Kilauea Caldera at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

It was a bit rainy and cold up at the summit, but we all had our chance to see an active volcano. The Halema`uma`u crater within the Kilauea caldera of Mauna Kea had smoke and steam billowing out of it, and as we drove around the park we were able to see steam vents in various areas, where rainwater sinks through the ground to rocks that are heated by the liquid rock beneath, releasing steam into the air.

Since Grandma's ankle was still bothering her, she stuck around in the car while the rest of us walked down underground through Thurston Lava Tube.

Later that evening, Jon, Evan and I drove out to the coast and were able to do a little night hike out on a lava flow where you could see the glow and steam of lava entering into the ocean.   It was amazing how dark it got at night, with the lava flow being completely black and having no light pollution nearby.