Take a hike in Hawaii’s lava-laden Big Island

WORDS SOPHIA V. SCHWEITZER

The Big island’s Kilauea
Volcano, with Puu Oo
Vent
erupting at twilight
Photo: Photolibrary/Carini Joe

On my last visit to the barren crust of a landscape that is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a bright pink-vermilion blossom had sprouted through the brittle black lava. Amid wisps of sulfuric steam, this fragile new life had taken root, trusting that Hawaii’s honeycreeper birds would spread its seeds, proof of nature’s invincibility. It brought home to me again how many treasures there are here, apart from the famous red-hot lava. A World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Preserve, the park’s biodiversity is awesome – its rainforests and deserts host wolf spiders resembling lava cracks, rugged ohelo berry shrubs, the rare, yellow-feathered amakihi and a thousand more wonders.

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park
on the Big
Island
Photo: Shutterstock/
Bryan Busovicki

Kilauea is Hawaii’s youngest and most active volcano; one vent on its East Rift Zone, Puu Oo, has been erupting continuously since 1983. The magma surging upward from deep within the earth obliterates everything in its wake, but also creates new land – this is how the islands were formed, starting some 70 million years ago. On wings, wind and waves, species began to arrive and adapt to the hundreds of microclimates in this subtropical land, which lies 3,200km away from the nearest continental mass, the US. Today, more than 90% of Hawaii’s flora and fauna can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, many of these natives, outdone by invasive introduced species, are now endangered or have already disappeared.

There are signs of
nature’s

tenacity and fragility too
Photo: Sophia V Schweitzer

About 240km of trails criss-cross Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, ranging from easy loops to strenuous overnighters. You can hike them solo if you want – just make sure you stop by the visitor centre and ask for instructions before setting out. This is, after all, a wilderness wilder than most other places on earth, and the forces of destruction and creation are still hard at work. Check the visitor centre’s bulletin boards as well – at 9am each day the rangers on duty pin up the day’s programme, which sometimes includes a complimentary guided hike. If you really want to learn about Hawaii, though, consider enlisting the help of an expert interpretive guide. Here are a few of the best.

Hawaii Forest and Trails’ Kilauea Volcano Adventure, tel: +1 (808) 331 8505, www.hawaii-forest.com. A full-day tour is US$155 (AU$195) for adults and US$120 (AU$155) for children plus tax, and includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks. This is a complete 12-hour adventure, but don’t worry, you’re not hiking all that time! Apart from a few easy 0.5km to 1.5km hikes, the tour is done in comfortable vans, and takes you through amazing lava flows, ranchland, rainforest and the rare subalpine dry forests between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, where entry is prohibited for rental cars.

“Our destination is the park,” says Hawaii Forest and Trails founder and owner Rob Pacheco, “but the story is about the whole island, the natural processes that have created it, the life that is here.” He adds, “We just obtained a Stewardship Plot at the Park. For five to 10 minutes, we pull up invasive ginger in a special rainforest zone. It’s cool. You really get to look at the plants.”

Pacheco’s guides take care to find out what you can do before setting out on the trail and customise each adventure to the circumstances of the day; they’re passionate about allowing you to connect with the park.

Tourists watch lava flow
into
the ocean
Photo: Photolibrary/Bob
Abraham

Hawaiian Walkways, tel: +1 (808) 775 0372, www.hawaiianwalkways.com. Hawaiian Walkways was one of the first hiking companies in the islands when it started in 1984, and remains true to its name. A tour from 10am to 4.30pm, with a moderate hike of between
6.5 and 9.6km, is US$135 (AU$174) for adults, US$95 (AU$122) for children aged eight and above, and includes lunch and drinks. Or if you’re feeling up to it, try a six-hour hike through seemingly barren craters and colourful, fertile rainforests, past steam vents, and towards the shimmering Kalapana coast. As with the Hawaii Forest and Trails tours, there’s much more to the adventure than just walking.

“We show what a unique place Hawaii is within a framework of science,” says founder and owner Hugh Montgomery. “You gain an appreciation of Hawaii.” Montgomery’s volcano guides are certified and have taken a full semester of geology classes at the University of Hawaii, at Hilo.

Both Pacheco and Montgomery share a commitment to providing an educational, inspiring park exploration – a vital part of preserving the island’s natural diversity. Whenever the hot lava erupting from Puu Oo can be reached safely, they’ll take you there, for sure, but it’s a trade-off –you might miss out on seeing other, equally fascinating stuff!

Doug Arnott leads one
of his
lava tours

Arnott’s Lodge and Hiking Adventures by contrast, goes for the lava at all times, tel: +1 (808) 969 7097, www..arnottslodge.com. A Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Lava Hike starting at 9am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, is US$85 (AU$109) per person aged 10 or above, or US$65 (AU$84) for Arnott’s Lodge guests. The Lodge is located 47km from the park and provides accommodation ranging from US$10 (AU$13) for tents to US$130 (AU$168) for two-bedroom suites.

“They call me a lava junkie,” says owner Doug Arnott. “We find the hot-red lava. That’s what we do.” Arnott is a dinky-di Australian – a direct descendent of William Arnott of biscuit empire fame – and likes to keep up an Australian pace on the tours.

A lava skylight in Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii, Big Island
Photo: Shutterstock/Amy
Nichole Harris“This is dangerous,” he says. “You risk your life if you try to go by yourself, especially since often the only way to find the lava is by night.

It takes daring to try to walk up to something that is 1,110°C.” His expeditions to Kalapana in the Puna district, just a hair inside the National Park boundary, take about four hours but may be longer, depending on how far away the lava flows are.

Take heed of the signs and
notices before heading out,
this is wild, growing terrain
Photo: Shutterstock/Keith
LevitIf you too are fascinated by hot lava oozing everywhere, accommodation right near the volcano, in Volcano Village, is one of the most thrilling options – and the village itself is surprisingly cool and leafy.

“After 15 years here, I still welcome the quiet, green, crisp air of the forest,” says Michael Tuttle, who owns Hale Ohia Cottages in the village (tel: +1 (808) 967 7986, www..haleohia.com). Dozens of bed and breakfasts like Tuttle’s lie tucked away amid tall tree ferns here. Arnott’s
Kilauea Volcano
fountaining 213
metres of red lava
into the night sky
Photo: Photolibrary/
French PeterLodge is fun, casual, Australian-style accommodation down in waterfront Hilo, where tenters mingle with deluxe-room dwellers and chat throughout the night. It’s a social and friendly place, and a short walk away from a little coral beach.

Regardless of where you stay or which tour or route you choose, do lace up your hiking shoes and venture out.
On my most recent hike, I found a trail with no purpose, no crater, no drama, just dappled green shade, golden sun, utter silence – and that’s a fantastic volcano exploration too.

For all your travel choices, go to Jetstar.com

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Doug Arnott

Tel: +1 (808) 985 6000, www.nps.gov/havo The park is open 24 hours, seven days a week, and the visitor centre is open 7.45am to 5pm daily.

Free camping is available within the park. Volcano House, across from the visitor centre, runs a hotel, restaurant, snack bar and gift shop. Entry to the park is US$10 (AU$13) per vehicle or $5 (AU$6.50) per person for seven days.