Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Waldron Ledge Hike

by Donald B. MacGowan

The Halema'uma'u eruption from Waldron Ledge Overlook, 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.

Waldron Ledge Overlook Hike

Frank Burgess along the way to Waldron Ledge Overlook, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

A short, 20 minute-or-so hike on a section of Crater Rim Drive abandoned after an earthquake made the crater edge unstable. Strolling through lush fern and o’hia forest brings one to spectacular views of the Kilauea Caldera, Waldron Ledge and Pu’u Pai at the mouth of Kilauea Iki Crater. This hike is one of the few places where bicycles are allowed, and the generally shaded road makes for a pleasant, but short, ride or hike. This trail is a great way to get away from noise and traffic and experience the lush, high altitude fern forest firsthand.

Although beautiful, this kind of wild ginger is an invasive pest, Waldron Ledge at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

The overlook at Waldron Ledge is a particularly spectacular place, perched on the edge of the vast wasteland of Kilauea Caldera. It’s a good place to observe the current eruption in Halema’uma’u, especially early in the morning when the rising sun lights up the eruption cloud, or in the evening when the setting sun shines through it.

The edge of Kilauea Caldera from Waldron Ledge Overlook, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

No services are available once you leave the area of the Visitor’s Center and Volcano House.

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html.

Kilauea Caldera from Waldron Ledge Overlook, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here.

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.

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

Pu'u Pua'i from Waldron Ledge Trail, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donald B MacGowan