Appealing to our Science-Loving Hearts in Arco, Idaho

Arco, Idaho is the town made famous in 1965 for being the first nuclear-powered town, albeit for only a few minutes, and is also near Craters of the Moon National Monument and the EBR-1 Museum and the Arco Science Center. We learned a lot about the history of the area, and enjoyed some moonless nights in Dark Sky Country.

The draw for us was the science, history and nature, especially as a home school/unschooling family. As for the weather, we endured warm days, cool nights, low humidity (sometimes too low), beautiful mountain views, other worldly landscapes–a far cry from the familiarity of Florida.

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

This park was a huge draw for us to come to this area, with its other worldly landscape and Dark Sky area designation. The park is part of the National Park System, so your passes work here. You can stop in the visitors center for some great background information, restrooms, souvenirs, and, if you plan to go into any caves or the lava tubes, you’ll need to get a free permit from the rangers. This is simply to ensure that you are not risking the bat population by wearing or carrying any items that you’ve ever been in bat areas or caves with before.

The loop road takes you to 8 different stops to explore around the route, with paths and signs to guide you. There are pit toilets at a few stops, as well as picnic tables along the route to stop for a bite, but there are no food services available at the park.

We left the RV at the park since we are large and the roads are small. A smaller RV like a van or Class B or small A/C could navigate through and find parking, if it isn’t too busy, but definitely check with the park in advance if you’re unsure, especially if you are towing. You can also camp at their campground, if available, and there were some decent size spots for more than just tent and van campers.

Exploring this unique landscape was other worldly. Reading the stories about early explorers, both indigenous and early American settlers, gave an in depth picture as to exactly how rugged this area truly is, and how large. Seeing signs that compare this historic site to recent volcanic events in Hawaii gave a modern comparison to how this area was formed. Walking along the designated paths so as to not destroy any more of the area, we walked over ancient lava beds, climbed peaks of craters and peered inside some that had snow and ice still at the bottom, even after 90-degree summer days.

The last stop, and most popular, are the lava tubes you can explore through. They advise to bring flashlights and wear closed-toed shoes, and this is where you need your permit for. Parts of the tubes are collapsed, so it is an “at your own risk” unguided exploration, crawling and climbing down walls and over rocks, even coming up through a hole in the ground, if you choose to brave the entire tube–which we did, of course!

A few days later, we took advantage of their 24-hour access and Dark Sky area to make a midnight return trip. While we saw very little animal activity and were competing with clouds, we had some spectacular views of more stars than I could imagine, and the clouds parted enough to catch glimpses of the Milky Way across the sky above the craters. BJ got some amazing shots, in spite of the cloud coverage.

Because this park is out of the way for a lot of travelers, the crowds aren’t too bad, even in the peak of summer. But it is definitely worth the trip over, and there are some great towns along the way.

Check out the NPS site for Craters of the Moon to find out more, plan your trip or book your camping.

EBR-1 Atomic Museum

The unique location of Arco and it’s desert climate, low population and predictable weather made it a great location for nuclear testing facilities. The Navy had been using this area to test and design nuclear submarines (leading to some crazy stories about how they got them to and from the ocean via underground aquifers). But its unique environment made it ideal. So when working on the EBR-1 reactor, it was a perfect place.

The EBR-1 Atomic Museum is completely free! You can take a self-guided tour and read the information, or get a free guided tour from the knowledgeable volunteers on site. We did the guided tour and were captivated by the stories of science, technology, innovation and luck that made this site successful. Our high-schooler got a glimpse of real-world information using the periodic table, uranium, plutonium and radioactivity–and it was cool to be able to push buttons and see everything preserved.

This location is completely safe, with concrete-filled pipes, thick walls and leaded glass as barriers from anything that could be a concern. It was incredible to learn how cost-effective and safe this power truly was, with the only losses of life as a direct result of their human error.

While the reactor only powered the city for a few minutes before the main power company shut it down, it was a huge leap forward in nuclear technology and how it can be used in every day life. The reactor continued to operate for many years

The museum is only 20 minutes out of Arco, has RV parking and picnic tables, and is completely free, with NPS Passport stamps, postcards and stickers also available for free. You can check out the EBR-1 Atomic Museum website for more info to plan your visit and download the app, or visit from home using their virtual tour.

Idaho Science Center

It would be easy to skip this one room building in downtown Arco, other than to stop and gawk at the submarine fin sticking up in the downtown area, but stopping in is truly a treat.

Their hours and contact information vary, but is posted on the door to call and a volunteer can be there to meet you. At our visit, Harvey was the guy to contact and he met us within 15 minutes.

Sitting in the display room, we were surrounded by memorabilia of submariners, news articles, diagrams and scientific displays. Harvey, having served in the Navy and worked at many of the facilities in the laboratory area, dazzled us with hands on tales of experiments, advances and personal stories of how this technology came to be and how it advanced into what it is today.

The Idaho Science Center is owned by the city after being donated to it several years ago, and local volunteers, some with personal connections and some with a love for their hometown, are available to share. It is free, but donations are accepted.

Mountain View RV Park & Restaurant

With so much to see and do in the area, and with beautiful mountain view by day and star-filled skies by night, we wanted to stay in the area. We found Mountain View RV Park & Restaurant in downtown Arco, 20 minutes from the EBR-1 museum and about 30 minutes from the Craters of the Moon Park entrance.

This campground for both RVs and tents has trees, grassy areas, and gravel pull through sites with picnic tables, easy access, easy registration, full hookups, laundry and bathhouse, BBQ restaurant and bar on site. As a plus for us, they had good roads for running in to town since it is close, and there’s a good market nearby, too. Most sites have mountain views, and some spots even have shade. Luna enjoyed their grassy dog park every day, and the outdoor patio area has games to play for adults and kids alike. They also offer ATV rentals, if you want to take advantage of the trails in the area and don’t have your own.

We only planned to stay for 4 nights, but ended up extending a couple more just because it was peaceful and everything we needed. You can call to book or visit their website Mountain View RV Park and Restaurant, Arco, Idaho, and they offer both Military and Good Sam discounts.

With our fill of knowledge and memories, we left the area for our next destination. If Idaho wasn’t on your travel list, it is worth adding. There is much we missed out on with both desert adventures and hikes, but we always leave a place with something to come back for.

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