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The Sites! Hawaii is named from the Hawaiian language meaning "raging",
which could refer to Hawaii's volcanoes. The Big Island was formed by five
volcanoes including the world's most active - and safest - volcano, Kilauea,
which is one of
the state's most popular visitor attractions. Five
great volcanoes built the Big Island. The oldest is Kohala, in the northwest
sector, now about 5,480 feet; Mauna Kea at 13,796 feet is the tallest mountain
in the Pacific and last erupted about 4,500 years ago. Mauna Loa, at 13,679 feet
and the Pacific's second highest peak, is the largest mountain mass in the world
measured from the sea floor. Hualalai, which can be seen from Kailua-Kona is
8,271 and last erupted in 1801. The fifth volcano is Kilauea, 4,093 feet on the
slopes of Mauna Loa and still erupting. Volcanoes National Park Make sure to visit Volcanoes National Park. Here, in the domain of Madame Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire, is where you will find Kilauea, the worlds most active volcano. The current eruption, flowing since January of 1983, is the largest and longest volcanic eruption in history. Encompassing more than 350 square acres, this tumultuous national park is one of the most photographed locales in the Hawaiian chain. For more than 70 million years, volcanic heat and pressure from inside the earth have molded the dramatic landscape, which includes the Thurston Lava Tube, still-smoldering Halemaumau Crater, and majestic Mauna Loa's highly active Pu'u O'o vent, which has been spewing lava since 1993. Park Rangers at the Visitors Center will tell you where and when you can safely view the lava. Visitors are free to explore the park's 50 or so miles of roadways, which wind in and out of the dense tropical rain forest that surrounds Mauna Loa, but are encouraged to stay on guard since volcanic activity is commonplace. Crater Rim Drive is a wonder of sulpher banks, steam vents, lava tubes, and surreal landscapes of strange lava formations. The Kilauea Visitor Center is located just inside the park's main entrance. The park was designated a World Heritage site in 1987. You can call 800-985-6000 for more information or visit the National Parks website at www.nps.gov/havo
For daily Kilauea Volcano Eruption updates CLICK HERE! ---------- Kipuka Puaulu One of many fascinating features of Volcanoes National Park, Kipuka Puaulu, located on Mauna Loa, is a reminder of how lava flowing from the mountain is at once creator and destroyer. A "kipuka," loosely translated, is an island of native, old-growth flora that's been isolated from the rest of the forest by lava flows. Today, the trail that loops around Kipuka Puaulu is popular with hikers because it provides the opportunity to see rare plants and native birds. Information about Kipuka Puaulu is available at the Kilauea Visitor Center.
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