Lava Tree State Monument

Lava Tree State Monument is a state park near Pahoa that displays hollow molds left when molten lava swept through a forest and hardened around the trees. These stone forms dot the landscape and mark where tree trunks once stood surrounded by burning lava.

In 1790 a major lava flow swept through the forested area and hardened around the standing trees, leaving them encased in cooled lava. This single volcanic event created the geological formations that remain visible across the site today.

The place shows how volcanic forces and the forest once coexisted, with the landscape shaped by their interaction over time. Visitors walking here experience what remains of that relationship between trees and fire, preserved in stone.

A short walking path of roughly 1 kilometer (0.7 miles) guides you through the main formations with shaded rest spots along the way. The trail is easy to navigate and restroom facilities plus picnic areas are available near the parking area.

The hollow molds preserve actual impressions of tree bark and surface texture that you can touch to feel the details. These natural casts show the exact shape each trunk had before heat consumed it, making the past tangible.