Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii (Big Island) contains two of earth’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
Five volcanoes on the island
Only one of the five volcanoes on the Big Island, Kohala, is considered extinct. Mauna Kea last erupted 3,600 years ago.
The last time Hualalai erupted was in 1801. Mauna Loa’s last erupted in 1984.
Kilauea began erupting in 1983 and is still erupting!
Kilauea began erupting in 1983 and lava still flows from this volcano daily — enough to cover a two-lane road for twenty miles! It has destroyed 181 homes, a visitor center, a community center, a church, and a drive-in since 1983.
No one knows when Kilauea will stop erupting, but some geologists estimate it may continue for another hundred years!
Ranger Programs
Several ranger-led talks and hikes educate tourists about the Hawaiian culture and volcanoes.
Hike the trails to explore the fascinating island with an actively-erupting volcano. The park has a rain forest and a desert formed by volcanic ash.
Wildlife
The largest dragonfly in the United States can be found at the park. Carnivorous caterpillars and crickets that like new lava flows live here. Guest of the park may find endangered sea turtles.
The Hawaiian Goose, the state bird, is the world’s rarest species because it only lives in Hawaii.
-Sandra Merville Hart
Sources:
“Hawai’i Volcanoes,” National Park Service, 2016/01/07 http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm.
McHugh, Erin. National Parks: A Kid’s Guide to America’s Parks, Monuments, and Landmarks, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 2012.
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