A strange landscape, the area is considered so lunar-like American astronauts have actually been trained at this site. You can figure out where the Great Rift lies, by the chain of cinder cones. The highest cinder cone is Big Cinder Butte which stands more than 700 feet above the surrounding plain. Plants and animals have adapted in unique ways to deal with this environment. A sagebrush sitting unprepossessingly on a lump of lava, might have a tap root going 20 feet down to get at water.
Marmots hibernate both summer and winter.
In places, molten lava flows encased standing trees and then hardened, and eventually the wood rotted, resulting in vertical tree molds. Facilities Visitor Information Center. Displays, video, conducted walks, evening programs, and publications for sale, water and comfort station. Walking trails include disabled access. Campground is available.