First stop, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
When we landed in Kona November 3, we learned that Episode 56 of Kīlauea’s lava fountaining was forecast to occur between November 2 & 7. GREAT, given that our first order of business was to drive over Saddle Road to Hawai’i Volcanoes NP, for 2 nights at Volcano House.
We arrived at Volcano House just after sunset and when we got to our room overlooking the crater, we could see the lava flowing! SO COOL! Episode 56 Event actually occurred November 5, 12:10 p.m. to 6:01 p.m.. It sent lava fountains up to 660′ high, an 18,000′ plume, and erupted about 8 million cubic yards of lava. We left Hawai’i Volcanoes (spending our last hour at the overlook) at noon, missing it by just 10 minutes! Oh Well.
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea Lava Flow from room upon arrival 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea Lava Flow from room arrival night 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea Lava Flow from room arrival night 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea from west end of Crater Rim Drive 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea Lava Flow from dining room at dinner 2nd night at sunset 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-View of Kilauea from west end of Crater Rim Drive, 20 minutes before Eruption
All about the Re-Visit to 1 National Park Site:
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park (#8-Revisit) protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,680 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes – Kilauea and Mauna Loa – and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We stayed at Volcanoes House 2 nights, enjoying the views of the Kilauea Episode 56 and spending our full day driving the Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road, stopping at about every overlook, taking a few short walks. There was intermittent rain all afternoon, so we saw some beautiful rainbows. Early the 2nd morning, we hiked through the Thurston Lava Tube and on Devastation Trail, before breakfast and before they got crowded. After breakfast, we revisited the west end of Crater Rim Drive to watch Kilauea churning & spewing the most we’d seen since arriving.
We stopped watching Kilauea at noon (missing the eruption by 10 minutes), to drive around the southern coast of Hawai’i to Kailua-Kona, with time to visit the Kahuku Unit of the Hawai’i Volcanoes NP enroute. There we hiked the Pu’u o Lokuana Trail.
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Viewing Kilauea from west end of Crater Rim Drive, day before Eruption 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-approaching the end of Chain of Craters Road 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Coastal View from the end of Chain of Craters Road 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Rainbow on Chain of Craters Road near Hole’i Pali 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Pauahi Crater on Chain of Craters Road 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Mark about to enter Lava Tube 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-hiking through Lava Tube 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Nene, , also known as the Hawaiian goose, the official state bird of Hawaiʻi, in “classic” heart-shaped stance 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Viewing Kilauea Iki Crater from Devastation Trail 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Viewing Kilauea Iki Crater from the other side, on Crater Rim Drive 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Kilauea from west end of Crater Rim Drive, ~30 minutes before Eruption 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Kahuku Unit, on Pu’u o Lokuana Trail 
Hawai’i Volcanoes NP-Kahuku Unit, approaching Pu’u o Lokuana Cinder Cone on Pu’u o Lokuana Trail
Home for the Holidays!
Got back late on Tuesday. We were so busy on the Big Island (and upon our arrival home), that we got behind on getting a post out. Now making it 2…the last Hawai’i one, Big Island, Kona, will get posted soon.
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