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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Trails I’ve Hiked: Kīlauea Iki Trail

Imagine a lake of bright yellow-orange lava with a molten fountain gushing 1,900 feet (580m) in the air. Now imagine walking across a smoothed solid rock surface where that lava lake once churned, guided by ahu (rock cairns) past a tall cinder cone as you aim toward the other side. That’s the experience of the Kīlauea Iki Trail in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Eruption Viewing In Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

The sky glowed fierce shades of orange and red that night in February when I stood at the Kīlauea Overlook and watched one of the world’s most active volcanoes do its thing. I was grateful to have evaded the crowds that gather here in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at sunset but also secretly unnerved to be alone in unfamiliar territory just before midnight.

Culture And Controversy At Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park

In the shade of the Royal Ground’s open-air Canoe House, with only the chatter of the Common Myna disturbing the peace, Aunty Keikialiʻi San Filippo sits weaving coconut fronds into baskets and fielding compliments and questions from people from around the world. It's a skill that “Aunty Keiki” developed more than 40 years ago and she has been weaving for Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park since the late 1970s.

Ancient Temples And Migrating Whales At Pu'ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

Much is left up to the imagination when you watch koholā (humpback whales) from shore on Hawaiʻi Island. You will see plenty of blows in the distance, as well as tail and pectoral flipper slaps. You may luck into spyhopping or a dramatic breach — but you need binoculars or a spotting scope to really see what’s going on. Mostly, you have to be patient and fill in the visual blanks.

Volunteering To Cut Invasive Ginger In Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

In retrospect, three hours doesn’t seem like a particularly impressive amount of time to volunteer to help Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and the 'āina (land). But as I tackled invasive Himalayan ginger with a lobber one February morning while other visitors made a beeline to the current eruption at Kīlauea volcano or hiked to lava tubes, the repetitive manual labor quickly became addictive and I was sorry when Paul Field insisted it was time to stop.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.