Adventure Photography in Hawaii - Part Two - Volcanoes National Park

Now my adventure photography assignment has brought to Big Island for the final leg of the journey. If you missed part one, check out my post about it here.

Get Your Guide asked me to meet with Volcanoes Hiking Guides for their 8 mile guided hike in Volcanoes National Park. This small group hike leads you through dense jungle and barren volcanic landscapes, all woven together in a way that I feel is so unique to Hawaii.

Being December, I was once again greeted by a drizzle in the morning. I left the town of Hilo early in the morning and drove around an hour to the Visitor Center at Volcanoes National Park. My guide and the owner of Volcanoes Hiking Guides, Jennifer, was already waiting for me with a delicious and healthy cold breakfast spread and hot and fresh coffee and tea. The group that gathered there to hike with us was comprised of her family and friends who were local to the area and passionate about the nature that surrounded us. Throughout the day I got to hear all their snippets of local wisdom, from someone who lived in the town of Volcano nearby, another who is living in the park as a volunteer, and others who have lived across multiple Hawaiian islands over the years.

Warmed by coffee, we finally headed out into the jungle. We hiked a level path cut through the brush and winding through rock crevices, approaching and then circling the edge of a large crater, learning about all the wild plants along the way. Then we descended a steep winding path, beginning our descent and subsequent crossing of a volcanic caldera crusted over by the passing of centuries.

The dense foliage lined our descent, but once we reached the bottom we suddenly stepped out into a misty barren land of black rock. I then saw, to my surprise, hundreds of piles of rocks scattered across the surface ahead of us. Jennifer explained that these are called Ahu, a historic and sometimes ancient practice showing respect to the gods. Some even had plants and flowers placed on them recently by someone maintaining the tradition. In other areas of the caldera rangers now construct similar structures to serve as trail markers in a way that is not too distracting to the landscape. (Side note: there has been an increase of tourists creating copycat structures, which is viewed as disrespectful to the cultural practice and misleading as trail markers. Please travel respectfully and just view these points of interest.)

So now it was time to cross the caldera. I couldn’t help but feel that I was on another planet, the landscape felt so alien to me. All I could see was dark black rock, sometimes as smooth as manmade pavement and in other areas jutting up aggressively from the tumultuous geological activity not too far beneath. The mist and clouds of intermittent rain completely obscured the rim of the crater, making the terrain before me seem endless. It was truly breathtaking and exciting. Already tired by a few miles in and drenched by a constant drizzle at this point, I hardly felt burdened because the novelty and mystery of the landscape around me propelled me forward, always wanting to see more. My camera (covered by a rain cover strongly resembling a grocery store plastic bag) was in constant action, so taken was I by the subject matter. This world around me was so hard to describe, so I was once again (as I am often) so grateful for the medium of photographs to share this experience with others.

After maybe an hour (I had truly lost track of time) we had finally reached the opposite wall and it was time to climb. Here my exhaustion and lack of training caught up with me, made more apparent to me by the fact that the rest of my party comprised of people who did these hikes very frequently. But one foot in front of the other and one switchback into the next I finally made it to the top.

Next we made our way to a lava tube. We descended into a lower area of jungle that was so lush it seemed the whole forest had settled into this area. We wound through ferns that towered over my head and thankfully providing a reprieve from the rain. After one more bend the tube appeared. A gaping hole in a wall lined with vegetation drew us into a deep darkness. This tube, which we only walked a small section of, stretches from here at an elevation of 3,900 feet all the way down to meet the ocean at the edge of the island.

Jennifer then led us to what seemed to be a secret spot along the rim for a lunch that again she had prepared at home. Fresh vegetables, local bread, and homemade cookies made for a thoughtful and personal lunch as we all worked together to make our sandwiches and protect each other from the rain. It honestly felt like a bonding experience with my fellow hikers and Jennifer’s personal care for her guests shined through.

Our last stop was the volcanic vents, steam from the Earth’s center reaching the surface and floating across the land before us. Some you could look straight into and warm your face from nature's steam room. Boardwalks led us through a once again otherworldly space, rocks carved and dyed by minerals dispensing themselves over the years.

On my drive back to Hilo, I was soaking wet, beyond exhausted, and grinning from ear to ear. The challenging nature of the hike made what we got to see feel all the more rewarding. I couldn’t believe my job had brought me here, and I already knew I would be talking about this nonstop once I called home.

If this sounds like an experience you’d like to have too (likely with less rain), here’s the link to sign up through Get Your Guide. https://www.getyourguide.com/island-of-hawaii-l661/big-island-volcanoes-national-park-group-or-private-hike-t413407/?ranking_uuid=280203fb-ccf3-4cc5-a309-9beebe0166ca