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Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Kipuka Kahali’i

by Donald B. MacGowan

Kipuka Kahalihi Kipukas are holes between lava flows where vegetation is saved from being incinerated or buried. At Kipuka Kahalihi, however, much of the vegetation was buried in hot cinders blown here from the 1969 Mauna Ulu fire fountains. Only the tall vegetation was preserved from ash burial and only very hardy species have grown back since the eruption. Wandering between the parking lot at Mauna Ulu and the margins of Kipuka Kahalihi one finds the rifts that opened to vent the fire fountains of the 1969 eruptions—a Martian wilderness of twisted lava forms and volcanic ejecta that is well worth exploring. There are no services available at Kipuka Kahalihi.

Kipuka Kahali'i: 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.

Kipuka Kahali’i

Kipuka Kahalihi Kipukas are holes between lava flows where vegetation is saved from being incinerated or buried. At Kipuka Kahalihi, however, much of the vegetation was buried in hot cinders blown here from the 1969 Mauna Ulu fire fountains. Only the tall vegetation was preserved from ash burial and only very hardy species have grown back since the eruption. Wandering between the parking lot at Mauna Ulu and the margins of Kipuka Kahalihi one finds the rifts that opened to vent the fire fountains of the 1969 eruptions—a Martian wilderness of twisted lava forms and volcanic ejecta that is well worth exploring. There are no services available at Kipuka Kahalihi.

Inside Kipuka Kahali'i, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

Kipukas are holes between lava flows where vegetation is saved from being incinerated or buried. At Kipuka Kahali’i, however, much of the vegetation was buried in hot cinders blown here from the 1969 Mauna Ulu fire fountains. Only the tall vegetation was preserved from ash burial and only very hardy species have grown back since the eruption.

Wandering between the parking lot at Mauna Ulu and the margins of Kipuka Kahali’i one finds the rifts that opened to vent the fire fountains of the 1969 eruptions—a Martian wilderness of twisted lava forms and volcanic ejecta that is well worth exploring.

There are no services available at Kipuka Kahali’i.

Kipuka Kahalihi Kipukas are holes between lava flows where vegetation is saved from being incinerated or buried. At Kipuka Kahalihi, however, much of the vegetation was buried in hot cinders blown here from the 1969 Mauna Ulu fire fountains. Only the tall vegetation was preserved from ash burial and only very hardy species have grown back since the eruption. Wandering between the parking lot at Mauna Ulu and the margins of Kipuka Kahalihi one finds the rifts that opened to vent the fire fountains of the 1969 eruptions—a Martian wilderness of twisted lava forms and volcanic ejecta that is well worth exploring. There are no services available at Kipuka Kahalihi.

Flows and cinders from Mauna Ulu fire fountains surround Kipuka Kahalihi, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

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.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.

Kipuka Kahalihi Kipukas are holes between lava flows where vegetation is saved from being incinerated or buried. At Kipuka Kahalihi, however, much of the vegetation was buried in hot cinders blown here from the 1969 Mauna Ulu fire fountains. Only the tall vegetation was preserved from ash burial and only very hardy species have grown back since the eruption. Wandering between the parking lot at Mauna Ulu and the margins of Kipuka Kahalihi one finds the rifts that opened to vent the fire fountains of the 1969 eruptions—a Martian wilderness of twisted lava forms and volcanic ejecta that is well worth exploring. There are no services available at Kipuka Kahalihi.

The lava flows surrounding Kipuka Kahalihi, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donald B MacGowan

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  1. By Everything you ever wanted to know about Hawaii but didn’t know where to look…an index to Tour Guide Hawaii’s free information about the Big Island « Lovingthebigisland’s Weblog on 15 Mar 2010 at 6:52 pm

    […] Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Kipuka Kahakihi « Lovingthebigisland’s Weblog on 15 Mar 2010 at 11:51 […]

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