Guided hike in Ka’u Desert

In honor of Volcano Awareness Month, the Hawaii Volcanoes Institute will present a guided geological hike in the Ka’u Desert in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

Join University of Hawaii at Hilo educational specialist Darcy Bevens for a four-mile round trip hike to explore features from Footprints Trail to Mauna Iki.

“At the Footprints trailhead, we will examine textural details of an ‘a’a lava flow,” said Bevens. “Once we descend to the sandy desert, we’ll view footprints fossilized in the muddy ash in 1790, plus discuss the accretionary lapilli found in ash layers nearby.”

“As we approach Mauna Iki, we will see a pahoehoe lava field with unusual secondary mineralization that results in beautiful surface patterns. From there, we’ll ascend Mauna Iki (little mountain) to explore a variety of volcanological features. If we’re lucky, we may come across beautiful Pele’s hair, wafted downwind in the plume of Halema’uma’u Crater,” she added.

Originally from Oahu, Bevens graduated with a B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado. She also has worked as an engineering geologist in Alaska and a writer for the Hawaii Natural History Association. For more than two decades, she has worked at the UH-Hilo Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes doing both administration and field work.

The hike is rated moderate, with four miles of hiking along hardened lava trails and a 100-foot elevation gain.

Be prepared for the base 3,000-foot elevation, as well as for variable weather conditions, including sunny and windy. Hikers should be in good condition, able to do without shade all morning in a remote, rugged area.

This event is presented by the Hawaii Volcanoes Institute, a program of the Friends of HVNP, a nonprofit organization. Program cost is $35 for Friends members and $50 for non-members. Students (K-12 and college with valid student ID) are half-price.

To register, call 985-7373 or visit www.fhvnp.org.