Volcano National Park

We decided to make the 3 hour drive from the Kailua-Kona area to Volcano National Park.  It was a very long ride, which we broke up with a stop at South point for some cliff jumping and Punaluu Beach to see the sea turtles and black sand.

I should have realized that Volcano National Park was not a 3-4 hour excursion, but rather a whole day experience.  That being said, we didn't budget enough time here.  By the time we arrived and found out it was a 7 mile hike over dried black lava (in the hot sun) to see the lava flow, plus the 7 mile hike back, we just didn't have enough time.  Lesson learned for next time!

We did view the crater, Thurston Lava Tube and took the road to the 'end of line' where it meets the sea and the lava covered road.

A few pix.

 My brother and his girlfriend with the smoking crater behind them.

The entrance into the lava tube

The crater

The 'end of the trail'

Lava covered road

Not sure what this is...petrified something, maybe?  My brother's girlfriend snapped this pic.

Hubs entering Thurston Lava Tube

Miles and miles of cold, dried (?) lava