Reluctant to pull away from great beach-side campsite, but after pancakes and coffee with the neighbors we got on the road north and west. Big spaces moving from mountains to flats to high plains, then suddenly black rock all around sparsely flecked with sagebrush. Weirdest environment to date! We were entering Craters of the Moon National Monument. Winds were so gusty we put off setting camp and went on a tour of attractions instead. Favorite stop was at a series of caves you could explore. We expected the usual overly-managed, too-well-travelled kind of national parks experience, but these felt real. "Wild" caves, as they put it. Managed to wiggle hundreds of feet down into narrowing passages by the light of inadequate flashlights, finding permanent ice floes and weird formations. Great fun. Kids loved "Indian Caves," a series of lava tubes 800+ feet long and 30 feet high that are exposed at intervals where the ceiling has fallen so you don't need your inadequate flashlight. Striking. This park would be an amazing set for some off-planet movie. Made a big impression! Great campsite in volcanic gravel under wild stars!
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