Roadside Geology of Hawaii

by Donald W. Hyndman and Richard W. Hazlett

Book Overview

Roadside Geology of Hawai i details the evolution of this volcanic island chain, from the origin of a hot spot and the tumultuous creation of each island to ongoing eruptions and the gradual death and erosion of old volcanoes. Residents and tourists alike will soon become experts on lava tubes and lava flows, ancient beaches and coral reefs, ephemeral black sand beaches and the occasional tsunami. Includes a chapter each on six easily accessible...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0878423443
• ISBN13: 9780878423446
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Mountain Press
• Length: 307 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A must for people interested in geology

I love this series, and this one did not disappoint me. In case you are interested in geology and you are going to Hawaii, I can really recommend this one. And who doesn't want to know more about the geology of these islands, especially when you go to the Big Island and visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The only improvement I can recommend is to have clearer maps with clearer indications of points of interest.

Wonderful for a novice like me

I am fascinated with all things Hawaii, particularly the geological features, the volcanoes, etc. I love thinking about how they form, and how in such a short time in the planet's history, they will disappear forever. I know very little about geology, having never taken a course on it in college or reading any books about it. I found this incredibly interesting, understandable, and comprehensive. I've also found some new places to go and can't wait to bring the book with me on my next trip. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars are that the pictures, which are very useful, would be more useful if they were in color.

A must for "what is it?" people visiting Hawaii

On my first visit to the islands, I realized that everything you see evolved from the lava that's usually associated with visits to the Big Island. But each of the islands had the same fiery volcanic past - and it's often very hidden amongst the magnificient landscapes that we all see. What makes black sand? Why is the dirt red? Why is Molokai rectangular? Why is Haleakala Crater so colorful? These and so many other questions are answered in chapters of general informaiton as well as a tour format using popular highways and byways. This edition (the others in the series are superb as well) does a great job of describing what you're seeing in the widely varied landscapes of the Hawaiian Islands. The author describes the natural history of the elements of the island seen as you drive about, mostly describing the landmasses from a geologic perspective. If you have the slighest interest in how the islands were formed and how they evolved into what you see today, make sure you have this book before you leave. It's very readable, there's no need to have a geology background!

tourism at its best

I love this book. I learned about different types of lava, I can impress my girlfriend with my geological knowledge while we vacation. It is a guide book which will help you at specific locations to identify the geology you are looking at. The beginning gives a good explanation of the general geological principles which apply to Hawaii: volcanology and plate techtonics.

Used for Hiking and Backyard Oahu Research!

I'm no vulcanologist! But the information in this book is as detailed as the lay person is comfortable with. Excellent, extremely informative, I learned a lot about Hawaii's geology through this book. As an avid hiker and the webmaster for Backyard Oahu, I frequented its pages to help me understand and explain some of Oahu's geography and specific trail geology. It is, however, limited to the "roadside" - so it doesn't go into great depth as would pertain to someone hiking far into the mountains. But, the overall information is detailed enough to provide an adequate understanding of how the island(s) were formed and why they look the way they do today! Backyard Oahu highly recommends this book!