Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

* This name is listed on the World Heritage List. ª The region is classified by UNESCO.

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an approximately 1309 square kilometers Biosphere Reserve in the southeast of Hawaii, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The area includes extensive lava fields next to the active volcano Kīlauea. The visitor center of the National Park represents a main tourist attraction of the island

Location

Hawaii is located in the same state in the U.S. in the Pacific. The lava fields of the National Park range from the Pacific coast to the 4,169 -meter-high Mauna Loa. They differ greatly in terms of their age and hence the succession stages of their ecosystems.

History

The park was established on 1 August 1916 as Hawaii National Park. Today he is more than twice as large, although in 1961 the Haleakala National Park was separated on the island of Maui as an independent unit. In 1987 he was declared a World Heritage Site.

With the Hawaiian National Park Language Correction Act of 2000, the spelling of the name was changed by the Senate of the United States in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Crater Rim Drive

Along the Crater Rim Drive is a large number of short trails that allow you to get even with only a one-day visit a good impression of the park:

A 0.5 km long trail from Crater Rim Drive to the Thurston Lava Tube. Such lava tubes arise from the fact that the outer areas of a lava flow to cool faster. The result is that a crust forms over time the edges of the flow. Sometimes the lava covered the crust completely. Then flows underground and can also cover longer distances as they are not cooled so quickly. Then go back at some point the volcanic activity, there remains a lava tube. Approx. 300 meters of the Thurston Lava Tube are walkable and accessible for tourists.

The Kīlauea Iki Crater is located on the edge of the caldera of Kīlauea. A walk along the Kīlauea Iki Trail (3.9 km, about 2 hours, on cooler days ) leads down to the surface of the cooled lava, which is created by the eruption in 1959. He also runs past the site, from where then leaked a up to 600 meters high lava fountain. The effects of activity from 1959 you can also visit along the 0.8 km long Devastation Trail.

At the other end of the Crater Rim Drive to get to the Jaggar Museum near the edge of Halemaumau Crater. In 1924, here also a violent explosive eruption, which was caused by the fact that groundwater was encountered an underground lava flow occurred. In March 2008, again an explosive eruption, which blew a 30 m large hole in the side wall of the crater occurred. From this opening since then enters like a cloud of smoke from sulfur dioxide and volcanic rock in the form of ash from subsequent explosions doubled the size of the opening. As a result of this change of Crater Rim Drive was closed between Jaggar Museum and the Chain of Craters Road, as this part of the road runs right through the area over which pulls the toxic cloud of smoke. The former observation deck at Halemaumau was heavily damaged by flying debris from the explosion, the new opening is located directly beneath the platform. The road was rebuilt away from the crater, the section on the crater itself is reopened for pedestrians since 2012.

Chain of Craters Road

The road runs along a large number of craters and other remnants of volcanic activity down to the coast. It is worthwhile to stop at Mauna Ulu - parking and a short excursion ( 1.6 km each way ) to Puu Huluhulu. From there, you have the opportunity to see the currently active Puu Oo crater.

The end of the road is also the starting point for walks to active lava flows. In any case, you should inform yourself before the visitor center on the current situation and any necessary safety precautions.