Hawaii Vacation- Day 3- Volcanoes

Today was the drive to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The drive was 96 miles each way and I didn't think I would ever get there!

The park was really impressive. The steam was issuing from Kilauea Caldera, so part of the rim road was closed. Still could see a lot of the Caldera.

I went through the Thurston Lava Tube. It was a bit of a disappointment since the floor was smoothed and lights installed. Not at all like the Ape Caves in Washington State. And it was filled with tourists! The buses bring in sixty at a time.

I drove on the Chain of Craters Road to the shoreline. This road winds through many smaller craters and some of the newer lava flows from the seventies. The road ends where it was covered by a lava flow in 1987.

I returned to Kilauea Iki Crater. I decided to hike a four mile loop that would take me down 400feet to the floor of the crater, across the floor of the crater, back up to the rim and to the car. It was a great hike. After getting through the rough "aa" lava along the edge of the crater, the floor was smooth and hard. There was some steam still issue from small vents in the floor.

Many more pictures on my Facebook page.

Tomorrow I plan to return to Mauna Kea for a guided tour of the observatories. I also am planning on driving up Mauna Loa also.

Breakfast with fresh air and a view.

The southern coast of Hawaii.

Steam vent in Kilauea Caldera.

Kilauea Iki Crater. I hiked the route across the bottom.

The end of the road!

I guess the road is closed!

Holei Sea Arch.

Hiking across the floor of Kilauea Iki Crater.