been stabilized and

revegetated, and it blends into the surrounding landscape.

Management Actions:

MINE-1: Existing authorization for

material sites within the

Monument will continue for

the term of the authorization.

MINE-2: A Material Sites Reclamation

Plan will be prepared.

MINE-3: New materials sites will not be

developed except for

Monument administrative

purposes.

MINE-4: Agencies will consult with

Idaho Transportation

Department on relinquishment of three right-of-way

grants for material sites along

US 93.

MINE-5: Information will be provided

on BLM areas outside the

Monument where casual collection is appropriate and permitted for materials similar to

those found in the Monument.

WILDERNESS AND 

WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS

(WSAS)

Congressional designation of the 43,243-

acre Craters of the Moon National

Wilderness Area was enacted on October

23, 1970, making the Monument and

Petrified Forest National Park the first

units within the National Park System with

designated wilderness areas (PL 91-504).

The Craters of the Moon Wilderness is

entirely within the original Monument

(see Figure 9). All but the north end of the

wilderness boundary is adjacent to lands

inventoried by the Bureau of Land

Management as the Great Rift Wilderness

Study Area in 1980 (USDI BLM 1980a,

1980b). When designated, the wilderness

boundary was offset one-eighth of a mile

(660 feet) inside the Monument boundary.

This “buffer” area was intended to permit

administrative vehicle access for firefighting and other management needs (U.S.

House of Representatives 1970). Since the

narrow buffer area does not contain roads

and consists largely of impassable lava

flows, it never has been used for such purposes.

Wilderness Study Areas are lands identified through the BLM wilderness inventory process as possessing wilderness characteristics (defined by the Wilderness Act

of September 3, 1964, 16 U.S. Code 1131).

Wilderness Study Area lands are designated in BLM land use plans and managed

under the BLM “Interim Management

Policy for Lands under Wilderness

Review, Handbook H8550-1,” so as not to

impair their suitability for wilderness designation (USDI BLM 1995).
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 51

Four Wilderness Study Areas have been

designated within the boundaries of the

Monument (see Table 8 and Figure 9).

Eighty-four percent of the Wilderness

Study Areas are within the National

Preserve; the rest is managed by the

Bureau of Land Management. The

381,800-acre Great Rift Wilderness Study

Area was designated in 1980 (USDI BLM

1980a, 1980b). The Great Rift Wilderness

Study Area encompasses most of the

Craters of the Moon and Wapi Lava

Fields, along with parts of the surrounding

sagebrush grasslands. The Raven’s Eye

Wilderness Study Area covers 68,300 acres

of the western part of the Craters of the

Moon Lava Field, with 66% of the area

within the Monument. The Little Deer

Wilderness Study Area takes in 35,200

acres of a narrow extension of the Craters

of the Moon Lava Field and adjacent sagebrush grasslands. The 9,700-acre Bear

Den Butte Wilderness Study Area is centered on a narrow finger of the Craters of

the Moon Lava Field, which extends into

Laidlaw Park. The Raven’s Eye, Little

Deer, and Bear Den Butte Wilderness

Study Areas were designated in 1986

(USDI BLM 1987).

Presidential Proclamation 7373 transferred portions of the four Wilderness

Study Areas to the National Park Service

in 2000. The proclamation directed the

following:

Wilderness Study Areas included in

the Monument will continue to be

managed under Section 603(c) of

the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.

Code 17011782).

Section 603(c) requires that Wilderness

Study Areas be managed to maintain their

suitability for wilderness designation and

prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. BLM wilderness inventory procedures (USDI BLM 2001b) define roads as

routes improved and maintained by

mechanical means to ensure relatively regular and continuous use. A route maintained solely by the passage of vehicles is

defined as a vehicle way. Numerous vehicle ways exist within the Wilderness Study

Areas. The BLM Interim Management

Policy for Lands under Wilderness Review

(USDI BLM 1995) permits continued

motorized travel on those ways recorded

during the wilderness inventory.

Additional vehicle routes created after the

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inventory are not authorized, and motorized vehicle use of such routes is prohibited.

Desired Future Conditions:

Natural conditions in Wilderness and

Wilderness Study Areas, including air

quality, dark night skies, and natural quiet,

are substantially free of human influences.

Air quality degradation and adverse

impacts to air quality related values, particularly visibility, within the Class I air

quality Craters of the Moon Wilderness

Area, do not occur.

Future generations enjoy the enduring

wilderness resources of the Craters of the

Moon Wilderness, including its conservation, scientific, cultural, educational, and

recreational benefits.

Wilderness Study Areas retain the wilderness values identified in the wilderness

inventory and study process.

Management Actions:

WILD-1: NPS and BLM staff will develop

a joint Wilderness / Wilderness

Study Area Management Plan

following completion of this

plan. No additional wildlife

water developments or other

habitat manipulations will be

undertaken to manage wildlife

populations in Wilderness,

Wilderness Study Areas, or the

Preserve.

WILD-2: As part of the joint Wilderness /

Wilderness Study Area

Management Plan, and consistent with current guidance on

inventorying for and management to protect or enhance

wilderness characteristics, the

agencies may conduct additional

inventory, consider citizen proposals, and consider protections

of lands with wilderness characteristics.

WILD-3: Minimum requirement analysis

will precede any proposed management activities within designated wilderness areas and

Wilderness Study Areas managed by the National Park

Service. BLM-administered

Wilderness Study Areas will

continue to be managed under

the guidance in the Interim

Management Policy for Lands

under Wilderness Review.

Should those portions of the

Great Rift Wilderness Study

Area adjacent to the original

Monument be designated as

wilderness, the 660-foot strip of

non-wilderness between the

Craters of the Moon Wilderness

boundary and the original

Monument boundary should be

designated as wilderness as well.

WILD-4: Use of aircraft to survey and

monitor wildlife populations

could be continued, but flights

will be scheduled to avoid high

visitor use periods. Any landing

of aircraft or dropping of supplies from aircraft in wilderness

or Wilderness Study Areas will

be consistent with a minimum

requirement and minimum tool

analysis.

WILD-5: Ways or travel routes within

Wilderness Study Areas not

identified during wilderness

inventories will be closed to

motorized vehicles and rehabilitated.

WILD-6: Should Congress release any

Wilderness Study Area from

WSA status, then the area will be

managed under the direction of

this land use plan.

52 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 53

INTERPRETATION/

VISITOR UNDERSTANDING

The interpretive program at the

Monument focuses on providing an educational experience to the widest possible

variety of visitors. Major target audiences

are summer visitors, school students, visitors from local communities, and winter

visitors. Other groups are backcountry

travelers, hunters, and people planning

visits to the Monument. Programs to best

meet the needs of these groups are regularly scheduled walks and talks during

summer, school group orientations and

teacher workshops in spring and fall, special topic weekend programs, and winter

ecology workshops.

Interpretive waysides, informational

kiosks, press releases, publications, and

agency websites also provide for the informational and interpretive needs of the

public. Visitors unable to attend or take

advantage of the various scheduled interpretive programs have an excellent opportunity to learn about the Monument

through these other venues.

Interpretive themes are important ideas,

stories, and concepts that are presented to

visitors in exhibits, publications, and programs. With the development of the LongRange Interpretive Plan for the

Monument (see “Future Planning Needs”

in Chapter 3), the following interpretive

themes will be addressed:

• The Monument provides opportunities for people to explore a

remarkably well preserved volcanic landscape.

• The Great Rift and its associated

features are only the most recent

reminders of an awesome series of

geologic events that began to

shape the Snake River Plain 16

million years ago.

• The geology of Craters of the

Moon has created unique and

unexpected habitats that provide

for the survival of a surprising

diversity of plant and animal

species. This vast lava and sagebrush plain also provides for critical human needs throughout this

desert region.

• Searing lava flows that initially

destroyed everything in their path

today protect the last islands of

intact sagebrush steppe communities on the Snake River Plain.

• Craters of the Moon contains vast

areas that are managed to preserve

their wilderness characteristics.

• For thousands of years people

have avoided, endured, and pondered this vast western landscape.

Desired Future Conditions:

The Monument builds and maintains positive relationships with visitor user groups

and educational organizations.

The public perceives the Monument as a

single entity, and its management as a

model of public service.

The public understands and appreciates

the area’s natural and cultural resources,

including its history and uses.

The public has access to Monument information and learning opportunities, both

on- and off-site.

Information/orientation materials such as

travel maps, safety bulletins, resource

information, and recreation information

are available.

Visitors are offered a variety of interpretive media within the Frontcountry Zone.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE
54 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Management Actions:

VISIT-1: A Long-Range Interpretive

Plan for the Monument will be

developed.

VISIT-2: Both agencies will coordinate

services to meet the needs of

permittees, visitors, students,

educators, interest groups, and

the general public.

VISIT-3: Monument staff will continue

to promote visitor safety and

resource protection.

Designated roads, trails, and

facilities will be maintained,

and new facilities will be provided as appropriate in the

Frontcountry Zone for

resource protection and visitor

enjoyment.

VISIT-4: Developed facilities such as

the visitor center at the original NPS Monument will continue to be provided.

Informational/orientation

materials dealing with recreation, maps, safety, and

resource concerns will be

posted on kiosks located at all

primary backcountry access

points surrounding the

Monument and at the Carey

and Kimama BLM fire stations.

VISIT-5: Interpretive programs and the

maintenance of exhibits and

waysides will continue.

VISIT-6: Educational programs for

schools will focus on programs on-site in the original

NPS-administered

Monument. A number of programs (summer and winter)

aimed at special users will be

presented each year.

VISIT-7: Educational programs will be

expanded to off-site locations.

VISIT-8: A variety of interpretive media

for on- and off-site use will

continue to be developed.

VISIT-9: Interpretive signs will be provided along the US 20/26/93

corridor.

VISIT-10: Interpretation outside the

Frontcountry Zone will

emphasize publications, websites, exhibits, and other offsite interpretive media.

VISIT-11: Interpretive emphasis will be

on providing new interpretive

and educational materials and

programs outside the expanded portion of the Monument

and in partnering communities and facilities.

VISIT-12: A variety of portable media

(maps, tapes, guidebooks, etc.)

will be developed to interpret

the expanded portion of the

Monument.

VISIT-13: Informational/orientation

materials dealing with recreation, maps, safety, and

resource concerns will be

available in gateway communities. Visitor center(s) operated

in cooperation with local partners will be proposed within

the I-84 corridor.

VISIT-14: Commercial outfitters and

guides will be encouraged to

offer a range of guided experiences. Visitors who might not

otherwise have the proper

knowledge, vehicles, or preparation to experience the interior of the Monument will then

have a viable option that will

not require a lot of road, trail,

and facility improvement.

VISIT-15: Safety and resource protection

will be emphasized at access

points.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 55

RECREATION

Visitation to the original NPS Monument

averages 200,000 people per year, with

peak visitation on summer weekends.

Many visitors are on vacations that

include Yellowstone and Grand Teton

National Parks to the east and Sun Valley

and the Sawtooth National Recreation

Area to the west (USDI NPS 1990).

Commonly, visitors spend less than 3

hours at the Monument; 5% remain

overnight. The typical visitor will stop and

tour the visitor center, then sightsee along

the 7-mile paved loop drive, taking advantage of photographic opportunities and

often having a picnic before leaving.

School groups represent an important visitor group. More than 100 school groups

comprising more than 3,000 students visit

the Monument each year. Teachers who

have attended one of the Monument-provided teacher orientation workshops lead

many of these groups.

Commercial tours also come to the

Monument through the primary visitation

season. Commercial tour numbers vary

from year to year, but the average is

between 30 and 40 tour buses each year.

Winter visitation is low, but winter attracts

local and regional visitors familiar with the

quality cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities. The loop drive is

closed to vehicle traffic and groomed for

skiing in winter. The National Park

Service has also offered winter ecology

programs for the past few years; these are

always well attended.

Visitation to the expanded parts of the

Monument during the last 10 years averaged approximately 20,000 visits per year,

according to BLM’s Recreation

Management Information System (RMIS).

Some popular sites are Pillar Butte, Wood

Road Kipuka, Bear Park, Snowdrift

Crater, Kings Bowl, and Bear Trap Cave.

No visitor facilities are available at any of

the sites, but all receive day use and

GUIDED INTERPRETIVE WALKS ARE SCHEDULED

THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS.
56 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

occasional overnight camping.

Recreational activities in the expanded

part of the Monument, in order of popularity, are hunting; driving for pleasure;

geologic exploration including caving, lava

hiking and sightseeing; hiking; primitive

camping; photography; horseback riding;

and mountain biking.

Commercial Outfitters and Guide

Services. There is currently one temporary special use permit issued for guided

tours within the Monument. In 2004 there

were no tours conducted under the two

existing hunting outfitter permits issued

for Hunting Units 52A and 68 (one in each

unit) within the Monument, and past use

of these permits has been quite low as

well. Although some interest in commercial outfitter and guide permits has been

expressed, the agencies do not foresee a

dramatic increase in demand for these

permits over the life of the plan.

Hunting. The Idaho Fish and Game

Commission sets hunting seasons and

other regulations for hunting in Idaho.

Most of the Monument and Preserve is

within Idaho Fish and Game Hunting Unit

52A (see Figure 10). The southern part of

the area, including all of the Wapi Lava

Field, is included in Unit 68. A very small

portion of the northern edge of the

Monument and Preserve falls within Units

49 and 50. The length of season and number of available controlled-hunt tags vary

annually on the basis of wildlife population levels and other factors.

BLM’s Recreation Management

Information System and Idaho

Department of Fish and Game estimates

indicate that Greater sage-grouse hunting

and open mule deer hunting attract the

highest number of hunters in the

Monument. The open seasons for archery

(antelope, elk, and deer), other small game

(rabbits, upland birds), predators, and

unprotected species, along with the controlled seasons (draw tags) for antelope,

elk, and deer, account for a much smaller

portion of hunting use.

Almost all hunting has historically been in

the BLM portions of the Monument.

Hunting occurs in what is now the NPS

Preserve, although hunting has never been

authorized in the original NPS

Monument. The exposed lava flows in the

NPS Preserve can be used for a quality

hunt for a few hunters who seek the challenge. The very small amount of hunting

by members of the Shoshone-Bannock

Tribes that takes place in the Monument is

considered a treaty right and is not considered a recreational hunting experience.

Motorized and Mechanized Recreation.

OHV (off-highway vehicle) use in the

Monument includes off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and snowmobiles.

Most OHV use in the Monument takes

place during hunting seasons or in association with other land uses like livestock

operations. The amount of OHV-specific

recreation activity in the Monument is

quite small (Recreation Management

Information System estimates less than

5,000 visits per year). Most OHV activity

takes place on the road network, since no

trails have been designated for motorized

use.

A small amount of mountain biking

occurs in the expanded Monument. This

small but growing recreational use is confined primarily to the existing road network, because no designated trails for

mountain biking exist. In the area of the

original Monument, mountain bike permits are available for riding along portions

of Goodale’s Cutoff. Bicycle use occurs on

the 7-mile loop drive and other areas. No

OHV use is permitted within the original

Monument.

Hiking and Horseback Riding. Most

hikers hike on designated trails in the original Monument. Hiking trails to features

of interest in the original Monument are

the North Crater Flow, Devils Orchard,

Inferno Cone, the Big Craters/Spatter

Cones area, Tree Molds, and the Caves

Area. Hikers in the non-wilderness part of

the original Monument regularly see other
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 57

visitors, because the area is highly used.

Opportunities for solitude are limited;

however, the Craters of the Moon

Wilderness offers outstanding opportunities for self-directed hiking, with an excellent chance to experience solitude.

Wilderness use is extremely light, with an

average of 130 overnight backpackers per

year (based on backcountry permits

issued 1990 through 2002). Backpacking

parties usually consist of fewer than four

persons, and they seldom stay out more

than two nights (USDI NPS 1990). All

water must be packed into the backcountry. Exact numbers of day users are

unavailable. Some constructed hiking

trails exist at the Crystal Ice Caves/Kings

Bowl area (Recreation Management

Information System estimates 1,000 visits).

Horseback riding in the original

Monument is limited to the Craters of the

Moon Wilderness Trail by permit only. No

other designated trails currently exist for

horseback riding.

Camping. In the original Monument,

more than 50 developed campsites with

water, restrooms, charcoal grills, and picnic tables are available on a first-comefirst-served basis. Most campers stay only

one night. The campground is rarely full,

with the exception of several weekends

during the summer, generally around holidays.

Caving. Tens of thousands visit the Caves

Area in the developed portion of the

Monument each year. Although dispersed

caving does not draw large numbers of

visitors, it is an important and unique

recreation opportunity at the Monument.

Opportunities exist for recreational cave

experiences throughout the Monument,

ranging from hiking a paved trail to an

easily accessible lava tube such as Indian

Tunnel, to visiting a remote wild cave

somewhere in the expanded portion of

the Monument, to the potential to actually

discover a previously unknown cave.

Health and Safety. Several factors are

involved in health and safety concerns for

Monument visitors and surrounding communities. These factors include road standards and levels of maintenance, extreme

weather, wildfires, caves/fissures, lava terrain, livestock, and snakes.

Desired Future Conditions:

Opportunities are available for diverse

recreational experiences, consistent with

the intent of Monument proclamations

and applicable laws.

The area continues to offer a range of

opportunities for discovery.

The public enjoys opportunities for selfdiscovery and primitive type recreational

experiences.

Unsigned and self-directed motorized

recreation opportunities are available.

Within the Pristine Zone, public opportunities to experience solitude, natural

quiet/night sky, and views of landscapes

remain substantially free of human influence.

Commercial outfitters and guide services

provide opportunities for visitors to experience and learn about the resources,

reducing the need for development and

agency staffing.

Public awareness of responsible lowimpact recreational use reduces or eliminates the need for restrictive management

policies.

LAVA FLOW

CAMPGROUND.
Responsible low-impact recreational use

allows for relatively unrestricted recreational opportunities throughout much of

the Monument.

Public awareness of area hazards, along

with an attitude of self-reliance and personal safety, substantially reduces the need

for restrictive management policies.

Impacts associated with recreational uses

do not adversely affect the physical and

visual integrity of geologic features or the

biological integrity of the ecosystem.

The National Park Service, the Bureau of

Land Management, and external partners

provide the public accurate and consistent

information on recreational opportunities

throughout the Monument.

Partnerships with off-site facilities, such as

visitor centers and state parks, provide

Monument information and interpretation.

Management Actions:

REC-1: The current Idaho State

Comprehensive Outdoor

Recreation and Tourism Plan

and the Idaho outdoor recreation demand assessment will be

utilized in implementation-level

planning to assist managers in

understanding the recreational

use patterns, trends, and recreational facilities needed for the

area.

REC-2: Implementation-level planning

will make determinations as to

where specific trails, trailhead

facilities, and/or number of

primitive campsites will be

needed or desired within the

Passage Zone.

REC-3: Resources and areas most vulnerable to vandalism, theft,

and/or recreational use impacts

will be inventoried.

REC-4: The agencies, in consultation

with the state, could designate

areas within the Preserve and

periods of time when no hunting and/or use of firearms will

be permitted for reasons of public safety, administration, and/or

public use and enjoyment.

REC-5: Information/orientation materials such as travel maps, safety

bulletins, resource information,

and recreation information will

be conveniently available.

REC-6: Permits will continue to be

required for overnight camping

in the Wilderness and/or biking

or hiking in the original

Monument area north of US

20/26/93.

REC-7: Applications for permitted outfitters and guide services will be

encouraged.

REC-8: Should permitted outfitter,

guide, or similar NPS concession use numbers of the

Monument reach 2,000 annual

user days in the expanded portion of the Monument, BLM

and/or NPS staff will prepare an

implementation level plan for

the management of these services. This plan will include use

allocations and limits for a variety of recreational experiences,

such as geology tours, nature

walks, bird/wildlife watching, or

horseback riding.

REC-9: No wood fires will be permitted

within the original Monument

(campground sites provide grills

for charcoal cooking only;

wood fires are permitted at

group campsites).

REC-10: No hunting will be allowed in

the NPS Monument.

REC-11: Programs will promote wilderness and backcountry ethics.

REC-12: The agencies will continue to

provide and promote

58 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 59

cross-country skiing and snowshoeing activities along the 7-

mile loop drive in the northern

end of the Monument.

REC-13: Leave-No-Trace and Tread

Lightly programs will be promoted with staff and the public.

REC-14: Up to six locations could be

developed for camping in the

Passage Zone.

REC-15: The Bureau of Land

Management and the National

Park Service will actively seek

potential partnerships with offsite Monument information and

interpretation.

VISUAL RESOURCES

Viewscape. Perpetuating scenic vistas

and open western landscapes for future

generations is one of the purposes identified for the Monument. The visual

resources of the Monument represent a

remnant of the undeveloped American

West and one of the few remaining great

expanses of sagebrush steppe. The contrasting lava flows were described in the

1924 Presidential Proclamation originally

establishing the Monument as a “weird

and scenic landscape peculiar to itself.”

This creates a viewscape unique in North

America.

The gray-green sagebrush steppe and

black lava fields abut the high Pioneer

Mountains to the north. Across the

Monument, 3,500 feet of vertical relief

present visitors with enormous panoramic

views to the south. On a clear day, the

Grand Tetons, 140 miles to the east, can be

seen from the Monument. One of the

nation’s clearest airsheds enhances these

long, uninterrupted vistas.

The Monument contains numerous striking volcanic features such as pahoehoe

and a’a lava flows, cinder cones, spatter

ramparts, and enormous lava fields. Low

shield volcanoes and cinder cones (known

locally as “buttes”) rise up throughout the

entire Monument landscape. The exposed

lava varies in color, while shapes and textures of the flows add scenic variety on a

smaller scale. Nearly barren of vegetation,

the most recent lavas at times flowed

around kipukas, which offer some visual

relief from the continuous lava. Expansive

sagebrush steppe and grasslands, as well

as the different ages and types of lava surfaces, support a remarkable variety of

plant and animal communities that add to

the visual diversity of the Monument.

Visual Resource Management. Visual

Resource Management (VRM) is a standard tool used by the Bureau of Land

Management to identify and protect visual

values on public lands (USDI BLM 1986a,

1986b). A VRM inventory of the

Monument area was completed in 1989,

including an evaluation of scenic quality,

identification of viewsheds, and key

observation points for visitors (see Figure

11). This inventory data was analyzed and

presented as visual resource classes. This

Plan places all public land into one of four

VRM management classes. VRM classes

provide standards for planning, designing,

and evaluating future management projects. The four VRM management class

designations are as follows:

Class I — The objective of this class is

to preserve the existing character of

the landscape. Any contrast created

within the characteristic landscape

must not attract attention. This classification is applied to visual Areas of

Critical Environmental Concern

(ACEC), Wilderness and Wilderness

Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers,

and other similar situations.

Class II — The objective of this class

is to retain the existing character of

the landscape. Changes in any of the

basic visual elements caused by management activity should not be evident in the landscape. A contrast may

be seen but should not attract attention.
60 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Class III — The objective of this class

is to partially retain the existing character of the landscape. Contrasts to

the basic elements caused by a management activity may be evident and

begin to attract attention in the landscape. The changes, however, should

remain subordinate in the existing

landscape.

Class IV — The objective of this class

is to provide for management activities that require major modification

of the existing character of the landscape. Contrasts may attract attention

and be a dominant feature in the

landscape in terms of scale. However,

the change should be compatible with

the basic element of the landscape.

Desired Future Conditions:

Existing opportunities to experience solitude, dark night sky, and views of landscapes remain substantially free of human

intrusions.

A primitive and natural visual setting is

retained.

The visual integrity of the Goodale’s

Cutoff historic trail corridor remains protected.

Management activities meet or exceed

adopted Visual Resource Management

(VRM) classes.

Management Actions:

VRM-1: BLM and NPS managers should

seek the cooperation of visitors,

neighbors, and local government

agencies to prevent or minimize

impacts and prevent the loss of

western landscape vistas and

natural dark conditions.

VRM-2: Existing waste dumps will be

inventoried and cleaned up.

VRM-3: VRM inventory classes will be

designated as management

classes as shown in Figure 11.

SOUNDSCAPES

The Monument is a quiet place. “Natural

quiet” refers to the state of having only

natural sources of sound — for example,

wind, rustling leaves, water, and animal

calls. Most of the Monument is not subject to modern sources of unnatural

sound intrusion, or noise. The only major

noise producers are highway traffic from

outside the Monument, the railroad near

the southern edge of the Monument, and

aircraft overflights.

Desired Future Conditions:

Aircraft noise impacts are minimized.

Existing opportunities to experience solitude and natural quiet remain substantially free of human intrusions.

Management Actions:

SOUND-1: Aircraft landings associated

with commercial air tours will

not be authorized within the

Pristine Zone.

SOUND-2: The agencies will coordinate

with the Department of

Defense, Federal Aviation

Administration, and the Idaho

Department of Aeronautics

regarding noise impacts.
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 61

All of the proclamations associated with

Craters of the Moon National Monument

focus on the unique geologic resources of

the Monument. The protection, study, and

appreciation of the Monument’s unique

geologic features are perhaps the overriding purposes of the Monument. Both

agencies acknowledge the need for scientific study of the Monument’s remote and

often harsh environment. However,

restrictions on surface disturbance and

cross-country travel can constrain geologic research. Basic research plays an

important role in the identification, characterization, and interpretation of the

Monument’s resources.

BLM and NPS staff have been working

with the U. S. Geological Survey to pursue

ongoing research involving geologic mapping geochemistry, geophysics, geomorphology, seismology, geomagnetism, geodesy, tectonics, earthquake hazards, volcanic hazards, and climate change.

RESEARCH

A look at economic change in each of the

five counties within the planning area

shows that the economies of even adjacent counties can be very different. While

some typify changes that are occurring in

many areas of the western United States,

others retain high levels of more traditional economic sectors or reflect unique histories. Blaine and Minidoka Counties, for

example, follow widespread patterns of

economic change in that the services and

professional and non-labor income

(income derived from investments, retirement, social security, etc.) categories have

shown the most significant growth.

Despite this similarity, these two counties

are at the high (Blaine) and low

(Minidoka) ends of the spectrum in terms

of per capita income, housing values, and

educational attainment.

The Monument contributes to the local

economy through its employment of 21

part- or full-time workers and administrators and approximately 10 to 20 seasonal

employees who live in various communities around the Monument. The National

Park Service also uses concession contracts and commercial use authorizations

(formerly incidental business permits) to

manage commercial activities within its

units. Currently, the only concession contract is issued to the nonprofit Craters of

the Moon Natural History Association.

This contract allows the association to

offer convenience items such as sunscreen, film, and soft drinks, as well as

books and educational materials, for purchase by visitors in the NPS visitor center.

There are no current commercial use

licenses or incidental business permits

issued for activities on NPS lands in the

Monument. The Idaho Department of

Fish and Game offers commercial use

licenses on BLM-administered land.

Desired Future Conditions:

Gateway and other nearby communities

benefit economically and socially from the

presence of the Monument.

Management Actions:

SOCIO-1: An intergovernmental coordinating group will be considered to ensure consistency of

this plan with other state and

local plans.

SOCIO-2: The agencies will participate

with interested communities

in their planning for accommodating Monument visitors

through their communities.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
The agencies have engaged in numerous

partnerships with a variety of academic

organizations, professional societies,

clubs, and hobby organizations who have

expressed interest in the Monument’s

unique geologic resources. These organizations include three separate Grottos

(chapters) associated with the National

Speleological Society.

The National Park Service has a long-term

air quality monitoring program in place.

Both agencies will strive to continue and

expand climatic and air quality research

and monitoring. The Idaho National

Energy and Environmental Laboratory is

an important partner in these activities.

The Monument contains several ongoing

archeological scientific studies. The agencies will continue established relationships

with academic institutions for these challenge cost share research projects.

Inventory, characterization, and protection of cultural resources are a high priority for both agencies. The potential for

additional discoveries of significant cultural and paleontological resources is

high. Investigations will conform to policy

guidelines for surface disturbance within

Wilderness Study Areas and minimize surface disturbance elsewhere

The lava flows at Craters of the Moon create many unique opportunities for the

study of isolated, relatively undisturbed

native plant communities. The proclamation describes kipukas as important comparative benchmarks relative to humanaltered plant communities in the Snake

River Plain. The Monument has been the

site of many vegetative studies and

research projects. Several studies involving rare plants, natural fire, fire rehabilitation, and grazing are in progress.

The Monument is also a remnant stronghold for Greater sage-grouse and is particularly suited for the study of healthy

Greater sage-grouse populations. The

agencies will continue to encourage both

population and habitat research in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Fish

and Game.

STUDENTS CAN SERVE 

AS CITIZEN SCIENTISTS 

IN RESEARCH PROJECTS.

62 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 2: THE PLAN 63

Several potential partners have expressed

an interest in biological science at the

Monument including Idaho’s

Conservation Data Center, the Idaho

Rangeland Resource Commission, universities, and the Biological Division of the

U.S. Geological Survey. Both agencies

actively encourage appropriate and needed biological research in cooperation with

these partners to fulfill this important

aspect of Monument designation.

Desired Future Conditions:

The findings of scientific research

enhance management decisions and

increase public appreciation and understanding of Monument resources.

The research community and the

Monument staff view the Monument as a

productive outdoor laboratory.

Management Actions:

RSEAR-1: To maintain a complete record

of research activities and

research and specimen collecting, permits will be

required for all projects.

Standard operating procedures for the NPS permit

process will be incorporated

for the entire Monument.

RSEAR-2: The agencies will coordinate

the review and approval of

research applications to confirm adherence to each

agency’s policy and to ensure

compatibility with the purposes of the Monument.

RSEAR-3: Varying means, including

interdisciplinary and interagency research projects, will

emphasize the use of the

Monument as a productive

outdoor laboratory.

RSEAR-4: BLM and NPS staff will facilitate the transfer of research

information to the public.

RSEAR-5: To the extent they are available, NPS and BLM facilities

and staff assistance may be

made available to qualified

researchers and educational

institutions conducting

authorized studies or field

classes.

RSEAR-6: The agencies will work with

interested partners in sponsoring a symposium or similar

forum for sharing information

on past research and helping

identify future research needs

and opportunities.

Chapter 3

THE IMPLEMENTATION

Chapter 3: IMPLEMENTATION 67

The broad direction provided in this

Monument Management Plan meets the

requirements of proclamations and laws

specifically related to the Monument, as

well as the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act, the NPS Organic Act,

applicable regulations, and agency policies. This Management Plan describes the

resource conditions and visitor experiences to be achieved within the

Monument. Implementation of the

Management Plan will involve the completion of many specific activities to meet

these objectives. Over the life of this

Management Plan, BLM and NPS staff

will prepare new implementation plans or

amend existing plans with detailed information for specific topics. This chapter

provides the framework to guide implementation of the decisions contained in

this Management Plan. This chapter also

includes information on the process to

amend this Management Plan in the

future as resource conditions or uses

change or additional information becomes

available.

IMPLEMENTATION 

STRATEGY

An implementation strategy will be completed. The implementation strategy outlines priorities and the resources needed

during the first years of implementation of

this Management Plan. This strategy

should also contain a schedule for the

development of the following priority

implementation plans.

• Comprehensive Travel Management

Plan

• NPS Resource Stewardship Strategy

• Fire Management Plan

• Wilderness / Wilderness Study Area

Management Plan

• Long-Range Interpretive Plan

• Cave Management Plan

• Cultural Resources Management Plan

• Integrated Pest Management Plan(s)

• Kings Bowl Development Concept

Plan

• Volcanic Hazards Analysis 

and Response Plan

• Sign Plan

See the section on “Future Planning

Needs” below for further information

about each of these implementation plans.

The implementation strategy will also

contain cost estimates for the first five

years of this Management Plan, a schedule

of implementation actions, and strategies

for funding implementation of this

Management Plan.

FUTURE PLANNING NEEDS

The more specific actions required to

attain the goals and desired conditions

defined in this Management Plan are

accomplished through implementation

plans. BLM and NPS staff will prepare

new or amend preexisting activity-level

implementation plans for specific topics,

tasks, and activities. These activity-level

plans are subject to further public review

as required by the law, regulation, and

policy, such as the National Environmental Policy Act. The following descriptions include further information about

each of these priority implementation

plans.

TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Proclamation 7373 requires that a transportation plan be prepared that addresses

the actions, including closures or travel

restrictions, necessary to protect the

“objects” identified in the Monument

proclamations. The management zones,

road and trail classification system, and

other provisions of this Management Plan

Chapter 3: IMPLEMENTATION
provide the framework for developing a

Comprehensive Travel Management Plan.

The agencies intend that this will be the

first implementation-level plan to be prepared for the Monument. In addition to

identifying potential road closures or travel restrictions, the plan would include specific standards for road maintenance

and/or improvement and would include a

published map/brochure designed for

public use, showing road standards, maintenance levels, and appropriate uses.

NPS RESOURCE

STEWARDSHIP STRATEGY

This NPS document establishes long-term

resources management objectives, documents progress towards those objectives,

and serves as a guideline for funding specific resource projects.

FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Management actions analyzed in this

Management Plan; and the Wildland Fire

Management Plan (USDI NPS 2000a)

would be incorporated into an implementation plan to guide suppression efforts

and proactive fuels and restoration treatments. The Fire Management Plan would

detail management goals and constraints

within specific fire management areas.

Although these goals and constraints

would comply with broad direction set

forth in this Monument Management

Plan, the Fire Management Plan would be

a dynamic document that would be 

updated regularly to best protect

Monument resources.

WILDERNESS / WILDERNESS STUDY

AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN

This plan would guide the preservation,

management, and use of the designated

Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas.

One of the principal purposes is to establish indicators, standards, conditions, and

thresholds beyond which management

actions would be taken to reduce human

impacts on wilderness resources. The current NPS Backcountry / Wilderness

Management Plan is no longer adequate

because it does not incorporate the

Wilderness Study Areas.

LONG-RANGE INTERPRETIVE PLAN

This plan would identify the primary stories or interpretive themes needed to provide each visitor with an opportunity to

develop an understanding of the

Monument. Interpretation is a process of

education designed to stimulate curiosity

and convey messages to the visiting public.

This plan would guide the future development of interpretive facilities and programs such as signs, waysides, brochures,

guided walks, and oral presentations.

CAVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

This plan would meet the requirements of

the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act

to perpetuate the natural systems associated with caves. This plan would build on

the existing Cave Management Program

(USDI NPS 1993) and the Cave Resources

Management Plan (USDI BLM 1999).

CULTURAL RESOURCES 

MANAGEMENT PLAN

This plan would guide the preservation,

management, and use of cultural

resources. The plan would also include a

Native American Graves and Repatriation

Act (NAGPRA) Action Plan to address

inadvertent discovery of NAGPRA materials within the Monument.

INTEGRATED PEST

MANAGEMENT PLAN(S)

This plan would provide guidance related

to potential pests, monitoring indicators,

action thresholds, and treatment methods

to address pest issues within the

Monument. Among these issues are invasive exotic plants, grasshoppers, and large

predators. This plan would be accomplished cooperatively with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture.

68 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 3: IMPLEMENTATION 69

KINGS BOWL DEVELOPMENT 

CONCEPT PLAN

This Monument Management Plan identifies the level of development in the Kings

Bowl area. A Development Concept Plan

would allow the agencies to examine in

greater detail options for protecting the

area while accommodating public access

and use.

VOLCANIC HAZARDS ANALYSIS 

AND RESPONSE PLAN

No contingency planning has ever been

done for the advent of renewed volcanic

eruptions. No flow routing modeling has

been done to help predict where lava

would go and how far it would travel

based on possible eruption sites and volumes. This plan would provide the necessary information for risk management

contingency planning.

SIGN PLAN

This plan would document the location

and condition of current Monument signs

for administrative purposes. The plan will

also recommend strategies for more effective communication with the visiting public through common design standards for

signs throughout the Monument.

ENVIRONMENTAL 

COMPLIANCE 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Every action taken or implementation

plan proposed by the Bureau of Land

Management or National Park Service

that could affect natural and cultural

resources or the quality of the human

environment is subject to laws and regulations designed to protect and enhance the

environment. These laws and regulations

constitute the Monument’s environmental

compliance responsibilities. Examples of

various laws and regulations that apply

include the following:

• National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969, as amended (Public Law

91-190, as amended; 16 U.S.C.

4321-4347)

• The Wilderness Act of 1964 (Public

Law 88-577; 16 U.S.C. 1131-1136)

• Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Public Law 93-205; 16

U.S.C. 1531-1544)

• Antiquities Act of 1906 (Public Law

59-209; 16 U.S.C. 431-433)

• National Historic Preservation Act

of 1966 (Public Law 89-665 as

amended; Public Law 102-575; 16

U.S.C. 470)

• Archeological Resources Protection

Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-95; 16

U.S.C. 470)

• Native American Graves Protection

and Repatriation Act of 1990

(Public Law 101-601; 25 U.S.C.

3001)

CONSULTATION,

COORDINATION 

AND COLLABORATION

Proclamation 7373, which enlarged the

boundaries of the Monument in 2000,

directed that the

National Park Service and the

Bureau of Land Management manage the Monument cooperatively and

shall prepare an agreement to share,

consistent with applicable laws,

whatever resources are necessary to

properly manage the Monument.

The Secretary of the Interior tasked

both agencies to complete a combined

management plan that would meet the

legal, regulatory, and policy requirements of both agencies.

In the spirit of this collaboration, a planning team was formed to complete a

Management Plan for the entire

Monument area. With both BLM and
NPS staff, this team worked cooperatively

to compile and release the Draft

Monument Management Plan / Draft

Environmental Impact Statement, analyze

public comments, prepare the Proposed

Plan / Final Environmental Impact

Statement, and release this Monument

Management Plan. Each agency’s authorities have their origin in different enabling

legislation and proclamations, and as a

result, some management guidance and

decisions are specific to one agency or the

other.

Public involvement, consultation, and

coordination have been integral parts of

the planning process leading to this

Monument Management Plan. A public

participation plan and schedule were prepared and implemented during the preparation of the plan. Public involvement

methods included Federal Register

notices, news releases, public meetings

and workshops, presentations at special

interest group meetings, individual meetings with interested publics, newsletter

mailings, and website postings.

Consultation with federally recognized

Native American tribes (North American

Indians or tribes) is mandated. The agencies have a trust responsibility to maintain

government-to-government consultation

and coordination with federally recognized tribes. Compliance with all federal

laws regarding the protection of tribal cultural interests and cultural resource concerns was carried out in consultation with

all affected tribes, in this case the

Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and the

Shoshone-Paiute Tribe.

Although the Bureau of Land

Management and the National Park

Service retain responsibility and authority

for respective land management decisions,

these decisions are more meaningful,

effective, and enduring if made in a collaborative and open process. Therefore,

close working relationships among management and regulatory agencies need to

be developed and maintained. In addition,

others outside of the Bureau of Land

Management of National Park Service

(Resource Advisory Committees, state and

local agencies, universities, volunteers,

etc.) should be involved in subsequent

analysis, monitoring, evaluation, research,

and adaptive management processes.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER

PLANS, POLICIES,

AND PROGRAMS

This Management Plan seeks to define

what resource conditions and visitor

experiences should be achieved and maintained over time to realize the Monument

purposes. The planning process considered various approaches to use, management, and development, some of which

may represent competing interests for the

same resource base. Ultimately, the

Management Plan serves to define the

desired future conditions that reflect the

concerns and needs of the Bureau of Land

Management, the National Park Service,

and the public.

As previously described, this Management

Plan replaces the four previous BLM land

use plans and a previous NPS general

management plan, and it serves as a combined resource management plan / general management plan for the Monument.

As such, it covers a broad area; addresses a

wide range of programs, concerns, and

resources; and must, therefore, function at

a general level. The plan focuses on what

conditions should exist rather than

specifics on how to achieve those conditions.

The following explains the relationship

between this Management Plan and existing BLM and NPS plans, policies, or programs. Other relevant plans, policies, or

programs that were incorporated into the

preparation of this document are listed

also.

70 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
Chapter 3: IMPLEMENTATION 71

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRENT 

BLM PLANS AND POLICIES

The following current BLM land use plans

have been considered in the development

of this Management Plan. For Monument

lands, this Monument Management Plan

supersedes the direction in these land use

plans.

Monument Resource Management Plan

/ Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) and Amendments: The 1985

Monument Resource Management Plan is

the comprehensive framework for managing approximately 1,179,000 acres of public land north of the Snake River in southcentral Idaho. Resource management

plans make resource allocations, resolve

conflicts between competing uses, and

ensure management of the public lands in

accordance with the principles of multiple

use and sustained yield. The Monument

Resource Management Plan covered

approximately 60% of the lands within the

Monument.

Big Lost Management Framework Plan,

Grazing EIS, and Amendments: This

1983 Management Framework Plan provides management direction for more than

300,000 acres of public land north of US

20/26/93 in central Idaho. Management

framework plans predate resource management plans in the BLM land use planning system. Management framework

plans make management decisions and

land use allocations by watershed-based

planning units. The Big Lost Management

Framework Plan covered less than 5% of

the Monument.

Big Desert Management Framework

Plan, Grazing EIS, and Amendments:

This 1981 plan covers an area west of

Idaho Falls in southeastern Idaho and

includes 1,162,463 acres of public land

including approximately 30% of land now

within the Monument.

Sun Valley Management Framework

Plan, Grazing EIS, and Amendments:

This 1981 plan covers approximately

245,000 acres of public land in the northern portion of the BLM Shoshone Field

Office including less than 5% the lands

now within the Monument.

Great Rift Proposed Wilderness EIS:

This 1980 plan recommended that

341,000 acres of the Great Rift Wilderness

Study Area be designated as part of the

National Wilderness Preservation System.

The entire Great Rift Wilderness Study

Area lies entirely within the Monument.

Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem

Management Project: The Interior

Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management

Project (ICBEMP) was based on

Presidential direction to develop a scientifically sound, ecosystem-based strategy

for managing the 64 million acres of public lands administered by the U. S. Forest

Service and the Bureau of Land

Management within the Columbia River

Basin and portions of the Klamath and

Great Basins in Oregon. A Final EIS and

Proposed Decision were published in

December 2000. No Record of Decision

has been signed, nor is one expected.

Public lands administered by the Bureau

of Land Management and the National

Park Service within the Craters of the

Moon National Monument planning area

are covered by the ICBEMP analysis. The

BLM state directors and U.S. Forest

Service regional foresters are completing

the project through the use of the Interior

Columbia Basin Strategy. A 2003 Interagency Memorandum of Understanding

directs the Bureau of Land Management

to implement this Strategy to guide the

amendment and revision of resource management plans throughout the Interior

Columbia River Basin. The Strategy

directs the use of the findings of the

ICBEMP science, new information, and

the best available science in developing

land use plans and implementing resource

management projects, including consultation and participation in plan and project

design. The ICBEMP analysis and 
72 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

findings have been incorporated into this

Monument Management Plan.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRENT 

NPS PLANS AND POLICIES

NPS plans and studies used to develop

this document are listed in the bibliography. The plans listed below directly influenced the development of this Monument

Management Plan.

NPS Management Policies 2001: These

policies are revised at appropriate intervals to consolidate agency policy decisions

or to respond to new laws and technologies, new understandings of park

resources and the factors that affect them,

or changes in American society.

1992 Craters of the Moon General

Management Plan: The 1992 General

Management Plan was the guiding document for the original NPS Monument.

1996 Resource Management Plan: NPS

resource management plans provided a

long-range comprehensive strategy for

natural and cultural resource management. The strategy describes a program of

activities to achieve desired future conditions.

Wildland Fire Management Plan: The

Wildland Fire Management Plan provides

fire management direction for the original

NPS Monument, but not the Preserve.

Fiscal Year 2000–2005 Strategic Plan for

Craters of the Moon National

Monument and Preserve: NPS strategic

plans contain the mission statement and

goals, describe strategies to accomplish

goals, and identify external factors that

could significantly affect achievement of

goals.

1993 Cave Management Program: The

1993 Cave Management Program provides

management guidelines for cave resources

within the original NPS Monument.

1989 (revised 1996) Backcountry /

Wilderness Management Plan: This

plan provides management guidelines for

recreational use of the backcountry and

wilderness of the original NPS

Monument.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER 

PLANS AND POLICIES

Fire Management Planning: The

National Fire Plan is an agreement

between the U.S. Forest Service and the

Department of the Interior to help protect

communities and natural resources as well

as the lives of firefighters and the public.

The federal wildland fire management

agencies worked closely with states, tribes,

local governments, and interested publics

to prepare the 10-Year Comprehensive

Strategy, completed in August 2001. This

strategy outlines a comprehensive

approach to the management of wildland

fire, hazardous fuels, and ecosystem

restoration and rehabilitation on federal

and adjacent state, tribal, and private forest and range lands in the United States.

An implementation plan was signed in

June 2002 to provide consistent and standard direction to implement the common

purposes of the 10-Year Comprehensive

Strategy and the National Fire Plan. The

Bureau of Land Management and the

National Park Service incorporated guidance from the National Fire Plan and 10-

Year Comprehensive Strategy in this

Monument Management Plan.

PLAN EVALUATION

Evaluations review implementation of this

Monument Management Plan at several

levels to see whether management goals

and objectives are being met and to determine whether management direction is

sound. Evaluation also determines if management actions are consistent with

thresholds established for the achievement

of the objectives. If they are not, evaluation identifies the reasons. The
Chapter 3: IMPLEMENTATION 73

conclusions are then used to make recommendations on whether to continue current management guidelines, to make

changes in management practices to meet

plan goals and objectives, or to amend the

plan objectives or decision to better meet

the capabilities of the land and the intent

of the legislation.

Reviews of the evaluation process will be

periodically scheduled to ensure the following:

• Monitoring data is effectively used in the

evaluation process.

• Evaluations are conducted at intervals

that allow for adjustments to be made in

management direction before crises

develop.

• Management plan evaluations will typically be conducted every five years to

assess the progress toward achieving

broad-scale objectives and desired

future conditions.

• The evaluation process will review

progress toward Management Plan

implementation as well as new, scientific

research; monitoring data; and other

information on changed resource or

social circumstances that that needs to

be considered in future management.

The evaluation may conclude any of the

following:

- Management actions are moving

resources toward the desired objectives. In this case, management

actions are affirmed and may not

need to be adjusted.

- Further research needs to be initiated

or actions must be adjusted to more

efficiently achieve objectives of the

Management Plan. If new information or research demonstrates better

ways to achieve plan objectives,

changes in activity planning and project implementation may be made.

- The objectives should be altered

based on the new information. If the

new information indicates that plan

objectives should be reconsidered, a

plan amendment may be required

that will reexamine desired future

conditions and ways to reach those

conditions.

CHANGING THE PLAN

During the lifespan of this Monument

Management Plan, it is anticipated that

occasional changes will be needed

because of new information, changes in

resource uses, new legislation, or other

factors. All changes to the Management

Plan will be documented in a manner that

allows tracking. Changes to the

Management Plan fall into one of the following two categories — maintenance or

an amendment.

MAINTENANCE

Maintenance will be limited to minor corrections to improve the clarity of the text,

update text or map information, or eliminate errors. Maintenance actions will not

change the intent of goals, objectives, or

decisions. Maintenance actions are not

subject to the requirements of the

National Environmental Policy Act and do

not require public involvement.

AMENDMENT

Changes that modify the intent of goals,

objectives, or decisions or add new decisions require an amendment to the plan.

Amendments may be the result of periodic

evaluations that recommend changes to

the plan, external factors including new

legislation, or proposals from external

parties. The amendment process would

include public involvement, coordination,

and environmental analysis similar to that

used in the preparation of this Monument

Management Plan. The level of environmental analysis would be appropriate to

the level of potential impacts expected to

be caused by the proposed amendment

and could include preparation of an environmental impact statement.

FIGURES 1-11

^

^

^

^

^

^

111°0'0"W

111°0'0"W

112°0'0"W

112°0'0"W

113°0'0"W

113°0'0"W

114°0'0"W

114°0'0"W

115°0'0"W

115°0'0"W

116°0'0"W

116°0'0"W

117°0'0"W

118°0'0"W 117°0'0"W

49°0'0"N

48°0'0"N

48°0'0"N

47°0'0"N

47°0'0"N

46°0'0"N

46°0'0"N

45°0'0"N

45°0'0"N

44°0'0"N

44°0'0"N

43°0'0"N

43°0'0"N

42°0'0"N

42°0'0"N

CRATERS

OF THE 

MOON

COUER D'ALENE

LEWISTON

BOISE

TWIN FALLS

POCATELLO

IDAHO 

 FALLS

§ ̈¦84

§ ̈¦84

§ ̈¦15

§ ̈¦15

§ ̈¦86

§ ̈¦90

S

N

A

K

V R

P

A I

N

L

I E

R E

Y

U T A H

R

O

E

G

O

N

C A N A D A

No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management

or National Park Service. The accuracy, reliability, or 

completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927 Map Scale 1:3,500,000

0 25 50

mi

0 50 100

km

Shoshone Field Office Boundary

Interstate Highways

US Highways

CRMO Lava Flows

Craters of the Moon National

Monument & Preserve Boundary

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

REGIONAL LOCATION

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 1

S

R I VER

N A KE

Carey

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

£¤20

£¤93

£¤26

Visitor Center

Kimama

Arco

£¤24

LITTLE 

PARK

PADDELFORD

FLAT

L A I D L A W P A R K

BEAR TRAP

LAVA TUBE SYSTEM

BEAR TRAP

LAVA TUBE SYSTEM

CAREY LAKE

MARSH

See Inset

Map

HUFF 

CREEK

ECHO

CRATER

P I O N E E R 

 M O U N T A I N S

LITTLE 

WOOD 

RIVER

MONUMENT

BUTTE

SAND

BUTTE

LAIDLAW 

BUTTE

BIG SOUTHERN

BUTTE

BEAR TRAP 

CAVE

BEAR DEN

BUTTE

BAKER

CAVE

CRYSTAL ICE

CAVE

SOUTH

GROTTO LARIAT

CAVE

WAPI

PARK PILLAR

BUTTE

KINGS

BOWL

LAKE WALCOTT

SPLIT

BUTTE

LARKSPUR

PARK

Minidoka

×Ñ

CAREY

KIPUKA

SNOWDRIFT

CRATER

BOWL 

CRATER

LITTLE 

PRAIRIE

BLACKTAIL

BUTTE

C R A T E R S

OF T H E M O O N

L A V A F I E L D

WOOD RD.

KIPUKA

W A P I

L A V A F I E L D

G

R

E

A

T

R

I

F

T

C

E

K I M

A

M

A - R

D.

R

Y

A

A

R

C

O - M I N I D

O

K

A

R

D.

×Ñ

§ ̈¦86

C A R E Y

L A V A F I E L D

NATIONAL MONUMENT

& PRESERVE

C R A T E R S

O F T H E

M O O N

Rupert

£¤24

§ ̈¦84

§ ̈¦84

LITTLE 

COTTONWOOD

CANYON

VISITOR

CENTER

DEVIL'S

ORCHARD

Map Scale = 1:150,000

0 0.9 1.8 0.45

mi 024 1

km

NPS Visitor Center 

and Developed Area

Inset Map

NORTH

NORTH

CRATER

BIG

CRATERS

SPATTER

CONES

TREE

MOLDS

CAVES

(INDIAN 

TUNNEL)

INFERNO

CONE

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:325,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

036

km

0 2.5 5

mi

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Class I Trail

Lava

Town

×Ñ Fire Guard Stations

Rivers & Streams

Lakes & Wetlands

Lava Tube System

Great Rift Crack System

Visitor Center / Developed Area

Original Monument Boundary

Monument Boundary

9,000 - 12,000 ft

8,000 - 9,000 ft

7,000 - 8,000 ft

6,000 - 7,000 ft

5,000 - 6,000 ft

4,500 - 5,000 ft

4,000 - 4,500 ft

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PLANNING AREA

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 2

Carey

Minidoka

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

£¤20

£¤93

£¤26

Visitor Center

Kimama

Arco

£¤24

R

D. E

Y

K I M

A

M

A - R

C

A

A

R

C

O - M I N I D

O

K

A

R

D.

Zone Allocation:

Frontcountry Zone

Passage Zone

Primitive Zone

Pristine Zone

 2,300 acres

 6,700 acres

 218,700 acres

 518,300 acres

(0.3 % of Monument)

(0.9 % of Monument)

(29.1 % of Monument)

(68.8% of Monument)

Rupert

£¤24

§ ̈¦86

Town

Lakes

Streams

Class I Trail

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Private

Pristine Zone

Primitive Zone

Passage Zone

Frontcountry Zone

Original Monument 

Boundary

Monument Boundary

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:300,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

036

km

0 2.5 5

mi

* Frontcountry and Passage Zone polygons have been oversized for graphic presentation and are not to scale. See Zone Descriptions for details on corridor sizes.

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

THE PLAN

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 3

} }

}

Carey

Minidoka

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

£¤20

£¤93

£¤26

Visitor Center

Kimama

Arco

£¤24

}}}

Rupert

£¤24

A

R

C

O

-

M I NI D

O

K

A

R

D.

K I M

A

M

A

-

R

D.

C

A

R

E

Y

Town

Lava

Lakes

Railroad

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Class I Trail

County Roads

}

Historic Livestock Trails } }

Monument Boundary

Streams

Original Monument Boundary

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:300,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

024

mi

0 2.5 5

km

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

TRAVEL & ACCESS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 4

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Visitor Center

Minidoka

£¤24

* These vegetation data were derived from 30m satelite imagery and is intended to provide a general frame of reference for vegetation distribution and diversity for the Monument * 

Perennial Grassland

Riparian / Wetland

Exposed Lava Flows

Irrigated Agriculture

Annual Grassland

Mountain Shrub

Vegetated Lava

Juniper

Limber Pine

Aspen

Douglas-Fir

Water

Mid to High-Elevation

Sagebrush Steppe

Low-Elevation 

Sagebrush Steppe

Rivers & Streams

Class I Trail

A Road

B Road

C Road

D Road

Town

Monument Boundary

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:425,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

0 2.5 5

km 0 2.5 5

mi

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 5

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Minidoka

£¤24

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:425,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

024

km

0 2.5 5

mi

NORTH

Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

A Road

B Road

C Road

D Road

Town

Water

Rivers & Streams

Not Evaluated

Poor Condition

Lava

Fair Condition

Good Condition

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

BIOTIC INTEGRITY

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 6

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Visitor Center

Minidoka

£¤24

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:425,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

0 5 km

0 5 mi

Class I Trail

Town

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Streams

NWR

DOE

Private

State

NPS

BLM

US Forest Service

Original Monument 

Boundary

Water

Monument Boundary

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

LAND STATUS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 7

â â â â â â â â â â â â â â

â â â â

â â â â â ââ â â ââ â

â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â ââ â â â â â

â â â â

â â

E

E E

E

E

p

p

ñ

åæ

ñ

h

EE

h

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Kimama

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£¤26

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Minidoka

£¤24

14

7

6

12

17

5

10

3 9

8

1

11

13 15

16

2 4

* The numbers associated with each unique feature in this map reference further descriptions found in Table 7 - Valid Existing Rights *

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:425,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

036 km

0 2.5 5 mi

NORTH Streams

Class I Trail

C Road

B Road

D Road

A Road

Monument Boundary

E Material Site

ñ Observation Well

h Snow Fence

p Airstrip

Seismic Station åæ

â

Highway ROW â â â â â â â â

â

Powerline ROW â â â â â â â â

â

Telephone Line ROW â â â â â â â â

Lava

Town

Lakes U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

VALID EXISTING RIGHTS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 8

â â â â

â

â

â

â

â â â â â â â â

â â

â

â

â

â

â

â

â

â

â â

â

â

â

â

â â â â

â â â â â

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Visitor Center

Minidoka

£¤24

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Map Scale 1:425,000

036 km

036 mi

NORTH

Great Rift NNL

Great Rift WSA

Craters of the Moon

Wilderness

Great Rift WSA

Raven's Eye WSA

Little Deer WSA

Bear Den

Butte WSA

Sand Butte WSA

Brass Cap RNA

Carey Kipuka RNA

Big Juniper RNA

Sand Kipuka RNA

Friedman Creek WSA

Little Wood River WSA

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

SPECIAL DESIGNATION AREAS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 9

Class I Trail

Town

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Great Rift Crack System

Research Natural Areas

Goodale's Cutoff

 (Oregon Trail)

ââââ â â â

Streams

Monument Boundary

Lava

Lakes

Wilderness

G o o d l e s C u t o f f ' a

National Natural Landmark

Wilderness Study Areas

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Visitor Center

Minidoka

£¤24

52A 6 8 

5 3 

5 0 

4 9 

5 2 5 2

6 3 6 3

Class I Trail

Town

D Road

C Road

B Road

A Road

Streams

Lava

Lakes

Monument Boundary

Streams

Idaho Fish & Game

Management Units

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Map Scale 1:425,000

0 2.5 5 km

0 2.5 5 mi

NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

IDFG GAME MANAGEMENT UNITS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 10

Arco

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

Kimama

£¤24

Carey

£¤20

£¤26

£¤93

Minidoka

£¤24

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Scale 1:425,000

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

024

km

0 2.5 5

mi A Road

B Road

C Road

D Road

Town

VRM Class 1

VRM Class 2 NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

VISUAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE 11

Class I Trail

Monument Boundary

Rivers & Streams

Water

APPENDIXES

APPENDIXES 101

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

And

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

RECORD OF DECISION

INTRODUCTION 

The Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) and Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), prepared this Record of Decision (ROD) on the Proposed Management Plan/Final

Environmental Impact Statement for the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve,

Idaho (henceforth, Proposed Plan/Final EIS). This Record of Decision includes a statement of the

decisions made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a description

of the environmentally preferable alternative, a discussion of non-impairment of National Park

System resources or values, a listing of actions designed to minimize environmental harm, and an

overview of public involvement in the decision-making process.

BACKGROUND

The Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve encompasses approximately 738,000

acres of BLM- and NPS-administered federal land, 8,000 acres of state land, and 7,000 acres of private land. The decisions made through this planning process apply only to the federal land within

the Monument boundary, referred to as “the planning area”.

On November 9, 2000, Presidential Proclamation 7373 expanded Craters of the Moon National

Monument from roughly 54,000 acres to approximately 753,000 acres, including the 738,000 acres

of federal land. The President signed this proclamation to ensure protection of the Great Rift volcanic rift zone and its associated features. The Proclamation also placed the lands under the administration of both the National Park Service (NPS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with

each agency having primary management authority over separate portions. In addition, on August

21, 2002, Public Law (PL) 107-213, 116 Statute [Stat.] 1052 designated the NPS portion of the

expanded Monument as a National Preserve. While BLM and NPS operate under different laws,

regulations and policies which apply to different portions of the planning area, the proposed plan

provides a jointly developed framework for cooperative management of the area. From this point

forward in this document the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve will simply be

referred to as the Monument.

DECISION

The decision of the NPS and BLM is to adopt Alternative D from the Proposed Plan/Final EIS, with

modifications noted below, as the Monument Management Plan. Each agency’s approval applies

only to those portions of the Monument for which it has statutory authority. This Record of

Decision (ROD) and the Monument Management Plan (MMP) will provide the overall resource

management direction of BLM and NPS administered lands in the planning area. Overall management of the Monument will emphasize the cooperative efforts of both agencies in planning and cost

effective operations by sharing resources and providing service to the public.

APPENDIX A: RECORD OF DECISION
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Management Plan

The Monument Management Plan was prepared by the BLM and NPS in accordance with BLM

planning regulations (43 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1610) and NPS directives (Director’s

Order #2). An environmental impact statement (EIS) was prepared for the Monument Management

Plan in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The EIS assessed

the possible environmental and social effects of implementing the Monument Management Plan and

other alternatives. The Monument Management Plan is nearly identical to the Proposed

Management Plan/Final EIS published in August 2005, which was a refinement of the Preferred

Alternative (Alternative D) from the Draft Management Plan/EIS published in March 2004. Specific

management decisions for BLM and NPS administered lands in the planning area are provided in the

Monument Management Plan.

Management zone prescriptions only apply to federal lands within the Monument boundaries. Any

areas outside of the Monument boundary, and labeled in the Proposed Management Plan (Figure 9,

page 65) as Passage or Frontcountry Zones, will be described in the final Monument Management

Plan as travel access corridors. These corridors will have road standards similar to the Frontcountry

(Class A - paved) and Passage (Class B- graded with improved surface) Management Zones

described in the Proposed Management Plan (pages 29 and 151).

Agency Specific Decisions

BLM Decisions: Livestock grazing is an activity that is only authorized on the BLM portions of the

Monument. All decisions regarding management of livestock grazing pertain only to BLM-administered lands.

NPS Decisions: Decisions affirming that implementation of the Monument Management Plan will

not result in impairment of National Park System resources and values within Craters of the Moon

National Monument and Preserve. NPS decisions related to management of wildlife and hunting are

in accord with the National Park Service Organic Act and 116 Statute [Stat.] 1052.

Joint Agency Decisions: These decisions pertain to all other aspects of the Monument Management

Plan.

All land use plan decisions are identified in the Monument Management Plan. Land use plan decisions include:

- Goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines that define desired future conditions;

- Management actions which enhance reaching or maintaining desired future conditions.

- Land use allocations such as withdrawals and special management area designations;

- Visual resource management (VRM) classifications; land tenure; and

- Allowable uses and restrictions pertaining to vehicles; minerals; vegetation treatment; and 

protection of Monument resources including vegetation, wildlife, cultural and geologic 

resources.

The Proposed Plan emphasizes protection and restoration of physical and biological resources and

processes. All Management Zones must meet the purpose and significance of the Monument and

comply with Proclamation 7373. The Proposed Plan draws primarily upon the Alternative D presented in the Draft Plan/DEIS, but includes more acreage in the Pristine Zone and reduces acreage in the

Passage Zone, especially in Laidlaw Park. These changes were made in response to public comments
APPENDIXES 103

and agency review incorporating some portions of the management zoning proposed in Alternatives B

and C. Alternative D emphasizes a proactive Integrated Weed Management program using all available

tools. It prescribes the most extensive fire management program to restore sagebrush steppe.

Alternative D places a greater emphasis than the other alternatives on promoting partnerships at existing

facilities outside the Monument, such as visitor centers, state parks, and gateway communities.

A 30-day protest period was provided by the BLM on the land use plan decisions in the Proposed

Management Plan in accordance with 43 CFR Part 1610.5-2. Three protest letters were received. Two of

the protests were subsequently withdrawn following clarification of language in the Proposed Plan.

Resolutions to the protests resulted in minor editing and clarification of the MMP, and did not result in

the necessity for more analysis or repeat publication of the Proposed Plan/FEIS for additional public

review and protest. The agreed upon language follows:

1. Management Zones – All Management Zones must meet the purpose and significance of the 

Monument and comply with Proclamation 7373. The Monument Management Plan will contain 

language similar to the following language from page 27 of the Proposed Plan/FEIS:

While a different emphasis would be given to various zoned portions of the Monument, 

the intent is to always be consistent with the purposes for which the Monument was established 

and with the mission goals identified in the Introduction to this document.

2. Recreational Development of Geologic Features – To clarify the meaning of the word “modified” 

with respect to geologic features in the Front Country and Passage Zones (Geological Resources, 

Management Action 1, page 31 in the Proposed Plan), the Monument Management Plan will include 

additional language describing the intent to minimize necessary hardening or development impacts 

that result from facilitating visitor access. The additional language will specifically include 

“least impacting” qualifier language. 

3. Limited OHV Designation – To clarify the status of available roads and trails for off-road vehicle 

(or OHV) use, in accordance with BLM regulation, the Monument Management Plan will state:

All lands except for the existing roads shown on Figure 16 in the Proposed Plan are designated

as “Closed” to use by off-road vehicles. Off-road vehicle use is “Limited” to existing roads

shown on Figure 16, unless and until such roads are closed, converted to Class II Trails or are

further limited by operation of this plan or by the forthcoming Comprehensive Travel

Management Plan. (OHV designations do not apply to specifically authorized administrative

use.)

4. Acquired Lands – To clarify that any Federal acquired lands within the Monument and Preserve 

boundary will fall under the direction of the Monument Management Plan, a management action

will be added to the Monument Management Plan stating:

Private or state land within the Monument boundary acquired by the agencies would automatically become part of the Monument and subject to the direction in this plan.

5. Material Sites – Language will be added to the Monument Management Plan clarifying 

reclamation requirements and describing when complete restoration may not be practical,

feasible or desirable.
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Management Plan

6. Recreation Desired Future Condition – In the Monument Management Plan, the bolded 

language below will be added to the quoted DFC statement from page 41 of the Proposed

Plan:

Impacts associated with recreational uses do not adversely affect the physical and visual

integrity of geologic features or the biological integrity of the ecosystem.

7. Herbicide Use to Control Weeds – The Monument Management Plan will clarify that 

Integrated Weed Management principles include an analysis of the tradeoffs involved in herbicide use versus non-chemical methods of weed control. The definition of Integrated Weed

Management in the Glossary of the Monument Management Plan will be expanded and constitute a separate definition from Integrated Pest Management. 

8. Protection of sage-grouse leks – For purposes of clarification, a non-exclusive list of

examples of potential protective measures will be added to Wildlife Management Action 2

(page 64 in the Proposed Plan). The Monument Management Plan will note that the list is

non-exclusive in nature.

9. Comprehensive Travel Management Plan – The Comprehensive Travel Management Plan 

(TMP) will be the first implementation level plan completed and it will be the top 

implementation planning priority. The Comprehensive TMP will utilize criteria for 

determining closures or limitations on use of existing roads, which will include, at a 

minimum, answers to the following:

• What is the road used for?

Does its purpose justify potential threats to the resources for which the Monument 

was established?

Is this road adequate to provide access for all of its intended purposes?

• Who needs access to this road?

Is it appropriate to limit access to roads based on intended uses?

Limited to administrative uses including fire suppression, restoration activities, livestock 

management, research activities

Possible further restriction on types of travel

Recreational use restrictions for ATVs, snowmobiles, horses, mountain bikes

• What options do we have to address issues related to roads?

Access restrictions

Conversion to Trails

Road/Trail Closures

Consideration for upgrades if necessary

The NEPA Analysis which accompanies the Comprehensive TMP will include, at a minimum, cumulative effects assessments of road density and fragmentation of sage grouse

habitat.

10. Laidlaw Park – There will be no new livestock developments permitted in theNorth Laidlaw 

Pasture or Bowl Crater, unless such developments can be shown to provide a net benefit to

the objects identified in Proclamation 7373.

11. Protection of Land with Wilderness Characteristics – Description of theWilderness/

Wilderness Study Area Management Plan (see Proposed Plan pg. 16) to be completed 

will include the following language:
APPENDIXES 105

As part of this implementation plan, and consistent with current guidance on inventorying for

and management to protect or enhance wilderness characteristics, the agencies may

conduct additional inventory, consider citizen proposals, and consider protections of lands

with wilderness characteristics.

12. Class 2 Trails – The definition of Class 2 Trails will include a statement that:

Class 2 Trails can only be created from decommissioned roads that will no longer be 

open to use by full-sized vehicles. No new Class 2 Trails will be created in any other 

manner.

13. Class D/Class C User-created Roads – To clarify that only user-created roads in existence as 

of the date of the Monument Proclamation and included in the map on Figure 16 of the 

Proposed Plan/FEIS, the Monument Management Plan will contain language specifying that:

Class D Roads and other existing roads include only those roads in existence as of the

date of Monument Proclamation 7373 and shown on Figure 16. Any routes created by 

cross-country vehicle or mechanical use since the date of Proclamation 7373 are 

considered illegal and will be closed.

After consideration of all points raised in the remaining protest, the BLM Director concluded that

the Craters of the Moon (CRMO) planning team and decision-makers, including the Idaho State

Director, followed all applicable laws, regulations, policies and pertinent process and resource considerations in developing the proposed plan.

Governor’s Consistency Review

A letter was also received from Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne in support of a feasibility study

of a proposed upgrade of the Arco-Minidoka Road. The National Park Service and the Bureau of

Land Management will continue to be engaged in public discussions regarding any upgrade to the

Arco-Minidoka Road. The Monument Management Plan is limited to management of the federallyadministered lands within the Monument and Preserve boundary. Figure 9, page 65, of the

Proposed Plan and Final EIS, features a dashed yellow line indicating a potential passage zone

along this portion of the Arco-Minidoka Road through the Monument. The third bullet on page 67

of the Proposed Plan/FEIS under the heading “Travel and Access” Management Actions will be

changed in the final version of the Monument Management Plan to read:

Allow for a Class B standard on the Arco-Minidoka Road through the Monument should

the adjacent roads outside the Monument be upgraded.

This Record of Decision describes the land use plan decisions for the Monument. It is effective on

the date it is signed.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED

Three other alternatives were analyzed in detail in the Proposed Management Plan/FEIS. General

management themes for each alternative analyzed in detail are described below.
106 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, proposes no major changes in resource management, visitor

programs, or facilities. It depicts current management under the agencies’ five existing management

plans, as modified by Proclamation 7373, Public Law 107-213, and the agencies’ Interim Management

Guidelines. Alternative A also serves as a baseline for comparison with the other three alternatives. The

management zones depicted in Alternative A represent the planning team’s assessment of current conditions. In other words, the management zones were mapped based on actual, existing conditions in 2003.

Alternative B emphasizes a broad array of visitor experiences within the Monument. Alternative B provides the largest amount of multiple-use trail opportunities; improved access both inside and outside the

Monument; and extensive educational, informational, and directional signs and interpretive support

facilities throughout the Monument. This alternative also allocates large areas in the Passage Zone to

allow for potential new developments like designated rustic campsites, high standard motorized and nonmotorized trail networks, and a relatively high standard road system that provides easier access to many

areas of the Monument. Alternative B also includes suggested management direction for access roads

outside of the Monument.

Alternative C emphasizes the Monument’s primitive character. This alternative contains the smallest

number of visitor facilities. Management actions that influence resource conditions are as “light handed”

and non-intrusive as possible, including weed control and sagebrush steppe restoration. Alternative C

allocates the largest acreage of all the alternatives in the Pristine Zone and the least acreage in the

Passage Zone, and it would result in the fewest miles of maintained roads. Under this alternative, new

interpretive facilities would primarily be located outside the Monument. This alternative includes an

11,000-acre Area of Critical Environmental Concern designation in North Laidlaw Park to provide special protective management for native sagebrush steppe.

Environmentally Preferred Alternative

Records of Decision are required under Council on Environmental Quality regulations to identify the

environmentally preferable alternative. Environmentally preferable is defined as “the alternative that

will promote the national environmental policy as expressed in §101 of the National Environmental

Policy Act.” Section 101 states, “...it is the continuing responsibility of the federal government to...

• Fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environment for succeeding generations.

• Ensure for all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and esthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings.

• Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk of health or

safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences.

• Preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage and maintain,

wherever possible, an environment that supports diversity and variety of individual choice.

• Achieve a balance between population and resource use that will permit high standards of living and

a wide sharing of life’s amenities.

• Enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the maximum attainable recycling

of depletable resources.”
APPENDIXES 107

In comparison with the other alternatives analyzed, Alternative D, also selected as the decision, best

meets the national environmental goals identified above. Alternative D provides a high level of protection of natural and cultural resources, while providing for a wide range of neutral and beneficial

uses of the environment. This alternative surpasses the other alternatives in realizing the full range of

national environmental policy goals in Section 101.

Goals related to public enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of the Monument resources would

be achieved through existing on-site programs and facilities, as well as expanded programs and facilities located off site and through authorized licensed guide operations. Livestock grazing, a traditional

land use on BLM lands prior to Monument expansion would continue on BLM administered lands in

all the alternatives considered with only minor changes among alternatives.

FINDINGS ON IMPAIRMENT OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM 

RESOURCES AND VALUES

The National Park Service may not allow the impairment of National Park System resources and values unless directly and specifically provided for by legislation or proclamation establishing the park.

Impairment that is prohibited by the NPS Organic Act and the General Authorities Act is an impact

that, in the professional judgment of the responsible NPS manager, would harm the integrity of park

resources or values, including the opportunities that otherwise would be present for the enjoyment of

those resources or values. In determining whether impairment would occur, NPS managers examine

the duration, severity and magnitude of the impact; the resources and values affected; and direct,

indirect, and cumulative effects of the action. According to NPS policy, “An impact would be more

likely to constitute an impairment to the extent that it affects a resource or value whose conservation

is: a) Necessary to fulfill specific purposes identified in the establishing legislation or proclamation

of the park; b) Key to the natural or cultural integrity of the park or to opportunities for enjoyment of

the park; or c) Identified as a goal in the park’s general management plan or other relevant NPS planning documents.”

This policy does not prohibit all impacts to National Park System resources and values. The National

Park Service has the discretion to allow impacts to resources and values when necessary and appropriate to fulfill the purposes of a park, so long as the impacts do not constitute an impairment.

Moreover, an impact is less likely to constitute an impairment if it is an unavoidable result, which

cannot be further mitigated, of an action necessary to preserve or restore the integrity of park

resources or values.

After analyzing the environmental impacts described in the Proposed Management Plan/Final

Environmental Impact Statement and public comments received, the National Park Service has determined that implementation of the preferred alternative will not constitute an impairment to resources

and values of National Park System lands within Craters of the Moon National Monument and

Preserve. The actions in the proposed plan are intended to protect and enhance the Monument and

Preserve’s natural and cultural resources, and provide for high-quality visitor experiences. Overall,

the proposed plan will have beneficial effects on air and water resources, soils and vegetation,

wildlife and cultural resources.

No major adverse impacts to National Park System lands within the Monument and Preserve (hereafter referred to as the park) resources or the range of visitor experiences and no irreversible commitments of resources are expected. While the proposed plan will have some adverse effects on park

resources and visitor experiences, most of these impacts will be site-specific, minor to moderate,

short-term impacts. None of the impacts of this alternative will adversely affect resources or values to
108 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

a degree that will prevent the National Park Service from fulfilling the purposes of the park, threaten

the natural integrity of the park, or eliminate opportunities for people to enjoy the park.

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

Rationale for the Decision

In reaching the decision to approve the modifications to the Proposed Plan/FEIS, the NPS and BLM

considered the purposes for which Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve was established, and other laws and policies that apply to lands in Craters of the Moon, including the NPS

Organic Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Wilderness Act, National

Environmental Policy Act, and the NPS Management Policies. The agencies also carefully considered

public comments received during the planning process.

Based on the input received during the planning process, there was both support and opposition to

certain components of the proposed plan. No formal comments were received from Federal or State

agencies or Tribal governments indicating the proposed plan was inconsistent with other existing

plans or policies. The majority of comments received on the proposed plan related to transportation,

grazing management, wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), and wildlife.

Compared to the alternatives considered, the proposed plan best protects Monument resources while

providing a range of quality visitor experiences. The proposed plan will have both positive and negative impacts on the Monument’s natural resources, but most of the negative impacts will be minor and

localized. The proposed plan will continue to provide a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities,

ranging from pristine and remote backcountry to accessible sites with amenities such as restrooms,

campsites, trails, and interpretive media. New management zones provide a framework for determining appropriate public uses and administrative practices. A major element of the proposed plan is an

emphasis on resource protection and restoration when appropriate. Management actions include

aggressive suppression of wildland fires to protect most existing sagebrush steppe, expanded noxious

weed prevention and control, and enforcement of the prohibition on off-road vehicle travel. Active

restoration of degraded sagebrush steppe habitat will benefit a variety of wildlife including the

Greater sage grouse.

The proposed plan provides greater protection of natural and cultural resources, including Wilderness

and Wilderness Study Areas, than Alternatives A or B through expansion of the pristine management

zone to include Wilderness Study Areas. The proposed plan provides for a greater level of vegetation

treatment for proactive restoration and post-fire rehabilitation than Alternatives A or B and for more

immediate habitat improvement than would be possible in Alternative C.

ACTIONS DESIGNED TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM

In order to minimize impacts from implementation of the decisions contained in the Monument

Management Plan, actions identified in Appendix A of the Record of Decision will be applied. All

practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm have been adopted.

PLAN MONITORING

The BLM planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.4-9) call for the monitoring of Management Plans on a

continual basis with a formal evaluation done at periodic intervals. Implementation of the Craters of

the Moon National Monument and Preserve MMP will be monitored over time. Plan evaluations will

occur at about five-year intervals. Activity-level planning and proposed projects will be evaluated
APPENDIXES 109

relative to consistency with MMP objectives. Projects will be monitored to determine their effectiveness regarding meeting or progressing towards meeting objectives. This evaluation process is

described in more detail in the monitoring sections of the MMP.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

The NPS and BLM provided a number of opportunities for the public to participate in the Craters of

the Moon National Monument and Preserve planning process. The Notice of Intent (NOI) to jointly

prepare a land use plan and the associated EIS for the Craters of the Moon National Monument and

Preserve was published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2002. The NOI initiated the public scoping process by inviting participation in identifying planning issues and developing planning criteria.

Information about the Monument planning process and opportunities for involvement were posted on

websites for the National Park Service (www.nps.gov/crmo) and the Bureau of Land Management

(www.id.blm.gov/planning/index.htm). Comments were accepted by mail and via e-mail. Local and

regional newspapers and radio stations throughout the planning area were used to disseminate information on the Management Plan scoping and planning process.

Approximately 1,500 copies of a newsletter describing the scoping period were distributed in April

2002. Eight scoping open house meetings were held in June 2002 with a total of 166 individuals

attending. Input from the open houses and one hundred and sixty-nine letters received by the end of

the scoping period identified six major categories of issues: development, transportation and access,

visitor use, authorized uses, natural and cultural uses, and general. In the fall of 2002 a second

newsletter sent out to approximately 850 individuals and organizations described the issues identified

during scoping. A third newsletter sent to the public in January 2003 and three public workshops

held in February identified a number of preliminary alternatives to be analyzed in the draft EIS. The

newsletter and preliminary alternatives workshops resulted in 160 letters and over 2,500 e-mails from

individuals and groups.

Throughout the process formal government-to-government consultation with the Shoshone-Bannock

and Shoshone-Paiute tribes was conducted to solicit their input. Consultation with the Idaho State

Historic Preservation Officer regarding the management plan’s affects on cultural resources listed on

or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places continued during the planning process.

Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding species listed in accordance with the

Endangered Species Act, resulted in the Service’s concurrence that the plan is not likely to adversely

affect any endangered species.

The Notice of Availability for the Draft Plan/DEIS was published on April 30, 2004, and the document was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA announced the availability of the Draft Plan/DEIS for public review and comment in the Federal Register on April 30,

2004. This announcement began a 90-day comment period, which ended on July 29, 2004. Four

public open house meetings attended by 75 persons were held in May 2004 to help answer any questions about the Draft Plan/DEIS. The 90-day comment period resulted in 153 letters with 570 substantive comments. In addition, 975 e-mail letters were received. Letters were received from twenty-five government organizations, twelve private organizations, and one hundred and sixteen individuals. A summary of the key topics of the comments is presented in Chapter Five of the Proposed

Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement.

The Notice of Availability of the Proposed Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact

Statement was published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2005. The 30-day “no action” period

ended on September 26, 2005. Copies of the Proposed Plan/FEIS (printed or on Compact Disk) were
110 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

mailed to all persons or organizations that had participated during the planning process. The complete document was also made available on both agencies’ websites.

Public Participation in Implementation

Land use plans or General Management Plans and planning decisions are the basis for every on-theground action the BLM and NPS undertakes. They provide a framework to guide subsequent actions

or plan implementation decisions. Implementation decisions are generally site-specific land management projects or actions designed to meet direction in the planning documents and decisions.

Following signing of this Record of Decision, an implementation strategy or “business plan” will be

developed, allowing opportunities to determine future implementation priorities. As each project is

considered, the public will be given the opportunity to be involved in the project level planning.

Each project will be subject to additional site specific NEPA analysis and documentation, associated

Tribal consultation, agency and public involvement, and appropriate National Historic Preservation

Act consultation.

The highest planning priority for NPS is updating the current fire management plan to include the

NPS-managed Preserve. NPS personnel will work closely with BLM-Shoshone Fire Staff to insure

goals and objectives for fire management activities are similar along agency boundaries. The NPS

Fire Management Plan revision will include “Wildland Fire Use” in Preserve wilderness study areas

where it is appropriate. All NPS wildland fire use projects will be managed under a strict set of

guidelines to minimize negative impacts. Wildland fire rehabilitation efforts, within the Preserve,

will follow protocols for NPS-administered lands. In the future, subsequent fire management planning for the Monument and Preserve will address both BLM and NPS-administered lands as one unit.

CONCLUSION AND APPROVAL

Among the alternatives considered, the selected plan best protects Monument resources while also

providing a range of quality visitor experiences, meets the BLM and NPS goals, statutory and policy

requirements for managing the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, and meets

national environmental policy goals. The selected plan will not result in the impairment of National

Park System resources and values. Having considered a full range of alternatives, associated resource

impacts and public comments, we adopt the Monument Management Plan as it applies to the respective agencies areas of jurisdiction. As a delegated EIS, the officials responsible for approving the Plan

are the Idaho State Director, Bureau of Land Management, and the Regional Director, Pacific West

Region, National Park Service. Subsequently, the officials responsible for implementation are the

BLM Monument Manager and the NPS Superintendent for Craters of the Moon National Monument

and Preserve.
APPENDIXES 111

APPENDIX A

ACTIONS DESIGNED TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM

The following management actions will be used by NPS and BLM during implementation of the

Monument Management Plan to avoid or minimize potential impacts to natural and cultural resources.

Natural Resources

Geological Resources and Caves

Significant cave resources in the Monument would be identified and protected. Prior to any ground

disturbing activity, areas would be surveyed for unique, rare, or special geologic resources, including

fossils. BLM would identify significant caves on federal land and restrict or regulate use according to

the Federal Caves Resource Protection Act (FCRPA) of 1988. All caves on NPS-managed land are

considered “significant” and in accordance with NPS policies would be protected to the greatest

extent possible with current funding and staffing levels. Threats to unique or representative geologic

resources would be identified and mitigated according to NPS and BLM management policies.

Soils and Water

Whenever possible, new development by NPS would be carried out on previously disturbed sites or in

carefully selected sites with as small a footprint as possible. During design and construction,

Monument staff would identify areas to be avoided.

Soil erosion and associated water quality impacts would be minimized by limiting the time that soil

would be left exposed and by using, when possible, various erosion control measures such as the

placement of silt fencing, retention and replacement of topsoil, revegetation of sites with native

species, and selective scheduling of construction activities. Conserving topsoil from major construction sites would minimize potential compaction and erosion of bare soil. The use of conserved topsoil

would help preserve the microorganisms and seeds of native plants. Topsoil should be re-spread as

close to the original location as possible and supplemented with scarification, mulching, seeding,

and/or planting with species native to the immediate area. This would reduce construction scars and

erosion. In an effort to control the spread of exotic plant species, only certified weed-free hay, straw,

or mulch would be used.

All new major construction by NPS would be completed using sustainable practices, such as the use

of environmentally friendly materials and efficient utility systems. Components of such projects

would be assessed for visual quality. Utilities and support functions such as water, sewer, electricity,

and roads would be evaluated and designed to mitigate visual impact.

Vegetation, including Special Status Species, and Fire Management

Monument staff would survey proposed development sites and project areas for special status plants.

New development would be relocated or project design modified if special status plant populations are

present. Similarly, new trails, roads, and campsites would be located to avoid impacts to special status

plant populations.

Damage to natural and cultural resources by fire suppression, prescribed fire, or restoration treatment

operations will be avoided by following the operational protocols in Appendix J. Areas burned by

wildland fire will be examined and the need for treatment under Emergency Stabilization and

Rehabilitation (ESR) will be determined. The Normal Fire Rehabilitation Plan for the Shoshone and
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Management Plan

Burley Field offices (USDI BLM 2005) will be used to guide ESR treatments on BLM-administered

lands. Revegetation efforts would emulate the natural form, spacing, abundance, and diversity of

native plant communities and would use native species whenever feasible.

To help minimize the spread of non-native plants, Monument managers would allow only the use of

weed-free materials and equipment for operations. A variety of measures to prevent weed introduction

and spread within the Monument would be implemented. These measures would include: cleaning

vehicles and equipment that may have been used in weed-infested areas prior to entry into the

Monument; identifying, treating and posting weed locations; and educating staff, livestock permittees,

visitors, and contractors.

Trails in the NPS-managed portion of the Monument would be monitored for signs of disturbance of

native vegetation. To control potential impacts on plants from trail erosion or social trails, sustainable,

low-impact barriers would be used, and disturbed areas would be revegetated with native plants

Wildlife and Special Status Species

A variety of techniques would be employed to reduce the impacts on wildlife, such as visitor education

programs and restrictions on visitor activities. NPS, in conjunction with the State of Idaho, would designate areas within the Preserve and periods of time when no hunting would be permitted for reasons

of public safety, protection of the areas’ resources, administration, or public use and enjoyment.

Special status species in the Monument and Preserve would continue to be inventoried. Actions and

stipulations necessary to protect special status species and their habitats would be made part of use

authorizations and fire planning.

Air Quality

Dust control measures would be used during construction activities, and all construction machinery

would be required to meet air emission standards. Appropriate smoke management controls will be

incorporated in plans for prescribed fire operations to protect the air quality related values of Class 1

air sheds.

Cultural Resources

In accordance with agency policies and procedures, the Monument and Preserve would continue to

protect cultural resources to the greatest extent possible with available funding and staff levels.

Disturbing these resources would be avoided whenever possible. Where avoidance or preservation cannot be achieved, mitigation would be carried out under the guidance of the procedures of the Advisory

Council on Historic Preservation (36 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 800).

Before any land-modifying activity, a professional archaeologist would inspect the present ground surface of the proposed development site and the immediate vicinity for the presence of cultural remains,

both prehistoric and historic. Should newly discovered or previously unrecorded cultural remains be

located, additional investigations would be accomplished prior to earth-disturbing activities.

Through consultation with the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), areas for Section 110

cultural resource inventories would be prioritized. At-risk sites eligible for the National Register of

Historic Places (NRHP) would be monitored for vandalism. A Cultural Resource Management Plan

(CRMP), which describes how specific sites would be managed, defines what areas need additional

inventory, and designates potential-use categories for sites, would be completed for the Monument.
APPENDIXES 113

Should Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) materials be inadvertently

discovered within the Monument, the agencies would follow the tribal consultation procedures outlined in the NAGPRA of 1990. All preservation, rehabilitation and restoration efforts for historic

structures would be carried out in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the

Treatment of Historic Properties, with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitation, Restoring, and

Reconstructing Historic Buildings.

Wilderness

Minimum requirement analysis will precede any proposed management activities within designated

wilderness areas and WSAs managed by the National Park Service. Bureau of Land Managementadministered WSAs will continue to be managed under Interim Management Policy for Lands Under

Wilderness Review. (See Appendix B, page 352 of the Proposed Management Plan and Final EIS.)

APPENDIXES 115

Proclamation 1694

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

[No. 1694—May 2, 1924—43 Stat. 1947]

WHEREAS, there is located in townships one south, one and two north,

ranges twenty-four and twenty-five east of the Boise Meridian in Butte and

Blaine Counties, Idaho, an area which contains a remarkable fissure eruption together with its associated volcanic cones, craters, rifts, lava flows,

caves, natural bridges, and other phenomena characteristic of volcanic

action which are of unusual scientific value and general interest; and

WHEREAS, this area contains many curious and unusual phenomena of

great educational value and has a weird and scenic landscape peculiar to

itself; and

WHEREAS, it appears that the public interest would be promoted by

reserving these volcanic features as a National Monument, together with as

much land as may be needed for the protection thereof.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States

of America, by authority of the power in me vested by section two of the act

of Congress entitled, “An Act for the preservation of American antiquities,”

approved June eighth, nineteen hundred and six (34 Stat., 225) do proclaim

that there is here by reserved from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, subject to all valid existing claims, and set apart as a National

Monument all that piece or parcel of land in the Counties of Butte and

Blaine, State of Idaho, shown as the Craters of the Moon National

Monument upon the diagram hereto annexed and made a part hereof.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all unauthorized persons not to

appropriate, injure, destroy or remove any feature of this Monument and not

to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

The Director of the National Park Service, under the direction of the

Secretary of the Interior, shall have the supervision, management and control of this Monument as provided in the act of Congress entitled “An Act to

establish a National Park Service and for other purposes,” approved August

twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred and sixteen (39 Stat., 535) and Acts additional thereto or amendatory thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the

seal of the United States to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Washington this 2d day of May in the year of our

Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four and of the Independence

of the United States of America the one hundred and fortyeighth.

CALVIN COOLIDGE

By the President:

CHARLES E. HUGHES,

Secretary of State.

APPENDIX B: PROCLAMATIONS AND ENABLING LEGISLATION

SEAL

APPENDIXES 117

Proclamation 1843

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

[No. 1843—July 23, 1928—45 Stat. 2959]

WHEREAS, it appears that the public interest would be promoted by

adding to the Craters of the Moon National Monument in the State of Idaho,

certain adjoining lands for the purpose of including within said monument

certain springs for water supply and additional features of scientific interest

located thereon.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States

of America, by authority of the power in me vested by section two of the act

of Congress entitled, “An Act for the Preservation of American antiquities”,

approved June eighth, nineteen hundred and six (34 Stat, 225), do proclaim

that Sections sixteen, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, and thirty-four in Township two North, Range twenty-four East;

Unsurveyed Sections twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirtytwo, thirty-three and thirty-four in Township two North, Range twenty- twenty-seven, thirty-four, thirty-five and thirty-six in Township one North, five

East; Unsurveyed Sections three, ten, fifteen, twenty-two, twenty-six, Range

twenty-four East; Unsurveyed Sections three, four, nineteen, fifteen, sixteen,

twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven

and thirty-six in Township one North, Range twenty-five East; Unsurveyed

Sections one, twelve, thirteen and the north half of Sections twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three and twenty-four in Township one South, Range twentyfive East; all Boise Meridian, Idaho; are hereby reserved from all forms of

appropriation under the public land laws, subject to all valid existing claims,

and set apart as an addition to the Craters of the Moon National Monument

and that the boundaries of the said National Monument are now as shown on

the diagram hereto annexed and made a part hereof.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all unauthorized persons not to

appropriate, injure, destroy or remove any feature of this Monument and not

to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

The Director of the National Park Service, under the direction of the

Secretary of the Interior, shall have the supervision, management, and control

of this Monument as provided in the Act of Congress entitled “An Act to

establish a National Park Service and for other purposes,” approved August

twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred and sixteen (39 Stat., 535) and Acts additional

thereto or amendatory thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the

seal of the United States to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 23 day of July in the year of our 

Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the one hundred 

and fifty-third.

CALVIN COOLIDGE.

By the President:

FRANK B. KELLOGG,

Secretary of State.

SEAL

APPENDIXES 119

Proclamation 1916

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

[No. 1916—July 9, 1930—46 Stat. 3029]

WHEREAS lot 1, section 28, township 2 north, range 24 east, Boise

meridian, Idaho, is bounded on the north and east by the Craters of the Moon

National Monument; and

WHEREAS said lot 1, Section 28, contains a spring which is needed to

furnish the said monument with an adequate water supply; and

WHEREAS said lot 1, section 28, is vacant unappropriated public land of

the United States;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Herbert Hoover, President of the United States

of America, do proclaim that the lands herein after described shall be, and are

hereby, added to and included within the Craters of the Moon National

Monument, and as part of said monument shall be, and are hereby, made subject to the provisions of the act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), entitled “An

act to establish a national park service, and for other purposes and all acts

supplementary there to and amendatory thereof and all other laws and rules

and regulations applicable to, and extending over, the said monument:

BOISE MERIDIAN

In township 2 north, range 24 east, lot 1, section 28.

Nothing herein shall affect any existing valid claim, location, or entry on

said lands made under the land laws of the United States whether for homestead, mineral, right of way, or any other purposes whatsoever, or shall affect

the right of any such claimant, locator, or entryman to the full use and enjoyment of his land.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the

seal of the United States to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 9th day of July, in the year of our

Lord nineteen hundred and thirty, and of the Independence of the

United States of America the one hundred and fifty-fifth.

HERBERT HOOVER.

By the President:

HENERY L. STIMSON,

Secretary of State.

SEAL
120 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

House Resolution 15877

CHAP. 272. —An Act To authorize exchanges of land with owners of private-land holdings within the Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior

be, and he is hereby, authorized in his discretion to accept on behalf of the

United States complete title to any or all of the following-described lands

held in private ownership within the boundaries of the Craters of the Moon

National Monument, Idaho: Southeast quarter southwest quarter, section 22;

northeast quarter northwest quarter, southwest quarter northwest quarter,

west half northeast quarter, section 27; northwest quarter northwest quarter

section 26, township 2 north, range 24 east, Boise meridian, Idaho, and in

exchange therefor may patent not to exceed an equal value of land to be

selected from the following-described tracts of reserved public land, subject

to any valid and existing entries under any law; Northwest quarter northwest

quarter, section 2; northwest quarter northeast quarter, southeast quarter,

northwest quarter southwest quarter, southeast quarter southwest quarter, section 3; northeast quarter northwest quarter section 9; northwest quarter, west

half northeast quarter, section 10, township 1 north, range 23 east; and south

half southwest quarter, west half southeast quarter, southeast quarter southeast quarter, section 26; northeast quarter, east half northwest quarter, south

half southeast quarter, northeast quarter southeast quarter, north half southwest quarter, southwest quarter southwest quarter, section 35, township 2

north, range 23, Boise meridian, Idaho: Provided, That If lands sufficient to

equal the value of the lands within the monument offered in exchange are not

available within the area herein described, then in addition the Secretary may

patent public land in the State of Idaho, surveyed and nonmineral in character, sufficient to equal such value. Before any exchange hereunder is effected notice of the contemplated exchange, reciting the lands selected, shall be

published once each week for four successive weeks in some newspaper of

general circulation in the county or counties where the lands proposed to be

selected are located.

Sec. 2. That the value of the lands within said monument offered for

exchange, and the value of the lands of the United States to be selected therefor, shall be ascertained in such manner as the Secretary of the Interior may

direct; and the owners of such privately owned lands within said monument

shall, before the exchange is effective, furnish the Secretary of the interior

evidence satisfactory to him of title to the patented lands offered in exchange;

and lands conveyed to the United States under this Act shall be and remain a

part of the Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Approved, February 21, 1931.

February 21, 1931.

[H. R. 15877.1]

[Public, No. 714.1

Craters of the Moon National

Monument, Idaho.

Acceptance of lands in,

authorzed.

Description

Proviso.

Lands offered in exchange

Publication required.

Value ascertained.

Title.
APPENDIXES 121

House Resolution 7930

74TH CONGRESS. SESS. II. CHS. 527-530. JUNE 5, 1936.

[CHAPTER 527.}

AN ACT

To eliminate certain lands from the Craters of the Moon National Monument,

Idaho.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of; Representatives of the United States

of America in Congress assembled, That the north half and north half of the south

half section 16, township 2 north, range 24 east, Boise meridian, Idaho, be, and the

same hereby, eliminated from the Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Approved, June 5, 1936

June 5, 1936.

[H. R. 7930]

Public. No. 668.

Craters of the Moon 

National Monument, Idaho.

Lands eliminated from.
122 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Proclamation 2499

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

[No. 2499—July 18, 1941—55 Stat. 1660]

WHEREAS it appears that certain public land which is now a part of the

Craters of the Moon National Monument in the State of Idaho, established by

proclamation of May 2, 1924, 43 Stat. 1947, and enlarged by proclamations

of July 23, 1928, 45 Stat. 2959, and July 9, 1930, 46 Stat. 3029, is not necessary for the proper care and management of the objects of scientific interest

situated on the lands within the said monument; and

WHEREAS it appears that such land is needed for the construction of

Idaho State Highway No. 22, by the State of Idaho:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United

States of America, under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 2 of the act of June 8, 1906, c. 3060, 34 Stat. 225, U. S. C., title 16, sec.

431, do proclaim that a strip of land situated in section 3, Township 1 North,

Range 24 East, and sections 25, 34, 35 and 36, Township 2 North, Range 24

East, Boise Meridian, Butte County, Idaho, as shown on a map prepared by

the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Highways, State of Idaho, on file

in the General Land Office, Department of the Interior, bearing the title

“FAP 128-E(1)

Map showing right-of-way across

Craters of the Moon National

Monument – Butte County – Idaho

February 1941 – Scale 1 in = 400 ft”

is hereby excluded from the Craters of the Moon National Monument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the

seal of the United States to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 18th day of July in the year of our

Lord nineteen hundred and forty-one, and of the Independence of

the United States the one hundred sixty-sixth.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.

By the President:

SUMNER WELLES,

Acting Secretary of State.

SEAL
APPENDIXES 123

Proclamation 3506

Presidential Documents

From Federal Register of Nov. 22, 1962

Title 3—THE PRESIDENT

Proclamation 3506

ADDITION TO THE CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL

MONUMENT, IDAHO

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

WHEREAS the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, established by Proclamation No.

1694 of May 2, 1924, was reserved and set apart as an area that contains a remarkable fissure eruption together with its associated volcanic cones, craters, rifts, lava flows, caves, natural bridges, and

other phenomena characteristic of volcanic action that are of unusual scientific value; and

WHEREAS it appears that it would be in the public interest to add to the Craters o the Moon

National Monument a 180-acre kipuka, a term of Hawaiian origin for an island of vegetation completely surrounded by lava, that is scientifically valuable for ecological studies because it contains a

mature, native sagebrush-grassland association which has been undisturbed by man or domestic livestock; and to add to the monument the intervening lands between the kipuka and the present monument boundaries:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN F. KENNEDY, President of the United States of America, by

virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225; 16 U.S.C.

431), and subject to valid existing rights do proclaim that the following-described lands are hereby

added to and reserved as a part of the Craters of the Moon National Monument:

BOISE MERIDIAN, IDAHO

T. 1 S., R. 24 E.

sec. 3, W-1/2

All of section 4, 5, 8, 9, 17, 18 and 19

sec. 10, W-1/2

sec. 20, W-1/2 and W-1/2 E-1/2

sec. 29, NW-1/4 and W-1/2 NE-1/4

sec. 30, NE-1/4;

comprising 5,360 acres, more or less.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy

or remove any of the features or objects of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any of

the lands thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United

States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this nineteenth day of November in the year of our Lord

nineteen hundred and sixty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of

America the one hundred and eighty-seventh.

JOHN F. KENNEDY

By the President

DEAN RUSK

Secretary of State.

SEAL
124 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996

Public Law 104-333

104th Congress

An Act

To provide for the administration of certain Presidio properties at minimal cost to <<NOTE:

Nov. 12, 1996 - [H.R. 4236]>> the Federal taxpayer, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America

in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of

1996. 16 USC 1 note.>>

SEC. 205. CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL

MONUMENT BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.

(a) Boundary Revision.—The boundary of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho,

is revised to add approximately 210 acres and to delete approximately 315 acres as generally

depicted on the map entitled “Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, Proposed 1987

Boundary Adjustment’’, numbered 131-80,008, and dated October 1987, which map shall be

on file and available for public inspection in the office of the National Park Service,

Department of the Interior.

(b) Administration and Acquisition.—Federal lands and interests therein deleted from the

boundary of the national monument by this section shall be administered by the Secretary of

the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management in accordance with the Federal Land

Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and Federal lands and interests

therein added to the national monument by this section shall be administered by the Secretary

as part of the national monument, subject to the laws and regulations applicable thereto. The

Secretary is authorized to acquire private lands and interests therein within the boundary of

the national monument by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or

exchange, and when acquired they shall be administered by the Secretary as part of the

national monument, subject to the laws and regulations applicable thereto.
APPENDIXES 125

Proclamation 7373 
126 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
APPENDIXES 127
128 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan
APPENDIXES 129
130 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Federal Legislation PL 107-213

Public Law 107-213

107th Congress

An Act

To redesignate certain lands within the Craters of the Moon National Monument, and for

other purposes. <<NOTE: Aug. 21, 2002 - [H.R. 601]>>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of

America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 16 USC 431 note, 698w.>> SPECIAL MANAGEMENT

REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL LANDS RECENTLY ADDED TO CRATERS OF

THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT, IDAHO.

(a) Redesignation.—The approximately 410,000 acres of land added to the Craters of

the Moon National Monument by Presidential Proclamation 7373 of November 9, 2000,

and identified on the map accompanying the Proclamation for administration by the

National Park Service, shall, on and after the date of enactment of this Act, be known as

the ``Craters of the Moon National Preserve’’.

(b) Administration.—

(1) In general.—Except as provided by paragraph (2), the Craters of the Moon

National Preserve shall be administered in accordance with—

(A) Presidential Proclamation 7373 of November 9, 2000;

(B) the Act of June 8, 1906, (commonly referred to as the “Antiquities

Act”; 34 Stat. 225; 16 U.S.C. 431); and

(C) the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System,

including the Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service,

and for other Purposes”’, approved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.).

(2) Hunting.—The Secretary of the Interior shall permit hunting on lands within

the Craters of the Moon National Preserve in accordance with the applicable

laws of the United States and the State of Idaho. The Secretary, in consultation

with the State of Idaho, may designate zones where, and establish periods when,

no hunting may be permitted for reasons of public safety, protection of the area’s

resources, administration, or public use and enjoyment. Except in emergencies,

any regulations prescribing such restrictions relating to hunting shall be put into

effect only after consultation with the State of Idaho.

Approved August 21, 2002.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 601:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107-34 (Comm. on Resources).

SENATE REPORTS: No. 107-181 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:

Vol. 147 (2001): May 1, considered and passed House.

Vol. 148 (2002): Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.
APPENDIXES 131

Wilderness Designation

Public Law 91-504

An Act to designate certain lands as wilderness. (84 Stat. 1104)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represent

atives of the United States of America in Congress

assembled,

* * * * * * *

DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS WITHIN NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS

SEC. 2. In accordance with Section 3(c) of the Wilderness Act (78

Stat. 890; 16 U.S.C. 1132(c)), the following lands are hereby designated as wilderness:

(a) certain lands in the Craters of the Moon National

Monument, which comprise about forty-three thousand two

hundred and forty-three acres and which are depicted on a

map entitled “Wilderness Plan, Craters of the Moon National

Monument, Idaho”, numbered 131-91,000 and dated March

1970, which shall be known as the “Craters of the Moon

National Wilderness Area”;

SEC. 4. As soon as practicable after this Act takes effect, a map and

a legal description of each wilderness area shall be filed with the Interior

and Insular Affairs Committees of the United States Senate and the

House of Representatives, and such description shall have the same

force and effect as if included in this Act: Provided however, That correction of clerical and typographical errors in such legal description and

map may be made.

SEC. 5. Wilderness areas designated by or pursuant to this Act shall

be administered in accordance with the provisions of the Wilderness Act

governing areas designated by that Act as wilderness areas, except that

any reference in such provisions to the effective date of the Wilderness

Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the effective date of this Act,

and any reference to the Secretary of Agriculture shall be deemed to be

a reference to the Secretary who has administrative jurisdiction over the

area.

Approved October 23, 1970.

APPENDIXES 133

The boundary of a national monument may be modified only as authorized by law. This

appendix describes four minor proposed changes to the external boundary of the Monument

and three proposed changes to the boundary between NPS and BLM lands within the

Monument. The agencies are recommending these boundary modifications for the reasons

described below. Congress would have to pass legislation authorizing a modification, and

the President would need to sign that legislation for the modification to be authorized by

law.

As part of the planning process, the Agencies have identified and evaluated boundary adjustments that may be necessary or desirable in order to carry out the purposes of the Craters of

the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Boundary adjustments have been recommended to:

• Protect significant resources and values, or to enhance opportunities for public enjoyment

related to Monument purposes;

• Address operational and management issues, such as the need for access or the need for

boundaries to correspond to logical boundary delineations such as topographic or other

natural features or roads; or

• Otherwise protect Monument resources that are critical to fulfilling Monument purposes.

All recommendations for boundary changes have met the following two criteria:

• The added lands will be feasible to administer, considering their size, configuration, and

ownership, and hazardous substances, costs, the views of and impacts on local communities and surrounding jurisdictions, and other factors such as the presence of exotic

species; and

• Other alternatives for management and resource protection are not adequate.

These criteria apply conversely to recommendations for the deletion of lands from the

authorized boundaries of the Monument. For example, before recommending the deletion of

land, a finding was made that the land did not include a significant resource, value, or

opportunity for public enjoyment related to the purposes of the Monument. Full consideration was given to present and future needs before a recommendation was made to delete

lands from the authorized boundaries of the Monument.

Boundary adjustments essentially fall into three distinct categories: (1) technical revisions;

(2) minor revisions based upon statutorily defined criteria; and (3) revisions to include adjacent real property acquired by donation, purchased with donated funds, transferred from any

other federal agency, or obtained by exchange. Adjacent real property is considered to be

land located contiguous to, but outside the boundary of the Monument. The modifications

proposed here are technical and minor.

The following is a list of recommended boundary modifications including legal description,

approximate acreage, and a brief summary of the justification for each proposed change. See

Figure C-1 (A through E) for specific locations.

APPENDIX C: BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS
134 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

1) T2N, R24E, Sec 24 — Approximately 90 acres

a. Recommended transfer of management from NPS to BLM to provide for the continuation

of historic grazing. With the expansion of the Monument, the NPS has assumed management

of all lava covered lands within the Monument (indicated by the dark brown coloring on 7.5

minute USGS color maps). The NPS management boundary would be moved eastward from

the lava edge illustrated on the USGS 7.5 minute map to the first road. This adjustment

would be bounded at the southern end by the Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area. A closer

evaluation of this particular site revealed relatively low evidence of lava and/or unique features. As such, this land can be more closely identified with most other BLM managed portions of the Monument and should be managed accordingly.

2) T2N, R24E, Sec 11 — Approximately 120 acres

a. Recommended transfer of management from NPS to BLM to provide for the continuation of

historic grazing. With the expansion of the Monument, the NPS has assumed management of

all lava covered lands within the Monument (indicated by the dark brown coloring on 7.5

minute USGS color maps). The NPS management boundary would be moved eastward from

the lava edge illustrated on the USGS 7.5 minute map to the first road. A closer evaluation

of this particular site revealed relatively low evidence of lava and/or unique features. As

such, this land can be more closely identified with most other BLM managed portions of the

Monument and should be managed accordingly.

3) T2N, R25E, Sec 5 — Approximately 1 acre

a. Recommended inclusion of land in the Monument from the BLM to expand the Monument

boundary from a legal subdivision to meet the southern edge of the highway right of way.

This would provide for a more consistent and manageable boundary.

4) T2N, R25E, Sec 5 — Approximately 60 acres

a. Recommended deletion of land from the Monument to adjust the Monument boundary from a

legal subdivision to meet the southern edge of the highway right of way. This would provide

for a more consistent and manageable boundary. This land does not provide exceptional

opportunities for public enjoyment, nor does it contain features for which the Monument was

established to protect.

b. It would also eliminate a mineral material site from the Monument.

5) T3N, R25E, Sec 27 — Approximately 2 acres

a. Recommended deletion of land from the Monument to adjust the Monument boundary from a

legal subdivision to meet the southern edge of the highway right of way. This would provide

for a more consistent and manageable boundary.

6) T3N, R25E, Sec 27 — Approximately 3 acres

a. Recommended deletion of land from the Monument to adjust the Monument boundary from a

legal subdivision to meet the southern edge of the highway right of way. This would provide

for a more consistent and manageable boundary.

7) T5S, R28E, Sec 36 — Approximately 230 acres

a. Recommended transfer of management from NPS to BLM to provide for the continuation of

historic grazing. With the expansion of the Monument, the NPS has assumed management of

all lava covered lands within the Monument (indicated by the dark brown coloring on 7.5

minute USGS color maps). A closer evaluation of this particular site revealed relatively low

evidence of lava and/or unique features. As such, this land can be more closely identified

with most other BLM managed portions of the Monument and should be managed accordingly.

8) T1S, R22E, Sec 5 — Approximately 2 acres

a. Recommended adjustment of the Monument boundary from a legal subdivision to meet the

southern edge of the highway right of way. This would provide for a more consistent and

manageable boundary.

The agencies have consulted with the relative interests to arrive at these proposals which are consistent with enabling Legislation, the Proclamations, and current management guidelines. The agencies

received no other proposals for boundary modifications during the scoping for the Draft Plan / DEIS.
Arco

* Proposed boundary modifications have been oversized for graphic presentation and are not to scale.

Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

D Road

Original Monument 

Boundary

Lava

Proposed 

Boundary Modifications

Map Scale 1:425,000

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PROPOSED BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE C1-A

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Town

NORTH

A Road

B Road

C Road

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

0 6 3

km

0 6 3

mi

Carey

£¤20 £¤26 £¤93

£¤20

£¤93

£¤26

Minidoka

Kimama

£¤24

1

2

8

7

6

5

4

3
Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

D Road

Original Monument 

Boundary

Lava

Map Scale 1:24,000

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PROPOSED BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE C1-B

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Town

NORTH

A Road

B Road

C Road

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

0 0 0.2 .4

km

0 0 0.1 .2

mi

1

2

Map Area

CRATERS

OF THE 

MOON

Proposed 

Boundary Modifications
Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

D Road

Original Monument 

Boundary

Lava

Map Scale 1:24,000

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PROPOSED BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE C1-C

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Town

NORTH

A Road

B Road

C Road

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

1

3

Map Area

4

5

6

Proposed 

Boundary Modifications

CRATERS

OF THE 

MOON

0 0.2 0.1

km

0 0 0.1 .2

mi
Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

D Road

Original Monument 

Boundary

Lava

Map Scale 1:24,000

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PROPOSED BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE C1-D

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Town

NORTH

A Road

B Road

C Road

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Area

Proposed 

Boundary Modifications

CRATERS

OF THE 

MOON

7

0 0.2 0.1

km

0 0 0.1 .2

mi
Monument Boundary

Class I Trail

D Road

Original Monument 

Boundary

Lava

Map Scale 1:24,000

U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Bureau of Land Management

PROPOSED BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

FIGURE C1-E

Map Projection: 

UTM Zone 12

North American Datum 1927

Town

NORTH

A Road

B Road

C Road

No warranty is made by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Park Service.

The accuracy, reliability, or completeness 

of these data for individual use or aggregate 

use with other data is not guaranteed.

Map Area

Proposed 

Boundary Modifications

CRATERS

OF THE 

MOON

8

0 0.2 0.1

km

0 0 0.1 .2

mi

GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY,

LIST OF PREPARERS,

AND INDEX

GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 143

a’a: A Hawaiian term for basaltic lava flows that are typically rough and jagged with a clinkery

surface.

Allotment: An area allocated for livestock use by one or more qualified grazing permittees including

prescribed numbers and kinds of livestock under one plan of management.

Animal Unit Month (AUM): The amount of forage required to sustain one mature cow or the equivalent (e.g., five sheep or five goats), based on an average daily forage consumption of 26

pounds of dry matter per day.

Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC): An area of public lands where special management attention is required to protect and prevent irreparable damage to important historic, cultural, or scenic values; fish and wildlife resources; or other natural systems or processes, or to

protect humans from natural hazards.

Biological Soil Crust: A complex mosaic of mosses, lichens, algai, cyanobacteria, and fungi that

occupies the soil surface in arid and semiarid plant communities. These organisms weave

through the soil and essentially glue the surface particles together, forming a protective coating

against erosive forces.

Candidate Species: Species not protected under the Endangered Species Act but under consideration

by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for inclusion on the list of federally threatened or endangered species.

Climax Vegetation: The final vegetation community and highest ecological development of a plant

community that emerges after a series of successive vegetational stages. The climax community

perpetuates itself indefinitely unless disturbed by outside forces.

Cultural Resource: The fragile and nonrenewable remains of human activity that are found in historic districts, sites, buildings, and artifacts and that are important in past and present human

events.

Desired Future Condition: Used to describe the future condition of resources to meet management

objectives. Desired future condition is based on ecological, social, and economic considerations

during the land and resource management planning process.

Diversity (Species): (1) The absolute number of species in a community, species richness; and (2) a

measure of the number of species and their relative abundance in a community; low diversity

refers to few species or unequal abundance, high diversity to many species, or equal abundance.

Ecological Succession: An ecosystem’s gradual evolution to a stable state or climax. If through the

ability of its populations and elements, an ecosystem can absorb changes, it tends to persist and

become stable through time.

Endangered Species: Any animal or plant species that is in danger of extinction throughout all of a

significant portion of its range. These species are listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

under provisions of the Endangered Species Act.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): A detailed written statement that is required by the

National Environmental Policy Act for a proposed major federal action significantly affecting

the quality of the human environment. The findings from the document are published in a

Record of Decision.

GLOSSARY
144 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Ethnographic Resource: A site structure, object, landscape, or natural resource feature assigned traditional legendary, religious, subsistence, or other significance in the cultural system of a group

traditionally associated with it.

Exotic Species: An animal or plant species that is not a part of an area’s original fauna or flora.

Fire Condition Class (FCC): A classification for vegetation communities relative to the departure of

the fire regime (frequency and severity of fire) from historic conditions. There are three fire

condition classes ranging from FCC1 (low departure) to FCC3 (high departure).

FCC1 represents low departure from the historic fire regime. Key ecosystem components

include a healthy mosaic of various successional stages for each vegetation type. For

example, these components would include sagebrush steppe communities with native

perennial grass and forb understories, or aspen or Douglas fir communities with trees of

variable age, openings to allow tree regeneration, and an abundance of understory grasses and forbs.

FCC2 represents moderate departure from the historic fire regime, resulting in some risk of

more frequent fire return intervals and/or greater levels of severity.

FCC3 represents high departure from the historic fire regime, resulting in high risk of

resource loss due to frequent fire return intervals and/or high levels of severity. An example of FCC3 is an area that was formerly low-elevation sagebrush steppe that is currently

dominated by an understory or monoculture of cheatgrass.

Fire Suppression: All work and activities associated with fire extinguishing operations, beginning

with the discovery and continuing until the fire is completely extinguished.

Fissure Caves: A cave formed from a fissure, i.e., an elongated fracture or crack related to volcanic

action.

Fissure/Vent: An elongate fracture or crack at the surface from which molten rock and volcanic

gases escape onto surface.

Forb: A broad-leaved plant (herb) whose stem does not produce woody, persistent tissue and generally dies back at the end of each growing season, such as arrowleaf balsamroot.

Government-to-Government Consultation: The active, affirmative process between agencies of the

federal government and tribal governments under the laws of the United States. Tribal governments are considered domestic sovereignties with primary and independent jurisdictions over

tribal lands. Consultation consists of: (1) identifying and seeking input from appropriate Native

American governing bodies, community groups and individuals; and (2) considering their interests as a necessary and integral part of the decision-making process. The aim of consultation is

to involve affected Native Americans in the identification of issues and the definition of the

range of acceptable management options.

Indicator: Components or attributes of an ecosystem that can be observed and/or measured that provides evidence of the function, productivity, health and/or condition of the ecosystem.

Inholding: A nonfederal parcel of land that is completely surrounded by federal land.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): The use of all appropriate technologies and management techniques to bring about an effective degree of pest prevention and suppression in a cost-effective

and environmentally sound manner.
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 145

Integrated Weed Management (IWM): A balanced approach to managing resources including the

following processes: prevention, inventory, control, monitoring, and reporting. With IWM the

actions include preventing weeds from invading; proper identification and knowledge of invasive weed species; inventory, mapping and monitoring of weed populations and damage. Weed

control decisions are based on knowing potential damage, cost of control method, and environmental impact of the weed and control decision; using control strategies that may include a

combination of methods to reduce the weed population to an acceptable level; and, evaluating

the effectiveness and effects of management decisions.

Invasive Species: In this document, the definition for this term is “a plant or animal species (typically non-native) that rapidly spreads into or displaces a desirable native species or community.”

[Exception: An “invasive species,” as defined in Executive Order 13112, is a species that is (1)

non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and (2) whose introduction causes or

is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive species

can be plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes)].

Key Habitats: Key habitats contain generally large-scale, intact sagebrush steppe areas that provide

Greater sage-grouse habitat during some portion of the year.

Source Habitat: Source habitats are a subset of Key habitat that support concentrated Greater

sage-grouse populations. Source habitats are also commonly referred to as population

strongholds. Data indicate that Greater sage-grouse populations in Source habitats have

been generally stable or increasing since the drought of the early 1990s.

Isolated Habitat: Isolated habitats are a subset of Key habitat that support relatively small

Greater sage-grouse populations. Isolated habitats are separated from other Key habitat by

developed land or unsuitable habitat, such as farmland, forests, or grassland.

Kipuka: < kee’ poo ka > Hawaiian word meaning “key”, or opening such as for a door. A mound of

older land, usually covered by vegetation, which is surrounded by a younger lava flow.

Lava Tube: Subterranean openings that form when the surface of flowing lava congeals forming a

crust. Insulated from the cooling air, the lava underneath the solidified crust continues to flow.

As the lava eruption ceases, the tube drains, and a large tubular cave may be left.

Lek: An assembly area where birds, especially Greater sage-grouse, carry on display and courtship

behavior.

Limited Designation (motorized travel): BLM designation meaning that some restrictions apply to

motorized travel on a specified route or in a specified area.

Lithic Scatter: Pertaining to or composed of stone scatter; a form of an archeological resource.

Litter: Dead plant or animal material on the soil surface.

Livestock Developments: Physical facilities, such as fences, water developments, and corrals that

are used to handle and control livestock.

Management Framework Plan (MFP): Bureau of Land Management land use plan; predecessor to

the Resource Management Plan (RMP).
146 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Mineral Materials: Materials such as common varieties of sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite,

and clay that are not obtainable under the mining or leasing laws but that can be acquired under

the Mineral Materials Act of 1947, as amended.

Multiple Use Management: The definition of multiple use is defined in the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976 as follows:

The management of the public lands and their various resource values so that they

are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of

the American people; making the most judicious use of the land for some or all of

these resource or related services over areas large enough to provide sufficient latitude for periodic adjustments in use to conform with changing needs and conditions; the use of some land for less than all of the resources; a combination of balanced and diverse resource uses that takes into account the long-term needs of

future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources, including, but not

limited to, recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, and natural scenic, scientific and historic values; and harmonious and coordinated management of the various resources without permanent impairment of the productivity of

the land and the quality of the environment with consideration being given to the

relative values of the resources and not necessarily to the combination of the uses

that will give the greatest economic return or the greatest output.

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA): The federal law that established a national

policy for the environment and requires federal agencies to (1) become aware of the environmental ramifications of their proposed actions, (2) fully disclose to the public proposed federal

actions and provide a mechanism for public input to federal decision-making, and (3) prepare

environmental impact statements for every major action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment.

National Register of Historic Places (NRHP): The official list, established by the National Historic

Preservation Act, of the nation’s cultural resources worthy of preservation. The national register

lists archeological, historic, and architectural properties (districts, sites, buildings, structures, and

objects) nominated for their local, state, or national significance by state and federal agencies

and approved by the national register staff.

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA): Requires Federal Agencies

to inventory human remains and associated funerary objects in existing federal museum collections and to provide culturally affiliated tribes with the inventory of collections. The act also

requires repatriation, on request, to the culturally affiliated tribes.

Native American Tribe: Any indigenous cultural group in the conterminous United States that the

Secretary of the Interior recognizes as possessing tribal status, i.e. federally recognized (listed

annually in the Federal Register).

Native Species: Plants or animals indigenous to the area.

Noxious Weeds: According to the Federal Noxious Weed Act (Public Law 93-629), a weed that causes adverse effects on humans and their environment and is therefore detrimental to public health

and the agriculture and commerce of the United States.

Pahoehoe: A Hawaiian term for a basaltic lava flow that has a smooth, billowy, or ropy surface.

Particulate Matter: Fine liquid or solid particles suspended in the air and consisting of dust, smoke,

mist, fumes, and compounds containing sulfur, nitrogen, and metals, typically averaging one

micron or smaller in diameter.
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 147

Permittee: A person or organization legally permitted to graze a specific number and class of livestock on designated areas of public land during specified seasons each year.

Phreatic: Of or relating to groundwater.

Pictograph: Aboriginally painted designs on natural rock surfaces.

Pioneer Plants: Those that establish themselves first on disturbed areas or bare soil.

Pleistocene Age: The latest major geological epoch from 11,000 to 2 million years ago, the time of

human evolution. Also known as the “Ice Age” due to the multiple expansion and retreat of glaciers.

Prescribed Fire: Controlled application of fire to natural fuels under conditions of weather, fuel

moisture, and soil moisture that would allow confinement of the fire to a predetermined area

and, at the same time, would produce the intensity of heat and rate of spread required to accomplish certain planned benefits to one or more objectives to wildlife, livestock, and watershed values. The overall objectives are to employ fire scientifically to realize maximum net benefits at

minimum environmental damage and acceptable cost.

Public Land: Any land or interest in land owned by the United States and administered by the

Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management, without regard to how the

United States acquired ownership, except for (1) land located on the Outer Continental Shelf and

(2) land held for the benefit of American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos.

Rangeland: Land on which the potential natural vegetation is predominantly grasses, grass-like

plants, forbs, or shrubs suitable for grazing or browsing. It includes natural grasslands, savannas,

many wetlands, some deserts, tundra, and areas that support certain forb and shrub communities.

Record of Decision (ROD): A document signed by a responsible official recording a decision that

was preceded by the preparation of an environment impact statement.

Restoration Habitats: Potential restoration habitats have the potential to provide Greater sage-grouse

habitat in the future. These are sagebrush steppe that have been converted to grassland or woodland or are in the successional process of converting to woodland. These areas are located in

close proximity to Key or Source habitats. Data indicate that Greater sage-grouse historically

occupied these areas and may still utilize some sporadically, such as during migrations.

Restoration habitats have a high likelihood of being reoccupied if habitat suitability improves.

The following are potential restoration habitats:

Restoration Type 1 (R1): Sagebrush-limited areas with acceptable understory conditions in

terms of perennial grass species composition and may include native and seeded grass

rangelands. These are important areas to protect from wildfire and encourage sagebrush

establishment and retention. Inexpensive management treatments may be needed (e.g.,

sagebrush and/or forb seedings).

Restoration Type 2 (R2): Existing sagebrush cover in these areas may or may not be adequate

to meet the needs of Greater sage-grouse, but understory herbaceous conditions are poor.

Undesirable plants such as cheatgrass, medusa head rye, or other exotics are common to

dominant.

Restoration Type 3 (R3): Key or Source habitat with juniper or other conifer encroachment.

Sagebrush is usually present but is being threatened or reduced by conifer expansion.

Opportunities exist for improving habitat through appropriate fire management response,

prescribed fire, or chemical or mechanical means.
148 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Rift Zone: Area characterized by an open volcanic fissure.

Right-of-Way (ROW): A permit or an easement that authorizes the use of public land for certain

specified purposes, commonly for pipelines, roads, telephone lines, electric lines, and reservoirs.

It is also the reference to the land covered by such an easement or permit.

Sacred Site: Any specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on federal land that is identified by a

Native American tribe, or Native American individual determined to be appropriately authoritative representative of a Native American religion, as sacred by virtue of its established religious

significance to, or ceremonial use by, a Native American religion.

Sagebrush Obligates: Species restricted to sagebrush habitats during the breeding season or yearround.

Sagebrush Steppe Community: A semi-arid plant community that is characterized by a predominance of big sagebrush and other sagebrush species, plus grasses and forbs.

Section 106 Consultation: Also known as the 36 CFR 800 process. Discussions between a federal

agency official and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation

Officer, and other interested parties concerning historic properties that could be affected by a

specific undertaking. Section 106 is the portion of the National Historic Preservation Act that

outlines the procedure. The procedure is codified in 36 CFR 800.

Section 110: The section of the National Historic Preservation Act that requires federal agencies to

complete cultural resources surveys and reports for all its lands and existing projects.

Sensitive Species: Plant and animal species not yet officially listed but that are undergoing status

review for listing on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official threatened and endangered list;

species whose populations are small and widely dispersed or restricted to a few localities; and

species whose numbers are declining so rapidly that official listing may be necessary.

Shield Volcano: A broad, gently sloping volcano that has a flattened dome shape, not unlike that of a

knight’s shield. Shield volcanoes usually cover a large area and form from overlapping and

interfingering, low viscosity lava flows.

Spatter: An accumulation of very fluid pyroclasts (ejected material).

Special Status Species: Wildlife and plant species that are either federally listed as threatened or

endangered, proposed threatened or endangered, candidate species, state-listed as threatened or

endangered, or listed by a Bureau of Land Management State Director as sensitive or determined

priority.

Successional Stage: A stage of development of a plant community with another. Conditions of the

prior plant community (or successional stage) create conditions that are favorable for the establishment of the next stage.

Threatened and Endangered Species: As defined in the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Public Law 93-205; 87 Stat. 884), an endangered species means “any species which is in

danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range” and threatened species

means “any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable

future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Whether a species is threatened or

endangered is determined by the following factors: (1) present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (2) over-utilization for commercial, sporting, scientific, or educational purposes; (3) disease or predation; (4) inadequacy of existing regulatory

mechanisms; or (5) other natural or human-made factors.
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 149

Traditional Lifeway Values: Values that are important for maintaining a group’s traditional system

of religious belief, cultural practice, or social interaction.

Traditional Cultural Properties: A cultural property that is eligible for inclusion in the National

Register of Historic Places because of its association with a living community’s cultural practices or beliefs that (a) are rooted in that community’s history and (b) are important in maintaining the community’s continuing cultural identity.

Treaty: A formal agreement between the United States and one or more Native American tribes.

Typically, these arrangements ceded lands to the United States, reserving certain rights, privileges, and/or lands to the Native American signatories.

Tree Mold: A tree mold or lava tree forms when lava flows around a tree and chills, leaving behind a

“mold” of the space occupied by the tree, or impression of the charred wood. Tree molds can

also be horizontal if the tree was knocked down by the lava flow.

Trust Responsibility (also referred to as fiduciary responsibility): The trust responsibility of the

United States, executed through the Secretary of the Interior, to uphold obligations of the federal

government to federally recognized Native American tribes.

Understory: Herbaceous plant components, including grasses and forbs, which grow beneath the

overstory in stand of woody shrubs; or the herbaceous and woody shrubs growing beneath the

overstory in a stand of trees.

Valid Existing Rights: Locatable mineral development rights that existed when the Federal Land

Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) was enacted on October 21, 1976. Some areas are segregated from entry and location under the Mining Law to protect certain values or allow certain

uses. Mining claims that existed as of the effective date of the segregation may still be valid if

they can meet the test of discovery of a valuable mineral required under the Mining Law.

Determining the validity of mining claims located in segregated lands requires the Bureau of

Land Management to conduct a validity examination and is called a “valid existing right” determination.

Way: A road-like feature created and used by vehicles having four or more wheels, but not declared a

road by the owner and that receives no maintenance to guarantee regular and continuous use.

Wetland: Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration

sufficient to support, and which under normal circumstances support a prevalence of vegetation

typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Wilderness Area: An area of federal land designated by the United States Congress and defined by

the Wilderness Act of 1964 as a place “where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Designation is aimed at

ensuring that these lands are preserved and protected in their natural condition. Wilderness

areas, which are generally at least 5,000 acres or more in size, offer outstanding opportunities

for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; such areas may also contain ecological, geological, or other features that have scientific, scenic, or historical value.

Wilderness Inventory: A written description of resource information and accompanying map of

those public lands that meet the wilderness criteria as established under Section 603(a) of the

Federal Land Policy and Management Act and Section 2(c) of the Wilderness Act.

Wilderness Study Area (WSA): An area designated by a federal agency as having wilderness characteristics, thus making it worthy of consideration by Congress for wilderness designation.
150 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Wildfire: An unwanted wildland fire, regardless of ignition source, which is unplanned, has escaped

control, or does not meet management objectives and therefore requires a suppression response.

Wildland Fire Use (also called “Wildland Fire for Resource Benefit”): A naturally ignited fire

allowed to burn under designated conditions to meet resource management objectives.

Withdrawal: Removal or “withholding” of public lands from operation of some or all of the public

land laws (settlement, sale, mining, and or mineral leasing). An action that restricts the use or

disposal of public lands, segregating the land from the operation of some or all of the public

land and/or mineral laws and holding it for a specific public purpose. Withdrawals may also be

used to transfer jurisdiction of management to other federal agencies.
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 151

Allaback, Sarah. 2000. Mission 66 Visitor Centers: The History of a Building Type. United

States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resources Stewardship and

Partnerships, Park Historic Structures and Cultural Landscapes Program. Washington, D.C.

Bart, John. 2001. Personal communication. USGS Wildlife Section. 

Belnap, J., J. H. Kaltenecker, R. Rosentreter, J. Williams, S. Leonard, and D. Eldridge. 2001.

Biological Soil Crusts: Ecology and Management. Technical Reference TR-1730-2. U.S.

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Denver, Colorado. 110 pp. 

Blaisdell, J. P., R. B. Murray, and E. D. McArthur. 1982. Managing Intermountain Rangelands -

Sagebrush-Grass Ranges. USDA Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station

General Technical Report INT-134. 41pp. 

Bunting, S. C., J. L. Kingery, M. A. Hemstrom, M. A. Schroeder, R. A. Gravenmier, and W. J.

Hann. 2002. Altered Rangeland Ecosystems in the Interior Columbia Basin. USDA, Forest

Service Pacific Research Station General Technical Report. PNW-GTR-553. 20pp. 

Falter, M. C. and R. J. Freitag. 1996. Baseline Study of Water Resources on Craters of the Moon

National Monument, Idaho. Technical Report NPS/CCSOUI/NRTR-96/06. 

Gabler. K. L., L. T. Heady, and J. W. Laundre. 2001. A habitat suitability model for pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in southeastern Idaho. Western North American Naturalist

61(4):480-489.

Hironaka, M., M. A. Fosberg, A. H. Winward. 1983. Sagebrush-grass Habitat Types of Southern

Idaho. Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station. University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

Bulletin No. 35. 

Hoffman, Roger A. 1988. Craters of the Moon National Monument Base-line Inventory and

Monitoring (Wildlife) Final Report, Report B-88. University of Idaho, Cooperative Park

Studies Unit. Moscow, Idaho. 

Horning, D. S., Jr., and W. F. Barr. 1970. Insects of Craters of the Moon National Monument,

Idaho. University of Idaho College of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Series No. 8. 118 pp. 

Hughes, S. S., R. P. Smith, W. R. Hackett, and S. R. Anderson. 1999. Mafic Volcanism and

Environmental Geology of the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho, in Hughes, S. S. and G. D.

Thackray, eds., Guidebook to the Geology of Eastern Idaho: Idaho Museum of Natural

History, p. 143-168. 

Hurlbutt, D. C. 1998. Order of Partial Decree, Water Right Nos. 34-13586, 34-13587, 34-

12383/36-15342, 34-12384/36-15343. 34-12385/36-15344, 34-12386, 34-12387, 34-12388,

34-12389, 3615345, and 36-15346, Presiding Judge, Snake River Basin Adjudication, Fifth

Judicial District for the State of Idaho. 

Idaho Conservation Data Center. 2002. Glacicvicola bathysciodes species account. <http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/tech/CDC/spp_accounts_invertebrates/glabat.cfm>.

Idaho Sage-grouse Advisory Committee. 2006. Conservation Plan for the Greater Sage-grouse

in Idaho.

Jurs, L. P. and A. R. Sands. 2004. An inventory, assessment, and recommended management of

shrub steppe vegetation in Laidlaw Park, Little Park, and Paddelford Flat, Craters of the

Moon National Monument and Preserve. Unpublished report on file, BLM Shoshone Field

Office, Shoshone, Idaho. 45 pp. plus appendices. 

Keller, B. 1996. A netting survey of water and cave areas used by bats at Craters of the Moon

National Monument, Butte County, Idaho. Unpublished report from Idaho Museum of

Natural History. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
152 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

Kuntz, M. A., D. E. Champion, R. H. Lefebvre, L. A. McBroome, D. R. Mabey, W. D. Stanley,

H. R. Covington, J. Ridenhour, and R. B. Stotelmeyer. 1980. Geological and geophysical

investigations, and mineral resources potential of the proposed Great Rift Wilderness Area,

Idaho. U.S. Geological Survey OFR 80-475. 

Kuntz, M. A., D. E. Champion, E. C. Spiker, and R. H. Lefebvre. 1986. Contrasting magma

types and steady-state, volume predictable, basaltic volcanism along the Great Rift, Idaho:

Geological Society of America Bulletin, 97:579-594. 

Kuntz, M. A., D. E. Champion, E. C. Spiker, R. H. Lefebvre, and L. A. McBroome. 1982. The

Great Rift and the evolution of the Craters of the Moon lava field, Idaho, in Bonnichsen, B.

and Breckenridge, eds., Ceonozoic Geology of Idaho: Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology

Bulletin 26, p. 423-437. 

Kuntz, M., D. E. Champion, R. Lefebvre, and H. R. Covington. 1988. Geologic Map of the

Craters of the Moon, Kings Bowl, and Wapi lava fields, and the Great Rift volcanic rift zone,

south-central Idaho: United States Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series

Map I-1632. 

Kuntz, M. A., H. R. Covington, and L. J. Schorr. 1992. An overview of basaltic volcanism of the

eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho, in Link, P. K., M. A. Kuntz, and L. B. Platt, eds., Regional

Geology of Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming: Geological Society of America Memoir

179. 

Laverty, L. and J. Williams. 2000. Protecting People and Sustaining Resources in Fire-Adapted

Ecosystems: A Cohesive Strategy. The Forest Service Management Response to the General

Accounting Office Report GAO/RCED-99-65. October 13. 

Liljeblad, Sven. 1957. Indian Peoples in Idaho. Idaho State College, Pocatello, Idaho. 

Liljeblad, Sven. 1960. Indians of Idaho: A Condensed History of Peoples who lived here for

more than a Hundred Centuries, Idaho Historical Series 3, Idaho Historical Society, Boise,

Idaho. 

Louter, D. 1995. Craters of the Moon National Monument Historic Context Statements.

National Park Service, Pacific Northwest Region. Seattle, Washington.

Murphy, Robert F. and Yolanda Murphy. 1960. Shoshone-Bannock Subsistence and Society,

University of California Anthropological Records 16(7): 293-338. Berkeley, California. 

Omernik, J. M. 1986. Map-Ecoregions of the United States, Corvallis Environmental Research

Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Pierson, E., M. C. Wackenhut, J. S. Altenbach, P. Bradley, P. Call, et al. 1999. Species conservation assessment strategy for Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii). Idaho

Conservation Effort, Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho. 

Ridenour, J. 1979. Mineral Resources of the Wapi Lava Flow, Addition to the Grassland Kipuka

Instant Wilderness Study Area, Blaine and Power Counties, Idaho. U.S. Bureau of Mines. 

State of Idaho, Department of Agriculture. 2001. Noxious Weed Rules. Section 22-2403, Idaho

Code. IDAPA, Title 06, Chapter 22. 

Steward, J. H. 1938. Basin-Plateau Aborigial Sociopolitical Groups. Bureau of American

Ethnology Bulletin 120. Washington. Reprinted: 1970, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake

City. 

Treaty with the Eastern Band Shoshoni and Bannock 1868, commonly referred to as the Fort

Bridger Treaty (15 Statute 673). 

U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1995. Federal Wildland Fire

Management Policy & Program Review. 1995. Final Report. December 18. 45p. 
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 153

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1980a. Great Rift Proposed

Wilderness, Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1980b. Final Environmental

Impact Statement: Great Rift Wilderness. Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Falls District,

Idaho Falls, Idaho. pp. 83. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1981a. Big Desert management

framework plan. Shoshone, Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1981b. Sun Valley management

framework plan. Idaho Falls, Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1983. Big Lost management

framework plan. Idaho Falls, Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1985. Monument resource management plan. Shoshone, Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1986a. H-8410-1-Visual Resource

Inventory. BLM Handbook.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1986b. H-8431-1-Visual

Resource Contrast Rating. BLM Handbook. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1987. Final Environmental

Impact Statement, Monument Wilderness Study, Shoshone District Office, Shoshone Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1995. H-8550-1-Interim

Management Policy for Lands under Wilderness Review. BLM Handbook. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1997. Final Idaho Standards for

Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management. BLM Idaho State

Office. Boise, Idaho.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 1999. Cave resources management plan. Upper Snake River District, Idaho. 42 pp. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 2001. H-6310-1-Wilderness

Inventory and Study Procedures. BLM Handbook. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 2003. Office of Fire and Aviation

Instruction Memorandum No. 2003-038 Attachment 1. Bureau of Land Management Fire

Management Plan Interim Guidance. Washington D.C. 26 pp 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 2004. Draft Fire, Fuels, and

Related Vegetation Management Direction Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact

Statement. Upper Snake River District. Idaho Falls, Idaho.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 2005. Fire Management Plan for

the Twin Falls District, South Central Idaho Fire Planning Unit. 266 pp.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department

of Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, Federal Emergency

Management Agency, and National Association of State Foresters. 2001. Review and Update

of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. January. 45p. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 1989. Reconnaissance Survey /

Expansion of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. NPS Study Team, Denver

Service Center (DSC), p. 31. 
154 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 1990. Management Alternatives and

Reconnaissance Survey / Expansion of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. NPS

Study Team, Denver Service Center (DSC), 49 pp. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 1992. General Management Plan (GMP),

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. NPS Study Team, Denver Service Center

(DSC), 87pp. June. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 1993. Cave Management Program

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 1996. Craters of the Moon National

Monument Wilderness Management Plan. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 2000a. Craters of the Moon National

Monument Wildland Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment. 86 pp. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 2000b. National Register of Historic

Places Registration Form - Headquarters Area Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Columbia Cascades Support Office, Seattle Washington. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 2001. Management Policies. Washington,

D.C. Available on the Internet at <http://www.nps.gov/refdesk/mp>. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 2003. Interim Final Guidance on

Assessing Impacts and Impairment to Natural Resources. Natural Resource Program. April. 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. 2005.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, Proposed Management Plan /

Final Environmental Impact Statement.

U.S. Department of the Interior. 2000. News Release: "Babbitt Releases Craters of the Moon

Expansion Map," including Consensus Management Points for Craters of the Moon National

Monument Proposed Expansion. May 23. 

U.S. House of Representatives. 1970. Hearings before the Subcommittees on Public Lands and

National Parks and Recreation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of

Representatives, Ninety-first Congress, HR 16821, HR 16822, and SB 1732, Bills to

Designate Certain Lands in Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho as Wilderness.

pp 508-509. June 26. 

Whisenant, S.G. 1990. Changing fire frequencies on Idaho's Snake River Plains: ecological and

management implications. Pages 4-10 in McArthur, E.D., E.M. Romney, S.D. Smith, and P.T.

Tueller, Comps. Proceedings - Symposium on cheatgrass invasion, Shrub die-off, and other

aspects of shrub biology and management. General Technical Report INT-276. U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Ogden, Utah. 
GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 155

The Craters of the Moon National Monument Planning Team

Jim Morris, NPS, Superintendent (Retired 2005)

Rick VanderVoet, BLM, Monument Manager (2001-2005)

Adrienne A. Anderson, NPS, Denver Service Center, Planning Team Captain

Barbara Bassler, BLM, Planner

John Apel, NPS, Integrated Resources Program Manager

Marny Apel, NPS, Planner

David Clark, NPS, Chief of Interpretation (Retired 2003)

Lisa Cresswell, BLM, Archaeologist

Jesse German, BLM, GIS Specialist

Dave Freiberg, BLM, Outdoor Recreation Planner

Julie Hilty, BLM, Botanist/Fire Ecologist

Paul McClain, BLM, Wildlife Biologist

Codie Martin, BLM, Rangeland Management Specialist

Mike Munts, NPS, Wildlife Biologist

Doug Owen, NPS, Geologist/Interpreter

Mike Saras, BLM, GIS Specialist

Ted Stout, NPS, Chief of Interpretation

Mike Wissenbach, NPS, NEPA Coordinator

Paige Wolken, NPS, Vegetation Ecologist

Consultants

Sandi Arena, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Pocatello, Idaho

Terry Gregory, Wildlife Biologist, Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game, Fairfield, Idaho

Terry Heslin, BLM, Idaho State Office, Boise, Outdoor Recreation Planner

Paul Oakes, BLM, Planner, Pocatello Field Office

Mitch Werner, BLM, Writer-Editor, Pocatello Field Office

Mel Kuntz, U.S.Geological Survey, Geologist, Denver, CO

Mike McDonald, Wildlife Manager, Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game, Jerome, Idaho

Rebecca Carter, Socioeconomic Consultant, Sonoran Institute, Tuscon, AZ

Nancy Van Dyke, Senior Consultant, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Lisa Pine, Environmental Planner, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Brenda Miller, Editor, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Andy Richardson, Editor, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Jody Glennon, Staff Assistant, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Susan Pella, Technical Typist, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Aileen Torres, Technical Typist, URS Corporation, Denver, CO

Doug Neighbor, NPS, Superintendent

Holly Hampton, BLM, Monument Manager

Keith Dunbar, NPS, Pacific West Region, Planner

Gary Wyke, BLM, Idaho State Office, Planner

Alan Schmierer, NPS, Pacific West Region, Environmental Compliance Coordinator

LIST OF PREPARERS

GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIST OF PREPARERS, AND INDEX 157

access, 13, 20, 21, 28, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46,

49, 50, 53, 54, 56, 69, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106,

108, 109, 133

ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern), 

air quality, 7, 34, 35, 52, 62, 112

American Indians, 70, 147 

animal unit month (AUM), 45, 143

Arco, 5, 44, 105

Arco-Minidoka road, 109

authorized uses, 109

bicycling, 56, 58

Blaine County, 4, 35, 45

boundary adjustments, 133

Butte County, 4, 35, 49, 122, 151

camping, 56, 57, 58, 59

Carey, 5, 23, 28, 47, 54

carrying capacity, 28

cave(s)cave management, 21, 67, 68, 72, 154

concession/concessioner(s), 46, 58

cumulative impact scenario, 104, 107

endangered species, 30, 69, 109, 143, 148

erosion, 21, 37, 111, 112

ethnographic resources, 99, 144

fire management, 13, 22, 24, 28, 44, 67, 68, 72,

103, 110, 111, 147, 152, 153, 154

floodplains, 28

gateway communities, 13, 46, 47, 54, 103

grazing, 17, 22, 23, 26, 34, 44, 45, 47, 62, 71, 102,

107, 108, 134, 143, 147, 153

Great Rift, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 19, 39, 50, 51, 52, 53,

101, 152, 153

Greater sage-grouse, 6, 7, 23, 26, 29, 30, 33, 34, 56,

62, 145, 147, 151

hiking, 18, 46, 56, 57, 58

hunting, 4, 33, 41, 56, 58,102, 112, 130

interpretation, 13, 18, 38, 53, 54, 58, 59, 61, 68,

155

interim management guidelines, 106

Kimama, 47, 54

Kings Bowl, 4, 19, 46, 47, 55, 57, 67, 69, 152

kipuka(s), 5, 6, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 36, 37,

55, 59, 62, 123, 145, 152

lava, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28,

30, 35, 36, 37, 44, 45, 50, 51,53, 56, 57, 59, 62, 69,

115, 123, 134, 143, 145, 146, 148, 149, 152

Lincoln County, 4

livestock, 7, 17, 22, 23, 26, 29, 33, 34, 44, 45, 56,

57, 102, 104, 107, 112, 123, 143, 145, 147, 153

management zone, 8, 13, 16, 43, 67, 102, 103, 106,

108

Minidoka, 4, 44, 105

Minidoka County, 4

mitigation, 112

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 8, 45.

69, 73, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 143, 146, 155

National Historic Preservation Act(NHPA), 36, 38,

69, 110, 148

National Register of Historic Places, 35, 36, 37,

109, 112, 146, 149, 154 

Native Americans, 36, 39, 41, 144

noxious weeds, 25, 26, 27, 28, 146

noise, 60

off-highway vehicle (OHV), 43, 56

off-road vehicle, 103, 108

off-road travel, 43

outfitters/guides, 54, 56, 57, 58

parking, 15, 46, 47

INDEX
158 CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE

Management Plan

permit(s), 7, 16, 26, 27, 33, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49,

50, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 63, 104, 106, 112, 130, 143,

147, 148

Power County, 4

predator control, 3

proclamation/Proclamation 7373/Presidental

Proclamation, 3, 4, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 44, 47, 49,

51, 67, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 125, 130

Public Law, 17, 34, 69, 101, 106, 124, 130, 131,

146, 148

public scoping/involvement, 70, 73, 101, 109, 110

purpose and need, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 21, 26, 29, 30, 33,

34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 53, 54, 57,

58, 61, 63, 67, 70, 73, 102, 103, 104, 111, 115,

117, 119, 122, 133, 146, 147

rangeland, 7, 22, 34, 45, 63, 147, 151, 153, 155 

Resource Advisory Committee, 70

road and trail classifications, 15, 42, 43, 67

Section 106, 36, 148

Shoshone, 5, 17, 36, 39, 40, 44, 56, 70, 71, 109,

110, 111,151, 152, 153

soils, 21, 22, 23, 107, 111

sustainable, 7, 8, 26, 45, 46, 111, 112

Sun Valley, 55, 71, 153

threatened and endangered species (special status

species), 22, 26, 27, 29, 30, 33, 69, 109, 111, 112,

143, 148

tourism/ecotourism, 58

transportation plan, 42, 43, 49, 50, 67, 109

treaty rights, 39, 40, 56, 152

trail/trails, 5, 16, 18, 33, 37, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 54,

57, 58, 103, 104, 105, 108, 111, 112

valid existing rights, 48, 49, 91, 123, 149

viewshed/viewscape, 7, 59

visitor center, 5, 13, 29, 36, 38, 46, 54, 55, 58, 103,

151

visual resource management, 59, 60, 102

volcanic, 4, 5, 6, 18, 19, 23, 53, 59, 61, 69, 101,

115, 123, 144, 148, 152

water quality, 28, 29, 111

weed management, 13, 25, 26, 27, 44, 103, 104,

145

wetlands, 28, 29, 147

wildlife, 5, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34,

52, 51, 56, 58, 68, 102, 104, 107, 108, 109, 112,

143, 146, 147, 148, 151, 155

wilderness, 6, 7, 27, 34, 43, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58,

59, 62, 67, 68, 71, 72, 104, 105, 108, 110, 113,

131, 134, 148, 149, 152, 153, 154

Wilderness Study Area, 5, 6, 7, 9, 34, 43, 50, 51,

52, 59, 62, 67, 104, 108, 110, 149, 152
As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most

of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our

land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places; and providing for the enjoyment

of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and

works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for American

Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.

NPS D-92 September 2007 / Printed on recycled paper.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve

Idaho

National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Department of the Interior