Thurston Lava Tube - Traveling the Big Island, Hawaii - Day 2-4/6

       On January 1, my husband and I went to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. After visiting Kilauea Visitor Center, we headed toward Thurston Lava Tube. We drove on the roads in a lush rain forest.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

          Despite New Year's Day, it was a little busy at parking lot, but we were able to find a parking space quick luckily. :) We hiked through this tropical rain forest with beautiful lush vegetation. Sounds of the beautiful wild birds made me very happy. 

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

         This mossy plant resembled an elephant!

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

        We arrived at the entrance to the lava tube.


Thurston Lava Tube

        According to Wikipedia, a lava tube is a natural conduit formed by flowing lava which moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. Tubes can be actively draining lava from a volcano during an eruption, or can be extinct, meaning the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long, cave-like channel. I couldn't believe that we were hiking through the impressive lava tube where lava once flowed!

Thurston Lava Tube

 
        The inside of the lava tube was cool and wet. It was well-lit but still a little dark as you can see my photos. We brought some flashlights here just in case but didn't need to use them.

Thurston Lava Tube



Thurston Lava Tube

        After exiting from the lava tube, we enjoyed hiking through the rain forest again. These plants looked like hugging. :)

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

       On our way back to the parking lot, we specially saw a lot of giant fiddlehead ferns in the rain forest.

Rain Forest Around Thurston Lava Tube

      Thurston Lava Tube at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park was worth a stop. Then, we headed toward Steam Vents.

     I uploaded my YouTube video, Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
99-165 Crater Rim Dr
Hawaii National Park, HI 96785



       My entries related to our traveling on the Big Island can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Hawaii%20%28the%20Big%20Island%29





      Today's Vocabularies
lush : 【lʌ́ʃ】 : adjective : 〔植物が〕繁茂した、青々とした
vegetation : 【vèdʒitéiʃən】 : noun : 植物、草木
mossy : 【mˈɔːsi】: コケで覆われた