Aimee's healthy living

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

30 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment

by aimeeshealthyliving in hawaii travel Tags: hawaii volcanoes national park, kilauea, volcano village

Kilauea

One of the most fascinating sites on the Big Island, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is not to be missed. 

Rim of the crater

From Crater Rim drive, you can hike along trails to see steam vents and ominous crater lookouts. 

exotic flowers enveloped in sulphuric gases

 The volcano is widely believed to be ruled by the island’s notorious goddess Pele. 

Is Madame Pele happy or sad?

The park boasts three active volcanoes and a geological history dating back at least 70 million years. 

hiking along the crater

The current eruption along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone started in January of 1983, making it the world’s longest in recorded history. 

kilauea

Kilauea is a shield volcano, meaning it doesn’t have the explosive gases of the more dangerous strato volcanoes along the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire (Mount St. Helens and Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines). 

hiking the trails

A sunny day at 4,000 ft. inhaling some amount of sulphuric gas, I have to admit my hiking buddy, Sammy and I didn’t last long! 

the dancer

We would rather dance! 

back to the car for pastries from the southernmost bakery in the u.s.

Too bad we didn’t get any photos of the pastries! 

exotique!

You can see the volcano by foot, bicycle, tour bus and helicopter depending upon your budget.  Be sure sure to check the recorded weather forecast (808-961-5582) before heading out to the park. The elements here are fickle-sunny, chilly, rainy, foggy and voggy (volcano fog) on any given day and Pele is unpredictable (typically benevolent but wishy-washy nonetheless!)