Volcanoes National Park – Kilauea Volcano

Kīlauea is a currently hyperactive shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, and the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the island of Hawaiʻi, and, perhaps, the most active volcano on earth.  – Wikipedia

If I had read up on Kilauea before my visit, maybe I would have kept clear of this sleeping giant (na! who am I kidding?). Kilauea’s main caldera is 2 miles by 2 miles and 400 feet deep. Inside it is the Halemaumau Crater which is where the current eruption is taking place which itself is over 3000 feet wide and 85 feet deep. Kilauea has been actively erupting for some years now and while some may consider it mild, it has closed nearly half the National Park due to the sulfuric cloud that the wind carries across the park. The eruption is easily heard while standing at the Observatory, but it takes a midnight hike to really see it in action (which I did… woohoo!).