Saturday, May 24, 2014

Lua Manu - Chain of Craters Road - Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park


Lua Manu is a small roadside pit crater approximately 0.4 miles from the beginning of Chain of Craters Road in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.  We stopped at the roadside pullout during our February 2014 visit to the park.  Pit craters are typically formed when the underground lava flow subsides removing the support from the rock above.  Over time, they expand from a cone shape with a narrow hole at the surface as additional rock falls in.  What makes Lua Manu interesting is that lava from the July 1974 eruption flowed into the pit to a depth of about 50 feet before mostly flowing out through a fissure in the side of the crater.  The 1974 eruption consisted of pāhoehoe or smooth, unbroken lava which flowed like a river.

Lua Manu is about 320 feet wide and about 80 feet deep


Hand rail from old overlook that was covered by the 1974 lava flow


Lava flowed over the rim and into the crater


A single roadside tree remains from the forest that was destroyed in the 1974 lava flow


1974 lava flow


Forest at the edge of the 1974 lava flow


Lava solidified around several trees before they burned to ash


Looking across the 1974 lava flow


View toward the source of the 1974 lava flow


Science in the park


A collapsed lava tube


The smooth lava river


Life returns


Lua Manu from the top of the lava flow


The pit of Lua Manu


The `ohi`a lehua is a pioneer plant on new lava 


More 'ohi'a


Another hole formed around a tree


The green lava contains the mineral olivine


Spider


An entrance fee of $10 provides a seven-day pass to visit the park.  Other entrance options include the Hawai`i Tri-park Annual Pass for $25 for twelve month access to three parks in Hawai'i, an America the Beautiful Annual Pass for $80 for twelve months access to most national parks and forests or a Senior Pass for a one-time fee of $10 for those age 62 or over for access to most national parks and forests.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm.

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