Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Hi’iaka Crater and the Lava Flow of 1973

by Donald B. MacGowan

1973 Lava Flow, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donald B 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.

Hi’iaka Crater and Lava Flow of 1973

Hi'iaka Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

Hi’iaka Crater is a smallish collapse feature that formed in 1968 and was further modified in 1973 by lava that flowed from both nearby vents and a vent that opened within the lower south wall of the crater.

Although the crater itself is uninteresting, it is worth bush-whacking your way down the flow into the crater for a look at the inner workings of a small collapse crater–also, there is fabulous bird-watching here in the very early morning and late afternoon. Many other fascinating features may be seen by wandering around the edge of Hi’iaka and the lava flow, such as tree molds formed where pahoehoe lava backed-up behind trees and formed compression ribbons like poured taffy.

The 1973 Lava Flow, Hi'iaka Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

By walking about 300 feet southwest from the turnout, one can find the large Koa’e Fault scarp, where it acted as a dam to flows coming out of Hi’iaka Crater in 1973.

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All media copyright 2010 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

Tree mold at Hi'iaka Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan