Hawai brings to your mind beaches, sun, volcanoes, lava, tourism, travel and more. The dramatic Hana Road, officially named Hana Highway, is a scenic 52-mile stretch of highway on the island of Maui that winds from Pa?ia through lush forests and along the coast to the remote town of Hana. This trip is worthwhile both for the sightseeing along the stunning drive, the things to do along the way, and the visit to the town itself. Attractions along the route include numerous hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic overlooks, and beaches. Hana’s location, relatively cut off from the rest of the island, has allowed it to maintain more of a traditional Hawaiian culture than other towns.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park encompasses 333,308 acres from the summit of Maunaloa to the sea. Discover 150 miles of hiking trails through volcanic craters, scalded deserts and rainforests, as well as a museum, petroglyphs and two active volcanoes: Maunaloa, which last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea which has been erupting since January 3, 1983. Steam vents plume from this massive crater, known as the home of Pele, the volcano goddess. In 2008, this crater was filled with a lake of lava that disappeared earlier this year. Seismic activity caused by the crater walls falling into itself created a much larger crater. In May 2018, the Halema?uma?u’s volume was about 70-78 million cubic yards. It is now about 1.2 billion cubic yards. The crater floor has dropped more than 1,600 ft. Great respect should be paid at this sacred site. Also worth noting is that higher elevation near the crater means that temperatures can drop fairly quickly. If you’re coming from the beach in shorts and t-shirt, be sure to pack some warmer items like a light jacket while you’re here.
Once believed to be an offshoot of its large neighbor, Mauna Loa, scientists now have concluded that Kilauea is actually a separate volcano with its own magma-plumbing system, extending to the surface from more than 60 kilometers (over 37 miles) deep in the earth. Kilauea Volcano, on the south-east side of the Big Island, is one of the most active on earth. Major eruptions started in January 1983 and continue to this day. Kilauea has been erupting nearly continuously since 1983 and has caused considerable property damage, including the destruction of the town of Kalapana in 1990, and the destruction of Vacationland Hawaii more recently. The Lower Puna eruptions which began in May of 2018, opened two dozen lava vents in Puna. The earthquake in May 2018 measured 6.9 on the Richter Scale and caused nearly 2,000 residents to be evacuated from the Leilani Estates subdivision and surrounding area.
Get access to basic information on the islands, from weather to where to stay, for free! Each of the categories has select free sections so you get a sneak peek at what the full package will include. More at Volcano Lava Flow. “The directions are so thorough. You’ll always find the best scenic drives and hole in the wall restaurants that will make your trip unforgettable. The maps lead you straight to where you want to go with exact instructions! My trip wouldn’t have been half as good without this app.”
Mauna Loa is an active volcano and is due for an eruption. Mauna Loa has erupted 15 times since 1900. These eruptions have lasted from a few hours to 145 days. Since 1950 Mauna Loa has erupted only twice, in 1975 and 1984. The 1975 eruption lasted 1 day. The 1984 eruption lasted 3 weeks. Nearly all the eruptions begin at the summit. About half of these migrate down into a rift zone.
