Images of Hawaiian Lava Tube Systems |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Active tube
system at Pu'u O'o on the Big
Island. Lava originates at the
biggest steam plume. |
Another view
of the Pu'u O'o cone and lava tube
system at Kilauea. |
Ocean entry
of lava tube system from Pu'u O'o |
Ocean entry
of lava tube system from Pu'u O'o |
Active lava
tube system at Pu'u O'o. Note smoke
and steam rising from skylights |
Actively
forming lava tube system at Pu'u O'o
in June of 2008 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lava tube
system at Pu'u O'o with skylight,
June, 2008 |
Lava tube
system and skylights at Pu'u O'o in
June 2008 |
Lava tube
system and skylights at Pu'u O'o in
June 2008 |
Thurston
Lava Tube in Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park is developed for park
visitors |
The entrance
to Thurston Lava Tube is nearly
hidden in the rainforest (except for
the paved pathway) |
Thurston
Lava Tube is lit and easy to walk
through. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The lower
end of Thurston cave is undeveloped,
but can be be explored for several
hundred feet |
Kaumana Cave
near Hilo formed during an 1881-82
flow. It is developed as a state
park |
The
entrance to the upper Kaumana cave
near Hilo. It looks a lot older than
130 years |
The tube can
be explored for 3,000 feet |
Kaumana
Cave, outside of Hilo, Hawaii |
Secret: This
is how geologists find lava tubes... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lava
Tubes at Lava Beds National
Monument: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Skull Cave
at Lava Beds National Monument, the
highest and widest opening in the
park |
Skull Cave
at Lava Beds National Monument. The
cave has a paved trail and is easily
explored |
Descending
into Skull Cave at Lava Beds. Note
person for scale, lower center left |
Deep into
Skull Cave, note collapse debris on
cave floor. |
Icicle in
Skull Cave. Cold winter air sinks
into the cave in winter and never
warms up |
Icicles in
Skull Cave |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Ice floor in
Skull Cave at Lava Beds. Some of
this ice has been melting in recent
years |
Tickner Cave
near Lava Beds National Monument.
Skylights and rolls visible |
Tickner
Cave near Lava Beds National
Monument. Skylights visible |
Tickner Cave
near Lava Beds National Monument |
Entrance to
Tickner Cave near Lava Beds National
Monument |
Lava bridge
in Tickner Cave near Lava Beds
National Monument |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tickner Cave
near Lava Beds National Monument |
Skylight in
Tickner Cave near Lava Beds National
Monument |
Heppe Cave
near source of Lava Beds lavas. This
huge opening is on the master tube
system |
Pool in
Heppe Cave. Most water at Lava Beds
sinks into the ground. This pool may
be the only exposed water in the
park |
Pool in
Heppe Cave, 2007. The water may be
blocked by ice. The pool was gone in
2009 |
Opening at
Heppe Cave. Talus boulders are the
size of cars |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Entrance to
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds National
Monument |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds with
"bathtub rings" |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds with
"bathtub rings" |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
Long
exposure Passage in Valentine Cave
at Lava Beds |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds with
"bathtub rings" |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
Lava
drippings on wall of Valentine Cave |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
Passage in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lavacicles
form as lava drips from the ceiling
(or melts) |
Lavacicles |
Lavacicles |
Lavacicles |
Flow
terraces in Valentine Cave at Lava
Beds |
Flow
terraces form as the lava starts to
drain out of the tube |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"Ghosts" in
Valentine Cave at Lava Beds |
Valentine
Cave passageway |
Lavacicles
in Catacombs Cave |
Lavacicles
in Catacombs Cave |
Lavacicles
in Catacombs Cave at Lava Beds |
Mushpot
Cave, the only lit cave in Lava Beds
- it even has a small auditorium |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Big Painted
Cave at Lava Beds National Monument |
Big Painted
Cave at Lava Beds. The cave is noted
for ancient pictographs |
Pictographs
in Big Painted Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
Pictographs
in Big Painted Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
Pictographs
in Big Painted Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
Pictographs
in Big Painted Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Fern Cave at
Lava Beds National Monument in
northern California |
Entrance
ladder at Fern Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
Fern Cave
at Lava Beds. The ferns are native
to the southern Cascades, not this
semiarid desert |
Fern Cave at
Lava Beds. Vandals had nearly
carried off all the ferns before the
cave was protected |
Fern Cave at
Lava Beds. There are pictographs in
the cave and it has spiritual
significance to the Modoc People |
Entrance
gate at Fern Cave at Lava Beds
National Monument |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Junction
Cave at El Malpais National
Monument, New Mexico |
Junction
Cave is just a few hundred yards
from the continental divide |
Junction
Cave at El Malpais National Monument |
Junction
Cave at El Malpais National Monument |
Back to
Volcanoes
Page |
|
|
|
|