Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Alanui Kahiko

by Donald B. MacGowan

The Mauna Ulu Lava Flows at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donnie MacGowan

There are many wondrous, enigmatic and fascinating attractions on the Big Island of Hawaii, some better known than others, many out of the way and generally off the beaten track.  Tour Guide Hawaii has produced an encyclopedic collection of the most up-to-date information, presented as short GPS-cued videos, in an app downloadable to iPhone and iPod Touch that covers the entire Big Island, highlighting the popular and the uncrowded, the famous and the secluded, the adventurous and the relaxing.

Alanui Kahiko: Lava Buried Highway and Twisted Pahoehoe

Remnant of Highway 130 buried in the 1972 Mauna Ulu lava flows at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

For several hundred feet above and below Alanui Kahiko can be seen remnants of the old Chain of Craters Road, buried in the 1972 Mana Ulu eruptions. In fact, Alanui Kahiko means, literally “old road”. As much as 12 miles of the old road was buried up to 300 feet deep

Invasive species such as sword ferns are quick to colonize the recent flows at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

Here also can be seen amazing pahoehoe flow formations, twisted like taffy or pretzels and frozen into bizarre lobes and loops upon cooling.

Afternoon sunlight makes the small kipuka at Alanui Kahiko glow, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Below Alanui Kahakai is the Holei Pali Turnout, at about the 15-mile marker. This is a good place to stop and look back up the Holei Pali to see the exciting carnage left by the numerous lava flows over the cliff. The Holei Pali lights-up amazingly in the evening sunset, and if you are driving down to see the lava by night, this turnout is a good bet for momentous photographs near sunset time.

Funky flow patterns between a'a and pahoehoe at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

This site can been as a part of a fabulous scenic drive through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, here or a combination tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Puna, here.

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here.

Twisted Pahoehoe at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

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All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

A Kipuka, a remnant of the Naulu Forest, remains inside the 1972 flows from Mauna Ulu at Alanui Kahiko, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan