Big Island HoloHolo Day 2

We woke up to our last day on the Big Island with not enough sleep under our eye bags.

SCP Hilo Hotel

Never try to manually rotate the ceiling fan unless you are prepared for the backlash. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Kilauea Iki Trail

We drove back to the Volcano National Park to hike through a crater that last erupted in 1959, the year of Statehood.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Going through the ancient rain forest. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Scenic spots along the trail provided views of the contrasting crater floor below us. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

We kept left at several junctions to stay on trail.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Descended over 400′ from the rim down to the crater floor. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Following the ahu (stacked rocks) to stay on trail. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Kilauea Iki Trail

No active steam vents were observed when walking on the cracked and texturized surface of the crater floor. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Approaching Pu’u Puai (gushing hill), a cinder cone formed during the 1959 eruption. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Merging with the stream of hikers on the trail. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Aida and Tessa framed by the branches of an ohia lehua tree, which are the first plants to grow out of cooled lava flows. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Reaching the end of the crater floor as the trail started to go back up to the crater rim. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Tessa looking back at the crater floor that was once an active lava lake. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Ohelo bushes help to colonize the volcanic landscape with its mass of fine roots that help to capture water in the ground. Tart when eaten raw and a favorite snack for the Hawaiian nene goose.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Somebody thought that Aida needed a drink of water. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Quan seeking relief from the weathering sun.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Climbing the switch backs to the crater rim.

Kilauea Iki Trail

The ladies met up with two fellow hikers from Oahu on the trail, Andres and Miki. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Popping up at the Thurston Lava Tube parking lot.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Making our way back to the Kilauea Iki overlook, but first the ladies had to sit down.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Looking out to little Kilauea, the pit crater that we had just walked across.

Kilauea Iki Trail

Crawling out of a crack. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

All pau

Making our way back to the Jeep.

Highway Lava Tube

We drove down Highway 11 and eventually parked on a gravel spot to begin our last and short hike. Spray painted white lines pointed us in the right direction.

Highway Lava Tube

The first lava cave branched off to the left of the trail.

Highway Lava Tube

Descending down into the natural conduit formed from receding lava. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Highway Lava Tube

Aida and Tessa decided to stay topside.

Highway Lava Tube

Heading into the drained tube with hanging lava icicles and walls shaped and textured by the molten lava that once flowed through this conduit.

Highway Lava Tube

We continued until the ceiling became lower and turned around. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Highway Lava Tube

Climbing our way back to the light over the rubble strewn path. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

All pau

I inhaled the directions back to the Jeep. Time was running out so we drove back to the airport and flew back home and ended another fun weekend. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers.

Tagged as: kilauea iki trail, lava tube, puu puai, thurston lava tube, volcano national park