Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube - Historical landmark in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - #52, USA

A very quick in and out experience to see the lava tube! It is very dim inside and a quick walk through. All of my photos were taken on a night time mode setting to capture the beauty. No lines or a wait time. Parking is limited in the front of the trail entrance.

A ten minute walk down to the lava tube was easy and paved(there are some stairs). The cave is about 1/4 mile long before an even easier walk back to the parking lot. A quick and unforgettable stop. (Park pass required. Costs $30 per week for all Hawaii parks access).

Nice experience. You do have to walk down a bit and take some stairs not ideal for someone with difficulty completing this type of task. Just make sure that you wear good walking shoes there are a lot of water puddles as you walk through and it's muddly. It is an interesting experience to see how large the lava tube is in diameter.

The lava tube is super cool to go walking through. It's lit up, but the visibility is decent to somewhat poor. Still very cool to see and the walk to it is absolutely beautiful. If it's busy, parking is a pain though.

Short paved walk through a lush forest to a natural lava tube. Other than the added lighting and stone safety markers, the tube is in really good shape and is something to see. The formation of the cave left it fairly smooth and straight-ish inside, it takes maybe a half hour tops to walk the whole trail and tube from start to finish, but can take much longer if you stop to enjoy all the sights. Amazing to think of how this was created, especially in context of the nearby active volcano. There are some uneven paved paths and stairs leading to the tube, so this isn't a quick walk if you're mobility is limited, but this isn't a difficult walk by any means. If you're not into nature or geology and bored by the rest of the park, this probably isn't going to save your day; it's less a cave and more a natural tunnel. Otherwise this is a highlight of the park and totally worth the short walk.

I've been here three times over the past 35 years and I have enjoyed it every time. It is very similar to walking through a cave and it is a nice break from the heat. Go first thing in the morning or late in the day because the parking is so limited it can be hard to find. There are more remote parking options if you like walking and the scenery on the way is very pleasant.

This was a fun little stop before our big hike down into the crater nearby. The cave is pretty short. It has lights in it, unlike many lava tubes I have been to.

I come from the great state of New Hampshire. I came to Hawaii for two days to experience the wonderful volcano park. I came to this cave at night and it was amazing. It gave liminal feelings since it was empty and no one was around. It was a surreal experience, but I enjoyed this cool lava tube c: