After a delicious açai bowl for breakfast at our yurt we set out for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
After a quick trip to the visitor center to get an eruption update (oooOOOOooooh) we explored the lava tube.
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| note the crossed out former name on the sign; official name has returned to Nāhuku |
Next we headed out along Chain of Craters road. Now, I love geology more than most people, I think, but all I really wanted to look at was weird lava flows. So after a few pullouts where to see evidence of past eruptions, we then only stopped for extra amazing spots like the Kealakomo Overlook, with a view of a flow that goes all the way to the sea:
Or this spot where lava went over the road:
Some of the lava had iridescent glass spots:
and some had a really cool "glug glug" sort of pattern:
Our favorite stop was at the Pu'uloa Petroglyphs. We parked and walked out to the boardwalk look to see the petroglyphs. I'd never seen so many in one spot before.
Finally we drove to the very end where lava poured into the sea. And Wil took the requisite silly picture.
Back up at the crater rim, we parked and walked over to an "eruption viewing" point.
Everyone wants to see a big fountain of lava, but -- spoiler alert -- we wouldn't see that. But it was cool to see any activity at all.
In the afternoon we headed to our home for the next two nights: Nāmakanipaio Campground and Cabins.
I would have loved to stay in the lodge, but staying in a camping cabin SUPPLIED WITH SHEETS AND TOWELS seemed perfect. The campground is operated by the Volcano House lodge, and you can book the cabins (and tent campsites) from them.
We had stopped at a farmer's market in Volcano where we bought an avocado nearly the size of our head. That, plus some bread and tofu poke made for a great picnic.
Later we walked to the crater rim from the campground -- not super well marked, but obvious in daylight (and we had our headlamps to get back).
We followed the rim trail around for another view of the eruption site, and as it got darker we could see the "orange glow" -- which was still very cool.
As a bonus, we found our way back to the campground in the dark and had a great night's sleep.
Next up: Kilauea Iki Trail!
Travel Tuesday is a project to move memories and photos from my notebook and phone onto this blog.
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