Hiking The Volcanic Crater Hike

Kilauea Volcano

The Kilauea Iki Crater hike

  After a long driving day from Kona to the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii the gang slipped into the hot tub at the Kilauea Lodge.We finished the day with a glowing dinner at the Volcano House. A visit from Heidi's parents all the way from Vermont sparked this getaway for Heidi and I to the Big Island. Us four, along with local legend Dave P., Becky, Leslie, and John set out to experience as much of the volcano national park as we could. It even turned out to be a surprise free National Park weekend because of presidents day! Must be a sign of good things to come.

Active vent

Descent into the crater

  The lodge we were staying at was first class all the way, from the hot tub to the private fireplace in each room. A symphony of bird noise erupted each morning out our window as the endemic honeycreepers called in the new day. Streaks of bright red darted from treetop to treetop through the o'hea tree's. There were so many apapanes that it gave me a new sense of hope for this rare species. The breakfasts here were fantastic as well as the one dinner we ate. Our first night we jetted off into the Volcanoes National Park to eat at the Volcano House, overlooking the glowing Halemaumau Crater.

Kilauea Iki crater

The Millers

We started our adventures by checking out the two museums and the art gallery in the national park, a quick hike through the devastation trail (with nene's!), and also a big hike down the Kilauea Iki trail. The trail descends through a lush rain forest to the floor of the solidified, however still steaming Kīlauea Iki Crater lava lake. Along the way we could peer into the 1959 vent that erupted to a height of 1900 feet located below the Pu‘u Pua‘i cinder cone. It was like a martian landscape. Small ferns and ohea trees have started to colonize the otherwise desolate volcanic crater. And birdsongs could be heard in the dense rainforest all around the crater. The clouds were rolling in and the wind kept temperatures from getting too hot. But we really lucked out with the weather. Everywhere else torrential downpours and gale force winds were ripping thru the islands. We saw the effects of the storm when we got back to Dave's house in Waimea and saw all the downed trees. February has been full of weird weather so far this year.

The gang, ready for anything

Nene's! The Hawaiian state bird

Leslie and Susie taking in the view

After dinner everyone was feeling worn out from the big hike so most turned in early. I grabbed my camera and tripod and drove the several miles back to the crater rim to try and capture the glowing crater at night. My dedication was rewarded with one of the best night sky displays I've seen in a long time, and the milky way leading right down into the smoking lava lake. It was a pretty mesmerizing site, and one that I will remember for a long, long time.

Light show at the Halemaumau Vent