In the Kilauea Iki Crater

 

Kiilauea Iki, a volcanic vent near the main caldera of Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii, last erupted about 63 years ago in 1959 in what was described as one of the most spectacular eruptions of the 20th century, spewing lava plumes over 1000 feet into the air. As the eruption stopped and the magma chamber shrunk, the lava lake in the crater sank 400 feet and cooled and cracked into its present location, now accessible to hikers who can view the remnant of the eruption and the return of vegetation and animal life to the volcanic landscape.

The following images are from the trail leading to the vent dome of Kilauea-Iki Crater, adjacent to the Kilauea Crater shown above

 
Eruption vent of Kilauea Iki cinder cone showing lava and returning vegetation

Eruption vent of Kilauea Iki at the cinder cone in the crater

Start of the trail through the cooled lava lake

Lava flow just below the eruption vent

Looking down lava flow from eruption vent, the start of the lava lake trail
Emerging vegetation along lava trail from eruption zone
Hikers are dwarfed by the size of the lake and the fracture plates. The crater walls are 400 feet high.

Hikers are dwarfed by the lava fracture plates and the 400 foot walls of the crater

Grasses emerge from between the lava plates in the crater floor

Grasses emerging between lava plates as the vegetation emerges in the crater floor

Lava plates as trail enters the crater floor

Endemic Honeycreeper, Apapane, in forest surrounding Kilauea Iki crater

Apapane in forest climbing out of crater

Landscapes, Naturephotography, HawaiiDuncan NeilsonHawaii Volcanoes National Parknature photography, landscape photography, landscapes, hawaii, Kilauea Iki, Apapane, Volcanic Landscape