Kilauea
Rising Smoke Cloud
— Hawaii Volcanoes National Park —
A caldera has likely existed at Kilauea’s summit for as long as has the volcano. Collapse occurred repeatedly as magma swelled the summit area and then drained rapidly through the flanking rift zones. Large fault blocks have formed here and at Uwekahuna Bluff as repeated collapse steepened the caldera walls.
Since the last major collapse, repeated overflows of Halemaumau and eruptions from the caldera floor have partially refilled the basin. Early Western explorers described a much different scene, with cliffs 900 feet high. Today cliffs are half that height, indication the pace of caldera filling during historic time.
(Inscription at the bottom of the image) Kilauea Caldera
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.
Location. 19° 25.771′ N, 155° 15.436′ W. Marker is in Volcano, Hawaii, in Hawaii County. Marker is on Crater Rim Drive. This marker is located at the Kilauea Visitor Center in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Crater Rim Drive, Volcano HI 96785, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Countless are the Accomplishments of Roosevelt's Trusty "Tree Army"
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 241 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 27, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.