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New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns

Welcome to Carlsbad Caverns National Park!
UNESCO World Heritage Site

As you pass through the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas; filled with prickly pear, chollas, sotols and agaves you might never guess there are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, creating some of the largest caves in North America. (Above photo; Caves main entrance)

General Information

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, a mountain range that runs from west Texas into southeastern New Mexico. Elevations within the park rise from 1,095 meters (3,595 feet) in the lowlands to 1,987 meters (6,520 feet) atop the escarpment. Though there are scattered woodlands in the higher elevations, the park is primarily a variety of grassland and desert shrub land habitats.

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest and wettest of the North American deserts. Most of this desert is in Mexico, but the park is one of the few places where it is preserved and protected. The park averages more than 36.6 cm (14.4 in) of annual precipitation and has a semiarid, continental climate with mild winters, warm summers, and summer rains. The mean annual temperature is 19ºC (63ºF).

The park supports a diverse ecosystem, including habitat for many plants and animals that are at the geographic limits of their ranges. For example, the ponderosa pine reaches its extreme eastern limit here and several species of reptiles are at the edges of their distributions.

The deserts of the Southwest contain some of the highest diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects in the United States. The park provides important habitat for top predators such as cougars, and is home to what is perhaps the largest colony of cave swallows in the northern hemisphere. The Bat Cave area in Carlsbad Cavern provides important habitat for a large colony of Brazilian (Mexican) free-tailed bats as a place to give birth and raise young, as well as a stopover for migrating bats.

Rattlesnake Springs, a rare desert wooded riparian area that has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the National Audubon Society, draws birders from around the world to see some of the 300-plus species that have been noted there. The Carlsbad Cavern Natural Entrance is also an Audubon IBA because of the large colony of cave swallows that resides and breeds there in the summer. Current checklists for park fauna identify 67 species of mammals (including 17 species of bats), 357 species of birds, 55 different reptiles and amphibians, 5 species of fish, and an incomplete list of over 600 insects, with more identified each year. The park’s list of vascular plants includes more than 900 species and subspecies.

Underlying the rugged desert landscape is one of the most important geologic resources in the United States. The Guadalupe Mountains are the uplifted portion of an ancient reef that thrived along the edge of an inland sea more than 250 million years ago during Permian time. Preserved in the rocks are the bodies of sponges, algae, snails, nautilus, and many other animals that lived in this ancient sea. Scientists from all over the world visit the park each year to study the structure and fauna of the reef.

The most famous of all the geologic features in the park are the caves. Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains more than 110 limestone caves, the most famous of which is Carlsbad Cavern. Carlsbad Cavern receives more than 300,000 visitors each year and offers a rare glimpse of the underground worlds preserved under the desert above.

(Below photo of a section of the cave's interior)

Cave Tours

All visitors to the park should tour the main section of the cave, the Big Room self-guided tour. The 8.2-acre Big Room is partially wheelchair accessible. The Natural Entrance self-guided tour is also very impressive, but it is also more difficult due to the steepness of the trail.

Guided tours of varying difficulties are also available from the self-guided areas of the Big Room to crawling through narrow passageways in the Hall of the White Giant or in Spider Cave. To reserve tickets for a guided tour, call our reservation service at 1.877.444.6777.

Other Park Activities

While there are a variety of cave tours available from the self-guided areas of the Big Room to crawling through narrow passageways in the Hall of the White Giant or in Spider Cave there are also opportunities for hiking and backcountry camping, attending programs in the visitor center, and watching the incredible exodus of Mexican free-tail bats out of Carlsbad Cavern at dusk in the summer.

Named Cave Rooms

• Balloon Ballroom - located in the ceiling above the main entrance corridor, this small room was first accessed by tying a rope to a bunch of balloons and floating them up into the passage.

• Bat Cave - a large, unadorned rocky passage connected to the main entrance corridor that was mined for bat guano in the early 20th century. The majority of the cave's bat population lives in this portion of the cave.

• Bell Cord Room - named for a long, narrow stalactite coming through a hole in the ceiling, resembling the rope coming through a church steeple to ring the bell. This room is located at the end of the Left Hand Tunnel.

• Bifrost Room - discovered in 1982, it is located in the ceiling above Lake of the Clouds. Its name refers to a Norse myth about a world in the sky that was accessed from Earth by a rainbow. The room was given this name because of its location above the Lake of the Clouds and its colorful oxide-stained formations.

• Big Room or The Hall of the Giants - the largest chamber in Carlsbad Caverns, with a floor space of 33,210 m² (357,469 sq ft).

• Chocolate High - a maze of small passages totaling nearly a mile in combined length, discovered in 1993 above a mud-filled pit in the New Mexico Room known as Chocolate Drop.

• Green Lake Room - the uppermost of the "Scenic Rooms", it is named for a deep, malachite-colored pool in the corner of the room. In the 1940s, when the military was testing the feasibility of Carlsbad Cavern as an emergency fallout shelter, the Green Lake was used to look for ripples caused by a nuclear bomb test many miles away. None appeared.

• Guadalupe Room - discovered by a park ranger in 1966, this is the second largest room in Carlsbad Caverns. It is known for its dense collection of "soda straw" stalactites.

• Hall of the White Giant - a large chamber containing a large, white stalagmite. Rangers regularly lead special wild cave tours to this location.

• King's Palace - the first of four chambers in a wing known as the "scenic rooms", it is named for a large castle-like formation in the center of the room. The Bashful Elephant formation can be found here.

• Lake of the Clouds - the lowest known point in the cave. It is located in a side passage off the Left Hand Tunnel. It is named for its large lake containing globular, cloud-like rock formations that formed under water when the lake level was much higher.

• Left Hand Tunnel - a long, straight passage marked by deep fissures in the floor. These fissures are not known to lead anywhere. The Left Hand Tunnel leads to the Lake of the Clouds and the Bell Cord Room.

• Mystery Room - a small room located in Lower Cave.

• New Mexico Room - located adjacent to the Queen's Chamber and accessed by means of a short slope.

• New Section - a section of fissures east of the White Giant formation and paralleling the Bat Cave. New discoveries are still being made in this section.

• Papoose Room - located between the King's Palace and Queen's Chamber.

• Queen's Chamber - widely regarded as the most beautiful and scenic area of the cave. Jim White's lantern went out in this chamber while exploring and was in the dark for over a half hour.

• Spirit World - Located in the ceiling of the Big Room, this area is filled with white stalagmites that resembled angels to the room's discoverers.

• Talcum Passage - a room located in Lower Cave where the floor is coated with gypsum dust.

• The Rookery - one of the larger rooms in Lower Cave. A large number of cave pearls are found in this area.

• Underground Lunchroom - Located in the Big Room at the head of the Left Hand Tunnel. It contains a cafeteria that was built in the 1950s, and is where the elevators from the visitor center exit into the cave. (Below photo of cave's colored formations)

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Recent exploration

In 1985 a very distinctive method of exploration was invented. In a dome area 255 ft (77.7 m) above the Big Room floor not far from the Bottomless Pit a stalagmite leaned out. Using a balsa wood loop with helium-filled balloons attached, the explorers after several tries over several years floated a light weight cord that snagged the target stalagmite. Once the light weight cord was in position up, over, and back to the ground, a climbing rope was pulled into position, and the explorers ascended into what they named The Spirit World. A similar, smaller room was found in the main entrance corridor, and was named Balloon Ballroom in honor of this technique.

In 1993, a series of small passages totaling nearly a mile in combined length was found in the ceiling of the New Mexico Room. Named "Chocolate High", it was the largest discovery in the cave since the Guadalupe Room was found in 1966.

Lechuguilla Cave, another cave in the park discovered in 1986, is the focus of much current cave exploration at the park. It has been mapped to a depth of 489 m, making it the deepest limestone cave in the U.S. The entrance is located in an old mining pit called Misery Hole in an obscure corner of the park. It is not accessible to the general public, and the exact location of Misery Hole is kept relatively hidden in an attempt to preserve the cave in its most undisturbed state.

The Bottomless Pit was originally said to have no bottom. Stones were tossed into it, but no sound of the stones striking the bottom was heard. Later exploration revealed that the bottom was about 140 feet (40m) deep and covered with soft dirt. The stones made no sound when they struck the bottom because they were lodged in the soft soil.

Bats

Sixteen species of bats live in the park, including a large number of Mexican Free-tailed Bats. It is estimated that the population of Mexican Free-tailed Bats once numbered in the millions but has declined drastically in modern times. The cause of this decline is unknown but the pesticide DDT is often listed as a primary cause. Populations appear to be on the increase in recent years but are nowhere near the levels that were once historically present.

Many techniques have been used to estimate the bat population in the cave. The various techniques used point to a current population peak of several hundred thousand when the young pups are flying in the fall.

Climate

The weather in southern New Mexico can change quickly at any time of the year. Winter is often cold and dry with occasional snow and ice storms. Spring is known to be extremely windy. Summer is very hot and violent lightning storms are not uncommon in the evenings. Fall is usually mild and without extremes and of course, the weather in the cave is a mild 56°F (13°C) year-round. A light jacket and comfortable shoes with rubber soles are appropriate year-round.

Did You Know?
The limestone rock that holds Carlsbad Cavern is full of ocean fossil plants and animals from a time before the dinosaurs. when the southeastern corner of New Mexico was a coastline similar to the Florida Keys.

Did You Know?
Bones from ice age animals like jaguars, camels, lions and giant sloths have been found in the entrance areas of some caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Park's Contact Information

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
General Park Information
(505) 785-2232

Bat Flight Information
(505) 785-3012 - Fax. (505) 785-2133
E-mail Us

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Chaco Canyon Cultural National Park

Located just outside Navajo Nation in New Mexico. It preserves extensive ruins of prehistoric American Indian communities. Chaco is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. (Left photo of Chaco Park Mountains)

Nearly 1,000 years ago, Chaco Canyon was a center of Anasazi life. The Anasazi Indians farmed the lowlands and built great masonry towns connected by a far-reaching network of roads. Chaco Culture preserves a very special chapter in human history and is comprised of several sites; Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument and five units administered by the Bureau of Land Management: Twin Angels, Casamero, Kin Nizhoni, Pierre's Site, and Halfway House. (Right photo of Indian Dwellings) Between AD 850 and 1250, Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture. Many diverse clans and peoples helped to create a ceremonial, trade, and administrative center whose architecture, social organization and community life was unlike anything before or since.

                                     (Below photo of the Park's Ancient Habitats)

 

Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive aarchitecture. The Chacoan people combined pre-planned architectural designs, astronomical alignments, geometry, landscaping, and engineering to create an ancient urban center of spectacular public architecture. Chaco was connected to over 150 communities throughout the region by engineered roads and a shared vision of the world. After 1250, the people migrated from the area, moving south, east, and west, to join relatives living on the Hopi Mesas, along the Rio Grande, and around Zuni Mountain. (Above left photo of canyon cliffs)
 

Chaco Park Hotels

The nearest hotels and motels are in Farmington, about 60 miles north, and in communities along Interstate highway 40 (e.g. Gallup and Grants), a similar distance south. The park includes a single, rudimentary campground. Fee $10/site/night ($5 with NPS Park Pass). There is no potable water available. (Above photo of ancient Indian structures)

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Big Sur, California Coast

Definitely one the world's most breathtaking coastlines...(Below photo; Big Sur Coastline, along CA. Hwy 1)

Big Sur is by far one of the most stunning areas not only in the USA, but in the world. It was and remains a home for hippies, artists, nature lovers and those wishing to experience a hustle free life.

It is a sparsely populated region of the central California, United States, coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The terrain offers stunning views, making Big Sur a popular tourist destination. Big Sur's Cone Peak is the highest coastal mountain in the lower 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1.6 km) above sea level, only three miles (4.8 km) from the ocean.

Although Big Sur has no specific boundaries, many definitions of the area include the 90 miles (145 km) of coastline between the Carmel River and San Carpoforo Creek, and extend about 20 miles (32 km) inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias. Other sources limit the eastern border to the coastal flanks of these mountains, only three to 12 miles (4.8-19 km) inland. (Below photo of Big Sur flora shores)

The northern end of Big Sur is about 120 miles (193 km) south of San Francisco, and the southern end is approximately 245 miles (394 km) north of Los Angeles.

Big Sur artists and popular culture

In the early to mid-twentieth century, Big Sur's relative isolation and natural beauty began to attract a different kind of pioneer; writers and artists, including Robinson Jeffers, Henry Miller, Edward Weston, Richard Brautigan, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jack Kerouac. Jeffers was among the first of these. Beginning in the 1920s, his poetry introduced the romantic idea of Big Sur's wild, untamed spaces to a national audience, which encouraged many of the later visitors. Henry Miller lived in Big Sur from 1944 to 1962. His 1957 novel Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch described the joys and hardships that came from escaping the "air conditioned nightmare" of modern life. The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a cultural center devoted to Miller's life and work, is a popular attraction for many tourists. Hunter S. Thompson worked as a security guard and caretaker at Big Sur Hot Springs for eight months in 1961, just before it became the Esalen Institute. While there, he published his first magazine feature in the nationally distributed Rogue magazine, about Big Sur's artisan and bohemian culture. Jack Kerouac spent a summer in Big Sur in the early 1960's, and wrote a novel titled Big Sur based on his experience there. (Below photo; Mcway falls)

The area's increasing popularity and cinematic beauty soon brought the attention of Hollywood. Orson Welles and his wife at the time, Rita Hayworth, bought a Big Sur cabin on impulse during a trip down the coast in 1944. They never spent a single night there, and the property is now the location of a popular restaurant. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton starred in the 1965 film The Sandpiper, featuring many location shots of Big Sur, and a dance party scene on a soundstage built to resemble the same restaurant. The Sandpiper was one of the very few major studio motion pictures ever filmed in Big Sur, and perhaps the only one to use real Big Sur locales as part of the plot. The DVD, released in 2006, includes a Burton-narrated short film about Big Sur, quoting Robinson Jeffers poetry. Another film based in Big Sur was the 1974 Zandy's Bride, starring Gene Hackman and Liv Ullman. An adaptation of The Stranger in Big Sur by Lillian Bos Ross, the film portrayed the 1870s life of the Ross family and their Big Sur neighbors.

Big Sur also became home to centers of study and contemplation - a Catholic monastery, the New Camaldoli Hermitage in 1958, the Esalen Institute, a workshop and retreat center in 1962, and the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Buddhist monastery, in 1966. Esalen hosted many figures of the nascent "New Age," and in the 1960s, played an important role in popularizing Eastern philosophies, the "human potential movement," and Gestalt therapy in the United States. Big Sur acquired a bohemian reputation with these newcomers. Henry Miller recounted that a traveler knocked on his door, looking for the "cult of sex and anarchy." Apparently finding neither, the disappointed visitor returned home.

Flora

The many climates of Big Sur result in an astonishing biodiversity, including many rare and endangered species such as the wild orchid Piperia yadonii. Arid, dusty chaparral-covered hills exist within easy walking distance of lush riparian woodland. The mountains trap most of the moisture out of the clouds; fog in summer, rain and snow in winter. This creates a favorable environment for coniferous forests, including the southernmost habitat of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), which grows only on lower coastal slopes that are routinely fogged in at night. The redwoods are aggressive regenerators, and have grown back extensively since logging ceased in the early twentieth century. The rare Santa Lucia fir (Abies bracteata), as its name suggests, is found only in the Santa Lucia mountains. A common "foreign" species is the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), which was uncommon in Big Sur until the late 19th century, when many homeowners began to plant it as a windbreak. There are many broad leaved trees as well, such as the tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica). In the rain shadow, the forests disappear and the vegetation becomes open oak woodland, then transitions into the more familiar fire-tolerant California chaparral scrub.

Tourism

Although some Big Sur residents catered to adventurous travelers in the early twentieth century, the modern tourist economy began when Highway 1 opened the region to automobiles, and only took off after World War II-era gasoline rationing ended in the mid-1940s. Most of the 3 million tourists who visit Big Sur each year never leave Highway 1, because the adjacent Santa Lucia mountain range is one of the largest road-less areas near a coast in the lower 48 states. The highway winds along the western flank of the mountains mostly within sight of the Pacific Ocean, varying from near sea level up to a thousand-foot sheer drop to the water. Because gazing at the views while driving is inadvisable, the highway features many strategically placed vista points allowing motorists to stop and admire the landscape. The section of Highway 1 running through Big Sur is widely considered as one of the most scenic driving routes in the United States, if not the world.

The land use restrictions that preserve Big Sur's natural beauty also mean that tourist accommodations are limited, often expensive, and fill up quickly during the busy summer season. There are fewer than 300 hotel rooms on the entire 90 mile (140 km) stretch of Highway 1 between San Simeon and Carmel, only three gas stations, and no chain hotels, supermarkets, or fast-food outlets. The lodging options are rustic cabins, motels, and campgrounds, or costly, exclusive five-star resorts, with little in between. Most lodging and restaurants are clustered in the Big Sur River valley, where Highway 1 leaves the coast for a few miles and winds into a redwood forest, protected from the chill ocean breezes and summer fog.

Besides sightseeing from the highway, Big Sur offers hiking, mountain climbing, and other outdoor activities. There are a few small, scenic beaches that are popular for walking, but usually unsuitable for swimming because of unpredictable currents and frigid temperatures. Big Sur's nine state parks have many points of interest, including one of the few waterfalls on the Pacific Coast that plunges directly into the ocean, the ruins of a grand stone cliff-side house that was the region's first electrified dwelling, and the only complete nineteenth century lighthouse complex open to the public in California, set on a lonely, windswept hill that looks like an island in the fog. (Below photo of foggy morning in Big Sur)

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Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park is located in the U.S. state of Montana, bordering the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Glacier National Park contains two mountain ranges, sometimes referred to as the southern extension of the Canadian Rockies mountain ranges, with over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem, spread across 1,584 mi² (4,101 km²), is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem", a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 mi² (44,000 km²). The famed Going-to-the-Sun Road, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, traverses through the heart of the park and crosses the Continental Divide, allowing visitors breathtaking views of the rugged Lewis and Livingston mountain ranges, as well as dense forests, alpine tundra, waterfalls and two large lakes. Along with the Going-to-the-Sun Road, five historic hotels and chalets are listed as National Historic Landmarks, and a total of 350 locations are on the National Register of Historic Places. (Above photo; Swift Current Lake)

Glacier National Park borders Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada; the two parks are known as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and were designated as the world's first International Peace Park in 1932. Both parks were designated by the United Nations as Biosphere Reserves in 1976, and in 1995 as World Heritage sites.

(Below photo of the park's  St. Mary's Lake)

Recreation

Glacier is distant from major cities, and the closest airport is at Kalispell, Montana, southwest of the park. Amtrak trains stop at East and West Glacier. A fleet of restored 1930s White Motor Company coaches, called Reds, offer tours on all the main roads in the park. The drivers of the buses are called "Jammers," due to the gear-jamming that formerly occurred during the vehicles' operation. The tour buses were rebuilt in 2001 to run on propane, to lessen their environmental impact.

A number of historic wooden tour boats, some dating back to the 1920s, operate on several of the larger lakes.

Hiking is a popular activity in the park. Over half of the visitors to the park report taking a hike on the park's nearly 700 miles (1,127 km) of trails. 110 miles (177 km) of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail spans most of the distance of the park north to south, with a few alternate routes at lower elevations if high altitude passes are closed due to snow. Due to the presence of bears and other large mammals, dogs are not permitted on any trails in the park, though they are permitted at front country campsites that can accessed by a vehicle, and along paved roads. (Photo; Big Chief Mtn)

Numerous day hiking options are available throughout the park. Backcountry camping is allowed at campsites along the trails. A permit is required, which can be obtained from certain visitor centers or arranged for in advance. Much of Glacier's backcountry is usually inaccessible to hikers until early June due to accumulated snow-pack and potential avalanche risk, and many trails at higher altitudes remain snow packed until July. The major campgrounds that allow vehicle access are found throughout the park, most of which are near one of the larger lakes. The campground at St. Mary and at Apgar are open year round, but conditions are considered primitive in the off-season, as the restroom facilities are closed and there is no running water. All campgrounds with vehicle access are usually open from mid June until mid September. Guide and shuttle services are also available. (Left photo; Sunrift Gorge)

Fishing is a popular activity in the park and some of the finest fly fishing in North America can be found in the streams that flow through the park. Though the park requires that those fishing understand the regulations, no permit is required to fish the waters within the park boundary. The endangered bull trout must be released immediately back to the water if caught, otherwise, the regulations on limits of catch per day are liberal.

Winter recreation activities in Glacier are limited. Snowmobiling is illegal in the park, but cross-country skiing is permitted in the lower altitude valleys on the east and western sides of the park.

Flora

Glacier is part of a large preserved ecosystem collectively known as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem", all of which is primarily untouched wilderness of a pristine quality. Virtually all the plants and animals which existed at the time white explorers first entered the region are present in the park today.

A total of over 1,132 plant species have been identified park-wide. The predominantly coniferous forest is home to various species of trees such as the Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir, sub alpine fir, limber pine and western larch, which is a deciduous conifer, producing cones but losing its needles each fall. Cottonwood and aspen are the more common deciduous trees and are found at lower elevations, usually along lakes and streams. The timberline on the eastern side of the park is almost 800 feet (244 m) lower than on the western side of the Continental Divide, due to exposure to the colder winds and weather of the Great Plains. West of the Continental Divide, the forest receives more moisture and is more protected from the winter, resulting in a more densely populated forest with taller trees. Above the forested valleys and mountain slopes, alpine tundra conditions prevail, with grasses and small plants eking out an existence in a region that enjoys as little as three months without snow cover. Thirty species of plants are found only in the park and surrounding National Forests. Bear-grass, a tall flowering plant, is commonly found near moisture sources, and is relatively widespread during July and August. Wildflowers such as monkey-flower, glacier lily, fireweed, balsamroot and Indian paintbrush are also common.

Fauna & Wildlife

Virtually all the historically known plant and animal species, with the exception of the bison and woodland caribou, are present, providing biologists an intact ecosystem for plant and animal research. Two threatened species of mammals, the grizzly bear and the Canadian lynx, are found in the park. Although their numbers remain at historical levels, both are listed as threatened because in virtually every other region of the U.S. outside of Alaska, they are either extremely rare or absent from their historical range. On average, one or two bear attacks on humans occur each year; since the creation of the park in 1910, there have been a total of 10 bear related deaths. The number of grizzlies and lynx in the park is not known for certain, but park biologists believe that there are slightly less than 350 grizzlies park-wide, and a study commenced in 2001 hoped to determine the number of lynx in the park. Another study has indicated that the wolverine, another very very rare mammal in the lower 48 states, continues to reside in the park. An estimated 800 black bears are believed to exist park-wide. The black bear is less aggressive than the grizzly and a recent study using DNA to identify hair samples indicated that there are about six times as many black bears as there are grizzlies. Other large mammals such as the mountain goat (the official park symbol), (above photo; mountain goat) moose, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, coyote, and the rarely seen mountain lion, are either plentiful or common. Unlike in Yellowstone National Park, which commenced a wolf reintroduction program in the 1990s, wolves have existed almost continuously in Glacier. 62 species of mammals in all have been documented including badger, river otter, porcupine, mink, marten, fisher, six species of bats and numerous other smaller mammals.

A total 260 species of birds have been recorded, with raptors such as the bald eagle, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey and several species of hawks residing year round. The harlequin duck is a colorful species of waterfowl found in the lakes and waterways. The great blue heron, tundra swan, Canada goose and American wigeon are species of waterfowl more commonly encountered in the park. Great horned owl, Clark's nutcracker, Steller's jay, pileated woodpecker and cedar waxwing reside in the dense forests along the mountainsides, and in the higher altitudes, the ptarmigan, timberline sparrow and rosy finch are the most likely to be seen. The Clark's nutcracker is less plentiful than in past years due to the reduction in the number of whitebark pines.

Because of the colder climate, ectothermic reptiles are all but absent, with two species of garter snakes and the western painted turtle being the only three reptile species proven to exist. Similarly, only six species of amphibians are documented, although those species exist in large numbers. After a forest fire in 2001, a few park roads were temporarily closed the following year to allow thousands of Western toads to migrate to other areas.

Glacier is also home to the endangered bull trout which is illegal to possess and must be returned to the water if caught inadvertently. A total of 23 species of fish reside in park waters and native game fish species found in the lakes and streams include the cutthroat trout, northern pike, mountain whitefish, Kokanee salmon and grayling. Introduction in previous decades of Lake trout and other non-native fish species have greatly impacted some native fish populations, especially the bull trout and west slope cutthroat trout.

Glacier Climate

Rapid temperature changes have been noted in the region, and in Browning, Montana, which is just east of the park in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, a world record temperature drop of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (56 °C) in only 24 hours occurred on the night of January 23–24, 1916, when thermometers plunged from 44 °F to -56 °F (7 to -49 °C). (Left photo of the Glacier)

Glacier National Park has a highly regarded global climate change research program. Based in West Glacier, with its main headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, the U.S. Geological Survey has performed scientific research on specific climate change studies since 1992. In addition to the study of the retreating glaciers, research performed includes forest modeling studies in which fire ecology and habitat alterations are analyzed. Additionally, changes in alpine vegetation patterns are documented, watershed studies in which stream flow rates and temperatures are recorded frequently at fixed gauging stations, and atmospheric research in which UV-B radiation, ozone and other atmospheric gases are analyzed over time. The research compiled all contribute to a broader understanding of climate changes in the park. The data collected, when compared to other facilities scattered around the world, help to correlate these climatic changes on a global scale.

Glacier is considered to have excellent air and water quality. No major areas of dense human population exist anywhere near the region and industrial effects are minimized due to a scarcity of factories and other potential contributors of pollutants. However, the sterile and cold lakes found throughout the park are easily contaminated by airborne pollutants that fall whenever it rains or snows, and some evidence of these pollutants have been found in park waters. The pollution level is currently viewed as negligible, and the park lakes and waterways have a water quality rating of A-1, the highest rating given by the state of Montana. (Below photo, Two Medicine Lake)

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Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Preserve

(Above Painting of An Alaskan Night) Credited to; www.bergoiata.org/

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to some of the most diverse and spectacular wildlife in the arctic. The Refuge's rich pageant of wildlife includes 36 fish species, 36 land mammals, nine marine mammals, and more than 160 migratory and resident bird species.

The Land

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. It consists of 19,049,236 acres (79,318 km²) in the Alaska North Slope region. The Arctic Refuge contains remote, complete, and undisturbed lands across five different ecological regions: lagoons, beaches and salt-marshes of coastal marine areas; coastal plain tundra; alpine tundra of the Brooks Range; the forest-tundra transition south of the mountains; and tall spruce, birch, and aspen of the boreal forest.

The Refuge shares a common border with Ivvavik and Vuntut National Parks in Canada, which in combination constitutes one of the largest conservation areas in the world. North to south, the Refuge extends 200 miles—from the Arctic coast, across the tundra plain, over glacier-capped peaks of the Brooks Range, and into the spruce and birch forests of the Yukon basin. The Refuge preserves a continuum of Arctic and sub-Arctic ecozones.

The move to protect this corner of Alaska began in the early 1950s. National Park Service planner George Collins and biologist Lowell Sumner recruited Wilderness Society President Olaus Murie and his wife Margaret Murie into an effort to permanently protect the area. They were joined by thousands of the era's prominent conservationists. (Photo of a Muskox)

The region first became a federal protected area in 1960 by order of Fred Andrew Seaton, Secretary of the Interior under U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1980, Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

The refuge supports a greater variety of plant and animal life than any other protected area in the Arctic Circle. A continuum of six different ecozones spans some 200 miles (300 km) north to south. (See below map)

The majestic Brooks Range rises from the coastal plain here only ten to forty miles from the Beaufort Sea. The Refuge includes the four highest peaks and most of the glaciers in the Brooks Range. More than twenty rivers flow through the Refuge, and three are designated as wild: the Sheenjek, Ivishak, and Wind. It contains North America’s two largest and most northerly alpine lakes - Peters and Schrader.

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Things to see and do.

The Arctic Refuge offers a variety of wilderness opportunities. Whether you plan to hike, hunt, camp, float, or climb, the Refuge is a place where the sense of the unknown, of horizons unexplored, of nameless valleys remains alive. Here, where the wild has not been taken out of the wilderness, there are risks. Preparation, experience, and self-reliance are necessary. We provide no packaged trip plans or trail maps pointing the way. Rather, an experience in the Arctic Refuge is one you must search out for yourself. The following information will help you plan such a journey.

• Visitor information
• Backcountry camping
• Authorized Air taxi flights
• Authorized guides who lead recreational or educational trips in the Refuge
• Authorized guides who lead hunting trips in the Refuge
• Fishing
• Commercial airlines to nearby communities
• Polar and other bear species viewing
• Bird observations
• River Travel
• Camping adventures
• Kids camping in the wild

(Above photo of Alaskan Northern Lights) Credited to; www.didierbeck.com

Mammal List

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northeast corner of Alaska. In this region of extensive cold, much of the Refuge's soils are underlain with permafrost.

(Photo of Artic Wolf)
Credited to; http://ollysuziexpeditions.com/

The Beaufort Sea washes against the north coast of the Refuge. These waters remain ice-covered for eight or more months each year. The ice pack is the winter home for polar bear and numerous seals. During the summer, whales migrate through these waters.

South of the coast lies a broad expanse of flat arctic tundra composed mostly of sedges and low shrubs. Musk oxen live year-round on this coastal plain, and caribou produce their calves here in late spring. (Photo of Alaska Caribou)

The arctic tundra rises to the south through foothills to the rugged, rocky mountains of the Brooks Range. Dall sheep search for winter forage along windblown slopes, while marmots hibernate within stony crevices for nine months each year.

Further south, mountains gradually merge into the spruce and shrubs of the boreal forest. Beaver, mink, and moose, as well as numerous small rodents, inhabit the wet meadows, bogs, and rivers within this forested region.

INSECTIVORES (shrews)

Masked Shrew, Dusky Shrew, Pygmy Shrew, Tundra Shrew, Barren Ground Shrew

LAGOMORPHS (hares and rabbits)

Snowshoe Hare

RODENTS (squirrels, voles, lemmings, etc.)

Alaska Marmot, Arctic Ground Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Muskrat, Beaver, Meadow Vole
Tundra Vole, Yellow-cheeked Vole, Singing Vole, Northern Red-backed Vole, Brown Lemming, Northern Bog Lemming, Collared Lemming, Porcupine

CANIDS (foxes and wolves)

Coyote
Gray Wolf, Arctic Fox, Red Fox,

FELIDS (cats)

Lynx

URSIDS (bears)

Black Bear, Brown Bear, Polar Bear,

MUSTELIDS (weasels)

Marten, Ermine, Least Weasel, Mink, Wolverine, River Otter

CERVIDS (deer)

Moose, Caribou

BOVIDS (goats and sheep)

Muskox, Dall Sheep

PINNIPEDS (seals and walrus)

Walrus, Spotted Seal, Ringed Seal, Bearded Seal

CETACEANS (whales)

Beluga Whale, Gray Whale, Bowhead Whale

[Mammal listing updated 21 April 2008.]

Bird List

195 bird species have been recorded on the Arctic Refuge. This list describes their status and abundance. Many birds migrate outside of the Refuge in the winter, so unless otherwise noted the information is for spring, summer or fall.

Geese, Swans, Ducks Grouse, Ptarmigan, Loons, Grebes, Fulmars, Shearwaters, Red-breasted Merganser, Raptors, Falcons, Ospreys, Coots, Rails, Cranes, Plovers, Killdeers, Yellowlegs, Sandpipers, Whimbrels, Godwits, Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, Redneck Stints, Ruffs, Snipes, Long-billed Dowitchers, Red-necked Phalaropes, Jaegers, Gulls, Terns, Artic Terns, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Alcids, Owls, Goatsuckers, Hummingbirds, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Tyrant Flycatchers, Eastern Phoebes, Strikes, Corvids, Larks, Swallows, Chickadees, Nuthatchers, Dippers, Kinglets, Old world Warblers, Thursters, Wheatears, Bluethroats, Robins, Thrushs, Wagtails, Pipits, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Sparrows, Buntings, Blackbirds, Finches.

Fishes of The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Freshwater Species

Sheefish, Round whitefish, Lake trout, Arctic char, Northern pike, Lake chub, Longnose sucker, Trout-perch, Burbot, Ninespine stickleback, Slimy sculpin, Threespine stickleback, Alaska blackfish, Arctic grayling,

Anadromous Species

Least cisco, Bering cisco, Arctic cisco, Broad whitefish, Humpback whitefish, Pink salmon, Chinook salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Rainbow smelt, Arctic lamprey, Dolly Varden.

Marine Species

Pacific herring, Capelin, Arctic cod, Saffron cod, Fourhorn sculpin, Arctic sculpin, Greenland seasnail, Pacific sand lance, Slender eelblenny, Stout eelblenny, Eelpouts, Arctic flounder, Starry flounder, Arctic hookear sculpin, Arctic staghorn sculpin, Whitespotted greenling, Bering wolffish.

Parks Contact Information

Richard Voss, Refuge Manager
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
101 12th Avenue, Room 236
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 Phone: (907)456-0250
Toll Free: (800)362-4546
FAX: (907)456-0428
E-Mail

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Hawaii's Volcano National Park

The Big Island of Hawaii

(Above photo; Fire & Ice - Kilauea's Pu'u 'O'o vent and the snow capped summit of Mauna Kea)
Photo credited to; Bryan Lowry - http://www.lavapix.com

The park was established in 1916, and is a United States National Park located in the U.S. State of Hawai'i on the island of Hawai'i. It displays the results of 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution; processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with unique ecosystems, and a distinct human culture. The park highlights two of the world's most active volcanoes, and offers insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and views of dramatic volcanic landscapes. An International Biosphere Reserve (1980) and Hawaii's only World Heritage Site (1987)

The park encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet. Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, offers scientists insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and visitors' views of dramatic volcanic landscapes. The park includes 505 mi² (1348 km²) of land. (Above photo of Eruption) Photo Credited to; http://www.rainforestandreef.org/

Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.

The volcanic activity generated in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park helped create Kalapana (now covered by lava from recent eruptions) and other black sand beaches.

Within the park boundaries are the Thurston Lava Tube, a lava tube approximately 350 years old with a short hiking trail running through it, and the Kīlauea Caldera, skirted by the Volcano House Hotel, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and the Jaggar Museum.

There is an undeveloped stretch of the Thurston Lava Tube which extends an additional 330 meters beyond the developed area and dead-ends into the hillside. Though it is blocked by a chain link fence to keep unwary visitors from entering, the easily traversed stretch is in fact open to the public and accessible through a gate in the fence. Visitors to the undeveloped stretch should exercise caution on the brief climb down to the tube floor due to the rough terrain. Once past the entrance, the rest of the walk is on even ground.

Brief History

Kīlauea and its Halemaumau caldera were traditionally considered the sacred home of Pele, and Hawaiians visited the crater to offer gifts to the goddess. The first western visitors to the site, English missionary William Ellis and American Asa Thurston, encountered Kīlauea in 1823. Ellis wrote of his reaction to the first sight of the erupting volcano:

"A spectacle, sublime and even appalling, presented itself before us. 'We stopped and trembled.' Astonishment and awe for some moments rendered us mute, and, like statues, we stood fixed to the spot, with our eyes riveted on the abyss below."

Lorrin A. Thurston, the American reverend's grandson, was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the park in 1916.

Legends

It is said in legend that if any volcanic rock or black sand is taken from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (or anywhere in Hawaii) that the person that took it will be cursed by the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele until it is returned. While purportedly an ancient Hawaiian belief, historians can trace this legend only to the mid-twentieth century, and it is widely believed to have been invented by park rangers to keep visitors from taking rocks. Nevertheless, the lobby of Kilauea Military Camp (now a vacation area for military personnel) has a cabinet displaying rocks returned by people attempting to atone for the bad luck that has befallen them, and letters describing their predicaments.

Russ Apple may have been the originator of this myth; as National Park Service Pacific historian and 30 year veteran of the NPS, Apple was instrumental in restoring Hawaiian cultural resources in Kilauea and Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo on right of Hawaiian Fire Goddess, Pele)

Nature and Science Overview

Well-known for its volcanic significance, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is also one of the most fascinating biologic landscapes in the world. Located over 2,000 miles from the nearest continental land mass, the Hawaiian Archipelago is the most geographically isolated group of islands on Earth. The Park sits on the southeastern edge of the youngest and largest island at a latitude of 19°N. Stretching from the summit of Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet to sea level, the Park protects a wide diversity of ecosystems and habitat for numerous native Hawaiian species such as carnivorous caterpillars, happy face spiders and colorful Hawaiian honeycreepers.

Hawaiian plants and animals began to evolve over 70 million years ago in nearly complete isolation and over 90% of the native terrestrial flora and fauna in Hawai'i are found only in the Hawaiian islands. This level of endemism surpasses all other places on Earth, even the Galapagos Islands. Consequently, the Park is a fantastic laboratory for the study of biogeography and evolution within the Pacific Islands.

Did You Know?
Only two butterflies found in Hawai'i are native. The Kamehameha Butterfly is the larger and more colorful of the two.
 

Did You Know?
Although related to other marmots and groundhogs of North America, the Olympic marmot is unique. An endemic species, it is found only in the Olympic Mountains. Visitors to the high country of Olympic National Park may be lucky enough to encounter a marmot sunning itself near its burrow.

Animals

Mammals, Birds, Turtles

Welcome to a world that shelters an array of Hawaiian native species including a host of fascinating birds, carnivorous caterpillars, the largest dragonfly in the United States, crickets partial to new lava flows, endangered sea turtles and just one native terrestrial mammal — a bat. Many organism groups common on continents never succeeded in making the journey to the Hawaiian Islands. Yet for those with the right survival strategy, these remote volcanic islands became a kind of evolutionary frontier for species who exploited new opportunities to find food and homes beginning about 70 million years ago. Most native animal species in the Hawaiian Archipelago are descendents of those that were able to fly here, such as birds, bats and insects; those light enough to be carried by birds, such as snails, some insects and spiders; and those blown here or washed ashore. Their descendents survived and reproduced to eventually inhabit every possible nook and cranny.

The Hawaiian Islands are renowned in the scientific world for evolving the most spectacular land bird assemblage on a remote oceanic archipelago. Of the 23 surviving endemic Hawaiian songbird species, those living within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park include six Hawaiian honeycreepers; ‘apapane, ‘amakihi, ‘i`iwi, and three federally listed as endangered; ‘akepa, ‘akiapola‘au, and the Hawai'i creeper. There are also a native thrush (‘oma`o) and a native monarch (‘elepaio). Another three species of endemic Hawaiian birds found within the Park are also endangered; the Nene, or Hawaiian goose, Hawaiian petrel, and ‘io or Hawaiian hawk.

Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park
Harbors a Plant Paradise

Along the wind-scoured coastal plain, lone tendrils of an a’e fern peer from cracks in endless  flows of hardened lava. At the Park’s mid-elevation, blazing blooms of ‘ohi’a trees and towering fronds of giant hapu’u, a tree fern, rise amid a tangle of misty rain forest. Miles above, the distinctive rosette of the endangered Mauna Loa silversword clings to an alpine ledge. Evolving over 70 million years ago in nearly complete isolation, more than 90% of the State’s native flora are found only in the Hawaiian Islands. Today, the Park harbors the descendents of those first colonizers—numerous evolutionary marvels such as mintless mints and nettleless nettles—plants adapted to life without plant-eating mammals. These are just a few of the amazing diversity of plants living within the Park

The intriguing story of plants within the Park includes a host of chapters such as the extreme isolation of the Hawaiian Archipelago, the processes by which flora and fauna arrived and developed and the influences of lava flows of varying age, texture and chemical composition. Moisture brought by prevailing trade winds delivers extreme differences in annual rainfall— varying from 20 inches on the coast to more than 144 inches at mid-elevation windward areas.  Acid rain from the eruptions of Kilauea Volcano paints chemical deserts across miles of lava flows within the Park as ongoing lava flows form new landscapes. Together, all these influences create a remarkable mix of habitats in seven ecological life zones, stretching from sea level to the summit of Mauna Loa at 13,677’ in elevation.

Things To Do

Contact the Park for Specific Information; Including: Places To Go - Outdoor Activities - Schedule Of Events - Drive the Park - Ranger Programs - Volcano Eruption Information

Accessibility Events Maps
Bike Hike - Pets - Camp Lava Viewing - Ranger Programs - Drive Lodging Visitor Centers.

Get Outdoors!

With over 333,000 acres, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers endless opportunities for great adventures in the Park. Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is easily visited by car in just a few hours or may be explored in more depth over several days. Here are some recommendations when planning your visit to the Park:

One to 3 Hour Visit?

If you have only one to three hours, explore the summit of Kilauea volcano via Crater Rim Drive; an 11-mile road that encircles the summit caldera, passes through desert, lush tropical rain forest, traverses the caldera floor, and provides access to well-marked scenic stops and short walks. (Crater Rim Drive is closed between Jaggar Museum and the Chain of Craters Road junction due to volcanic activity in Halema‘uma‘u).

Four to 5 Hour Visit?

If you have four to five hours, you may also explore the East Rift and coastal area of the Park via Chain of Craters Road. This road descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles and ends where lava flows crossed the road in 2003.

Explore the Park on Foot

Hikers will find an abundance of trails to satisfy their curiosity. Day hikes and wilderness hikes offer great adventures for visitors who wish to explore beyond the roadways.

Depending on changing volcanic activity, there may be opportunities for viewing active lava flows from the end of the road. No food, water, or fuel is available along the Chain of Craters Road.

Places To Go

Including: Visitor Centers - Campgrounds

Kilauea Visitor Center

Kilauea Visitor Center should be your first stop when entering the park. Remodeled in 2005, the center features informative and interactive displays, movies highlighting the special aspects of the park, and a bookstore.

Jaggar Museum is a museum on volcanology with seismographs and other equipment used by scientists to monitor volcanoes. The overlook offers spectacular views into the summit caldera.

Camping

Tent camp site at Namakanipaio campground. There are two drive-in campgrounds in the park; Namakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki. Camping is FREE; the only fee that applies is your entrance fee to the Park. Drive-In camping is available on a first-come basis. No reservations, No permits, and No check-in are necessary.

Namakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki are two drive-in campgrounds located within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. These campgrounds are FREE - the only fee that applies is your entrance fee to the park. Camping is available on a first-come basis. No reservations, No permits, and No check-in are necessary. Stays are limited to 7 days in a month and cannot exceed 30 days per year.

Picnic table and tent pad at Kulanaokuaiki Campground Namakanipaio Campground, is located off Highway 11, 31 1/2 miles out of Hilo at 4,000' elevation. It is a large, open grassy area with tall eucalyptus and ohi'a trees. This campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables, and barbecue pits. These are shared facilities with just a few individual sites. The is a large pavilion at Namakanipaio with picnic tables and 2 fireplaces. You must purchase your own firewood.

Weather may be cool and damp year-round. Daytime temperature range: 60s to 80s F. Nighttime temperature range: high 30s to low 50s F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings.

Picnic table and tent pad at Kulanaokuaiki Campground Kulanaokuaiki Campground is located about 5 miles down the Hilina Pali Road at 2,700' elevation. There is NO WATER at this location. This new campground has 8 campsites. 2 of the sites are wheelchair accessible. There is a vault-type toilet (no running water), and picnic tables. No Fires! No Dogs!

Located at a lower elevation than Namakanipaio, this campground may have drier and warmer weather. Nighttime temperature range: high 40s to high 60s degrees F. Daytime temperature range: high 60s to 90s degrees F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings.

Namakani Paio Camper Cabins
Volcano House hotel, operates rustic camper cabins at the Namakanipaio campground. The cabins sleep 4 (1 double bed and 2 bunk-style twin beds). Each cabin has a picnic table and an outdoor barbecue grill. Reservations are required.

For information write:
The Volcano House, Hawaii National Park HI 96718
or call (808) 967-7321. Email: volcanohouse@verizon.net

Services in Volcano Village are located right outside the park:

Showers
Showers may be rented (on a space available basis) through the Volcano House hotel which operates camper cabins in the Namakanipaio campground area. For reservations and information; Call: (808) 967-7321.

Stores
Two small village grocery stores and a hardware store are located in Volcano Village. The nearest large shopping area is in Hilo (31 1/2 miles away).

Laundry
A laundromat is located behind the Thai Thai Restaurant in Volcano Village.

Restaurants
There are several restaurants located in Volcano Village, at the Volcano Golf and Country Club, and within the park.

Park's Contact Information;

By Mail:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
P.O. Box 52
Hawaii National Park, HI 96718-0052

Phone: Visitor Information (808) 985-6000 - By Fax: (808) 985-6004 - By Email:
E-Mail Us

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The Big Island of Hawaii's General Information

There were five massive volcanoes that built Hawaii’s Big Island creating two massive peaks of around 14,000 feet; Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and the still active volcano of Kilauea.  The tallest mountain when measured from the ocean floor is Mauna Kea at 33,476 feet.  Hawaii's South Point is the southernmost point in the 50 states and Hilo is the nation's most rainiest city, averaging 140 inches per year.  Diverse is the term that is commonly used to describe the Big Island of Hawaii.  Not only does the Big Island have such tremendous surf and sun appeal, it also boasts one of the world’s only active volcano, world famous astronomical facilities, awesome ocean resources, impressive scenic beauty, sacred cultural and historic sites and exciting recreational activities. (Photo, above left of Hawaii's Ocean Lava Field)

King Kamehameha the Great was born in North Kohala of the Big Island and when he unified all the islands, he named his kingdom Hawaii; after his island home.  The republic of Hawaii became a state in 1959.   You can view the original Kamehameha statue on Hwy. 270 in Kapaa.  The king spent his last days in Kailua-Kona where some of his compound is recreated at Ahuena Heiau fronting the grounds of the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.  As this is considered a sacred place, please treat it with respect.

Kilauea Caldera's present eruptive phase dates back to 1983, while Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984. Both Kohala as well as Mauna Kea are extinct and Hualalai is dormant, since it last erupted in 1801. Hawaii's scenery covers the total spectrum complete with Hawaii lava flows, high sea cliffs, rain forest, lush coastal valleys, deserts and rolling pastures.

With its wide range of terrain, climate, scenery and natural wonders, the Big Island is as diverse as the planet itself.  It is the only island with its own desert and annual snowfall atop Hawaiian Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa summits.  Neil Armstrong the first U.S. Astronaut to walk on the moon describes the Big Island as the only place in the world that reminds him of the terrain that he stepped on in space.  And yes, Hollywood made the Big Island famous in movies like Planet of the Apes, Water-world, and The Black Widow.  The Big Island’s claim to fame also includes staging the world famous Ironman Triathlon World Championship and is home to one of the world’s largest ranch in the U.S. called Parker Ranch located in the upcountry area of Waimea. (Below photo of a Hawaii Beach Lava Tube)

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The Island's Major Attractions;

Hawaii Volcano National Park, Kilauea Volcano (active), Kaloko-honokohau National Historic Park, Mo’okini Heiau, Mauna Kea observatory, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Laupahoehoe Train Museum, Parker Ranch Visitor Center, Lapakahi State Historic Park, Petroglyph fields within the Kohala Coast Resorts, Ahu’ena Heiau, Moku’aikaua Church, Kuamo’o Battleground, Waipio Valley, Mark Twain Center, Chain of Craters Road, Hamakua Coast, Hilo Town, Volcano Art Center, Black Sand Beaches, Akaka Falls, Kamehameha Statue, Orchids & Anthuriums, Nani Maui Gardens, Painted Churches, Rainbow Falls, Hapuna, Magic Sands Pololu Valley Lookout, Puukohala Heiau Puuhonua O Honaunau place of refuge and Kauna’oa Beaches.

 The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest in the chain of the Hawaiian Islands. Although nearly twice the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined, Hawaii is still growing.
Places Of Interest:

Major Activities

Golfing, Tennis, Museums, Hiking through the Volcanoes National Park,  Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Sailing Cruises, Surfing, Camping, Helicopter rides, Sightseeing, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Cultural Events, Whale watching, Mountain bike riding, Tour Biking, Dining, touring Kona Coffee farms and Macadamia nut farms, Visiting Botanical Gardens, Big Game Fishing, Stay at a working ranch and just plain old relaxation.

Major Resort Areas

Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Keahou, Kohala Coast including Mauna Kea, Hapuna, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa Resorts.

 Hawaii (Big Island) Highlights

Akaka Falls - These spectacular falls plunge over over 420 feet in a sheer drop over a volcanic cliff, north of Hilo.

Black Sand Beaches- Located on the south-eastern cliff, these beaches are made up of pulverized lava. There is also a pink sand beach nearby.

Captain Cook Monument - At Kealakekua Bay a tribute to the British navigator and discoverer of the Hawaiian islands who was killed on the shoreline in 1779.

First Christian Church - At Kailua-Kona, founded by American missionaries in 1820.

Golf - Choose a game a golf at any of the Golf Digest’s Top 100 Golf Courses; Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Hapuna or the new Four Seasons Golf Course all located on the Kona side of Hawaii.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Visit the still erupting Kilauea Volcano and enjoy a hike through the volcano park. The only active volcano in the Aloha State, has an array of unique volcanic formations, forests of giant tree ferns, steaming craters and a volcanology museum which shows free color movies daily. Spend a night at the quaint Volcano Cottages. Definitely have lunch or dinner at the Volcano House Restaurant overlooking a volcano caldera. (Painting Of The Volcano Goddess Pele)

Hapuna Beach - Spend a day at the only white sand beach on the Kona side of Hawaii. Over 62 acres of Beach Heaven.

Hilo - Visit the Hilo side of Hawaii and experience a small town setting. Hilo is moister in climate than Kona. Also visit the wonderful anthodium farms and waterfalls too.

Kona - While driving in Kona, take the time too pull your car off the side of the road and put your name in the white stone rocks for all to see.

Hilo-Hamakua Heritage Coast Drive Tour guides visitors along a spectacular 45-mile coastline drive and is self -guiding by following the brochure available from the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board.

Mauna Kea Summit - Is the world's largest mountain that houses astronomical observatories from around the world. Visitors can enjoy stargazing or take a tour to the summit.

Lava Flows - Are marked by Warrior signs which designate flows which have surged down the mountains of Mauna Loa and Kilauea since prehistoric times.

Orchids & anthodium - These beautiful flowers grow throughout Hilo and surrounding areas and are exported all over the world.

Painted Churches - At Honaunau, St. Benedicts is the oldest Catholic Church on the island.

Parker Ranch - In the Wailea-Kamuela area by Mauna Kea, this is the 2nd largest cattle ranch in America. Here you will meet and watch the original Paniolo's (Hawaiian Cowboys) in action.

Pololu Valley - Take a drive to Kohola to visit this valley which once housed a number of heiau's (Hawaiian temples). Rainbow Falls - Beautiful waterfalls in Hilo.

Waikoloa - Take a daytime walk through the lava fields and view the Hawaiian Petroglyphs. Take a nighttime walk and experience the eerie settings of Hawaiian ghosts.

White Sand Beaches - Visit the beautiful Hapuna State Beach Park, Anaehoomalu Beach, Magic Sands Beach and Kailua-Kona all on the western side of the island.

Drive around the Big Island of Hawaii in a convertible. The trip will take around 5 hours including photo stops for lunch & sightseeing.

Visit the Elison S. Onizuka Space Center that pays tribute to one of the Big Island's own former resident who perished in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster.

Take a gander at the volcanic wasteland on the Kona side of the island and see what Astronaut Neil Armstrong called the one place in the world that resembles the moon.

Waipio Valley - Take a tour down to Waipio Valley. A beautiful ocean side valley with waterfalls. You may recognize this valley from the movie starring Kevin Costner, called “Water World." This valley north of the town of Honokaa, was once the home of kings of old Hawaii.

Activity Summary;

* Hawaii Volcanoes - National Park, Big Island.
* Kilauea - May be the most active volcano on earth.
* Mauna Kea - The pinnacle of all Hawaii.
* Parker Ranch - Large U.S. privately owned ranch.
* Kona Coast - Catch Blue Marlin on The Big Island.
* Hamakua Coast - See the cliffs of Waipio Valley.

Big Island Additional Highlights:

* Helicopter Flights - leave from Kona and from Hilo.
* Explore Lava Tubes - on The Big Island of Hawaii.
* Humpback Whales - see whales off the Kona side.
* Night Diving - with Manta Rays at Kailua Bay.
* Touring Ancient Temples - places of early refuge.
* Stargazing - at the Mauna Kea (VIS), Onizuka Center.

Hawaii's Escorted Tours

Grand Circle Island (from all Kona-side hotels) - 10 Hours

From a deluxe mini coach, view the beauty of the big island from volcanoes to tropical rainforests to black sand beaches.  Stop for lunch at Volcano House (lunch not included) 
$63.00 (per person, including tax)
 

Captain Beach Dinner Sail

Not available on Mondays

Sunset dinner cruise on Kailua Bay, enjoy a buffet dinner and traditional Hawaiian entertainment. $60 per person including tax

 

Atlantis Submarine
Mon-Friday;

Explore natural coral reef on 48 passenger submarine. 

Departs Kailua Kona Pier. $88 per person including tax
 

Dream Cruises

Pacific Splash Barefoot Fun Cruise
Cruise Kona coastline and moor at scenic cove. Water slide, water trampoline, masks, fins and snorkels available. Continental breakfast & deli-style lunch with cash bar

$90.00 (per person, including tax)
                                                                           
Dolphin and Whale Watch Cruise
Cruise off Kona coast year-round to see dolphins and pilot whales. May also see humpback whales. December to mid-May. Snacks and soft drinks included; cash bar.
$43.00 (per person, including tax)

 

Helicopter Tours                                                               
Big Island Volcano Deluxe 105 Minutes
Experience the fiery lava vents of the Big Island's active volcano, Kilauea. Soar through hidden tropical valleys with roaring waterfalls and the beautiful Hamakua coast rainforest.
From Kona airport. $425.00 (per person, including tax). Prices vary!
 

Kohala/Hamakua Coast 45 minutes
Witness the awesome beauty of the Kohala mountains! The tour will take you up steep ocean cliffs and down into deep winding valleys such as Waimanu, Pololu, and Waipio.
From Kona airport. $198.00 (per person, including tax)

Formations of Pele/Kilauea Volcano 50 minutes
The landscape of Volcanoes National Park unfolds as rainforest gives way to barren lava fields. See cascading waterfalls and peer into Pu'u O'o vent (weather permitting).
From Hilo airport. $205.00 (per person, including tax)

Diving/Snorkeling Tours

Beginners
Includes instruction, pool session, equipment, and boat dive.

$150.00 (per person, including tax)                                                    
 

Boat Dive                                                                                                                         
Includes two tanks and refreshments
$93.00 (per person, including tax)
$47.00 for snorkeling (per person, including tax)
 

Night Dive
Includes one tank, weights, lights -- "Manta Ray Madness"
$102.00 (per person, including tax)

Hawaii's Weather

The Big Island of Hawaii is about twice the combined size of all the other Hawaiian Islands, hence the name "The Big Island" of Hawaii. Size is not her only unique quality as the island of Hawaii encompasses a vast range of climates unique to Hawaii only. Climates range from tropical to sub artic and Hawaii is the only island in the entire chain of islands in Hawaii where you will find snow with an erupting volcano. Two of five volcanoes that created the Big Island Hawaii are active. The Big Island is cooled by gentle trade winds and is blessed with a year round temperature climate.  The Average daily high temperature during the winter months is around 80 degrees and during summer months around 87 degrees.  The higher the altitude the cooler it gets.  Mauna Kea for example will get snow on its peaks during the winter months.

Lava Flows Outside the Park

Steam and fumes rise where lava enters the ocean. Lava is currently flowing from a vent that is outside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The site is east of the eastern boundary of the park and about 12 miles from the summit caldera of Kilauea.

Hawaii County has opened a viewing area at the end of Highway 130 (the Kea`au - Pahoa bypass road). Visitors may enter the viewing area between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily (vehicles must exit the area by 10 p.m. when the gates will be locked). (Above photo; Ki Ocean Entry Lava Flow) Changes in the eruption of Kilauea in June and July, 2007 led to new vents opening to the east of Pu‘u ‘O‘o (12 miles east of the summit) and outside the Park. Lava from this area continues to flow down the hillside and into the ocean in two places.

Visitors may call the lava update recorded message for more information about the lava viewing area: (808) 961-8093.

Lava viewing conditions are unpredictable and constantly changing. The viewing area may be closed without prior notice. Visitors should be prepared for a long walk. Wear shoes, long light-weight hiking pants, bring a backpack with 3 quarts of bottled water per person and snacks, flashlights are essential for after 6pm - headlamps are helpful.

The eruptive vent is in a remote and inaccessible area east of the park in the Kahauale'a natural area reserve.

Camping Areas Outside The Park
County and State campgrounds are located around the island.

County of Hawaii, Department of Parks and Recreation (808) 961-8311

Hawaii State, Department of Land and Natural Resources (808) 974-6200

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(Above photo of Hawaii's Volcanic Coast)
Photo Credited to; Art Wolfe http://www.cs.washington.edu

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