If I had to recommend one thing to do on Big Island, Hawaii, it would be to go to Volcanoes National Park. We spent a full day driving around the park, which gave us plenty of time to explore. If you are driving on your own, I highly recommend the GyPSy app. We used it on this trip (as well as a few others), and it let us set our own pace while still feeling like we had a tour guide.
Without further ado, here are some photos to inspire you to visit Volcanoes National Park.
Pictured above are the Sulphur Banks. Enjoy a stroll along on the boarded walkway as sulphurous gas steams out of the ground.
While this doesn’t look a photo of a Volcano, it shows you just how beautiful and varied the landscape of the park is.
A short hike from the road, you can see the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs. Notice the black streaks on the hills in the background? That shows the regions where the lava flowed into the ocean.
Even a quick look can show how different the lava flows are. Cooled lava generally forms two types of rocks: ‘A’a and Pahoehoe. ‘A’a (pronounced ah-ah, the sound you make while walking on it!) are sharp, spiny rocks, formed by rapid cooling. Pahoehoe which are formed by slower flows, are smoother and ropy looking.
These are some of my favourite photos from Volcanoes National Park. The landscape is absolutely beautiful, especially when bathed in the glow of the setting Sun.
The beautiful Holei Sea Arch. Around this area is some of the most newly formed land on the island.
Once the sun sets, the magic really begins. Here is the glow of the lava seen from the Halema‘uma‘u crater.
Before you visit, make sure you head to the National Parks Website to check the status of the latest lava flows. The landscape of the park is constantly changing, so talk to the rangers there for the most up to date information, and always follow any posted warnings and signs!!!
Visiting the Hawaiian Islands? Check out my must see stops in Oahu here!
Pin this post for later:
Leave a Reply