This was exciting – the ONLY place in the US where you can see an active volcano, spewing molten lava and bellowing steam as though an angry underground devil was giving us a stern warning. The barren, desert-like landscape where the lava and steam find their way out is in stark contrast to what I would have expected. Volcanoes National Park is located on what would be presumed to be a lush, beachfront paradise of Hawaii’s Big Island. Seven ecological life zones include seacoast, lowland, mid-elevation woodland, rain forest, upland forest and woodland, sub-alpine and alpine/aeolian are all included within Park boundaries.
Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands migrated to Hawaii over 1,600 years ago. Navigating by the sun and stars, reading the winds, currents, and the flight of seabirds, Polynesians sailed across 2,400 miles of open ocean in great double-hulled canoes. Located over 2,000 miles from the nearest continental land mass, the Hawaiian Archipelago is the most geographically isolated group of islands on Earth.
The Kilauea Volcano, currently in a quite disgruntled state, frequently emits huge clouds of steam from the vent in the caldera (a large, basin-shaped volcanic depression) of the Halema`uma`u Crater, just minutes from the visitors center. Watching the active, slow-moving red lava hit the cool Pacific waters is a treat, though the current lava tubes are located outside of the Park. Getting there is easy, though be prepared to walk over uneven lava rock for about a mile. It’s a good idea to bring water and flashlights if trekking out in the late afternoon.
The current eruption rate of Kilauea volcano is 250,000-650,000 cubic yards/day (200,000-500,000 cubic meters/day)! Fortunately, most of the lava is transported by lava tubes to the ocean, where it fragments, and adds layers of rubble to the undersea world. The power of the volcano is evident as lava has destroyed over 180 homes and added 413 acres of land the Big Island. Quite an amazing place to visit!