Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

I've enjoyed visiting and hiking in many national parks, but this one is the farthest from my house and is the most different. While Yellowstone is a volcanic caldera  that someday will blow up and kill most of us living in the western US, no worries though, we will all be long gone before that happens, Volcano National Park in Hawaii is the most active volcano on earth. It has glowing red/orange lava bubbling and flowing about. On one night as we drove near the park I remembered that at night the lava in Kilauea volcano can be seen glowing and lurching into the air. We pulled into the park, bought our pass and followed the cars. From the closest viewing area we could see the glow, the smoke and spikes of lava leaping upward, albeit not to high.

But there is more to this park. I arranged for a lava tube tour in advance for $30. This is a tour of a secret tube that was only discovered in 1990 and only 24 people are allowed in per month. It's pristine and unspoiled by man. There is no evidence that even the native Hawaiians came to this place. I've had a love for caves and volcanoes since I was a kid when for the first time I saw the movie "Journey to the Centre of the Earth", staring Pat Boone of course. My favorite movie and book by Jules Verne. My parents took us on a Carlsbad Caverns trip when I was 11 and that solidified my adoration.

The tube tour did not disappoint. Following the rangers along a secret trail, with threats of phone confiscation if we were tracking with GPS, we came to a ladder and desended into a hole in the ground and past a pig skeleton. Inside were stalactites, micro organisms unique to caves and are being used in cancer treatmant research, cave spiders the size of a pin head, and lots of rocks to crawl over. Looking back at the entrance gave an erie perspective. The cool dampness dripped all around as the light from our headlamps reflected off ilmenite, a titanium based mineral. Hawaiians used tubes like this for shelter, storage, water and defense against waring attackers. Oh, by the way, Kim dropped me off and went shopping in Hilo, an activity more to her liking.

We drove down to the coast along the chain of craters road to see the Holei sea arch. The wind never stops blowing here. The low setting sun reflects of the smooth caps on the lava making them look wet.

I also went on two hikes. I'd recommend both of these. The first was a 2.5 mile hike through forest and down onto the Kilauea Iki crater floor. In 1959 this crater erupted into a fiery cauldron of molten rock. Steam still vents out in places. The second was to the top of Mauna Ula. Now this one suprized me. A 2.5 mile round trip to the top of a mountain. At the top was an enormous crater, so deep and so large I hesitated at the edge before looking in, and that's not like me. I usually walk right up to the edge. Maybe it was the 40 MPH winds. Maybe it was the cornice lip edges of crumbling lava. But, it was an exhilarating experience and made me think of what it would look and feel like the walk on Mars! The view was awesome. A bonus on this hike was all the blooming Ohia and Ohelo berries that grow on the lava. The red berries are cousins to the blueberry, but their not as tasty.

On the walk out I left the trail, what little trail there was anyway, and crunched my way down. This stuff just falls apart under your feet and is like walking on burnt toast. Volcano National Park is a 5 star park on my list. I didn't see flowing lava on this trip, but there is always next time.

I have to give kudos to Kim while I hiked around for hours. She waited in the car, reading and coloring in her coloring book for grown ups.Read more