A bipolar world of dark lava fields and green, dense forests unfolds along the serpentine Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii Island. On this evening, Grant Kaye, a geologist near the end of a six-month stint at Hawaii Volcano Observatory, and I are driving toward the “orange zone,” where a glowing river of pahoehoe lava has cut a bright molten ribbon through the landscape and poured into the ocean for several nights running.

Over the past two decades, the spectacle of flowing lava has attracted countless visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. As these visitors explore the park’s museum, roads, and hiking trails, the have witnessed the ongoing birthing process of the Big Island in what is one of the greatest shows on Earth. I had lived in Hawaii for years and had long wanted to get as close as possible to a glowing lava flow. Kaye, who was finishing up a six-month research stint at the park, agreed to be my guide. I also wanted to talk to researchers who are intimately familiar with the volcanoes to learn about the science behind the phenomena and the mysterious ways of these constantly morphing mountains.

Eruptions from Kilauea, Hawaii’s most active volcano, and its much larger neighbor, Mauna Loa, have radically altered many square miles of Hawaii Island in recent years, adding dozens of square miles to the landscape and scorching other areas with searing lava. Kilauea has let loose 62 times since 1750. The most recent eruption, from the Pu’u O’O Vent on its East Rift zone, started in 1983 and continues to this day. Mauna Loa, the 13,400-foot volcano that nearly leveled Hilo in 1984.

Hawaii Volcano Links

* Eruption Updates
* Where to Stay, General Info
* Flickr Pics

—Alex, 08/13/06