Kaumana Caves
Remember how I said there were plenty of lava tubes to explore even though the ones in the national park were closed? Kaumana Caves is one of these lava tubes! This lava tube was formed from a lava flow from a Mauna Loa eruption in 1881. There is a concrete stair case that leads down to the caves.
I was so proud of Reed. He was scared to go in the lava tubes. But he was brave and now says it was his favorite part of the trip! The caves are free to explore. There is no guided tour. Be sure to bring a flashlight and sturdy shoes. It is damp and cool so you may also consider wearing pants. The formations in the lava tubes are nothing like those in limestone caves. It’s so neat to see how the lava created these tubes. There are also mineral deposits throughout such as olivine crystal and gypsum.