Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA May 2, 2024

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA

Buckle up, Earthlings, as you venture into an extraterrestrial realm right here on our planet! Surrounded by the rugged landscape of Idaho, the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve was born of the volcanic forces that shaped the region thousands of years ago. Visitors are greeted by a surreal vista of vast lava fields, cinder cones and spatter cones, reminiscent of a lunar surface, spread across almost 218 square kilometres. Did you know that the Apollo 14 astronauts trained here to prepare for their moon missions? The space travellers were able gain insight into similar conditions found on the moon by exploring the unique volcanic geology of the Craters of the Moon. So, if you ever want to visit outer space without leaving Earth, Craters of the Moon should be right up your alley.

© Alan Majchrowicz/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Bright blue lakes and rugged mountains
The festival of breaking the fast
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
May 2, 2026Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 29, 2024Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
May 14, 2026Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy
Jun 2, 2025Telangana Day
Aug 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
An apex predator
Nov 5, 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain
May 7, 2025Rabindra Jayanti
Dec 19, 2025Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Jan 29, 2026Milwaukee City Hall, Wisconsin, United States
Jan 23, 2024Maldives
A grand view
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Southern tip of a northern isle
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
A splash of colour
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park, United States
May 26, 2025Agrasen Ki Baoli, Connaught Place, New Delhi
Dec 14, 2024Northern hawk-owl, Canada
Dec 11, 2024International Mountain Day
Festival fever
Honouring the valiant heroes
Jun 28, 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary
Jun 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Butterfly, fly away
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Jun 29, 2025International Day of the Tropics
Himalaya mountain range
Sep 25, 2024Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA