“Alabama River navigation lock and dam; Black Belt prairie; historic antebellum Camden; flat Delta-meets-prairie landscape; civil rights country”
About This Location
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve near Arco, Idaho is an otherworldly volcanic landscape where Apollo astronauts trained before going to the moon—massive lava fields, cinder cones, spatter cones, and accessible lava tubes stretching across the Snake River Plain in one of the most visually alien landscapes in North America. The dramatic volcanic terrain—black basalt lava flows, cinder gardens, and cave systems—creates authentic extraterrestrial, post-apocalyptic, and prehistoric visual environments for science fiction, documentary, and adventure productions. Exterior-only filming available with NPS authorization; fragile volcanic formations require strict protection protocols. The remote Idaho location provides complete visual isolation from modern infrastructure. Perfect for sci-fi, alien planet sequences, geological documentary, and any production requiring genuinely otherworldly natural terrain. A premier Idaho film location. Filming permits available through Craters of the Moon NM Superintendent. NPS Special Use Permit required; no vehicles off paved roads.
Permit Information
Permit Required
Type
Mobile District - William Dannelly Reservoir
Fee
Mobile District manages. Camden is a historic Alabama River Black Belt town with antebellum architecture. Alabama Black Belt civil rights history. Selma 50 miles east.
Contact
(334) 682-4244
Contact Permit Office
📞 SAM-WilliamDannelly@usace.army.mil✉️ https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Locations/William-Dannelly-Reservoir/Save this to your scout list
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