If you can’t make it to Hawaii to see the effects of basaltic volcanism you might plan a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Central Idaho.
The barren landscape that gives the name to the area is the result of volcanic activity 15,000-2000 years ago, and was shaped by forces similar to those that shaped the Hawaiian islands.
Craters of the Moon is a part of what is called the Great Rift volcanic zone, a 50-mile-long corridor encompassing an area roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island. The area includes 60 lava flows and 25 volcanic cones.
A rift zone is an area where the Earth’s crust is being pulled apart, allowing magma to well up from below. The cause of the rifting is still a matter of study, but, as with the basalt eruptions of Hawaii, the cause may be a hot spot in the mantle beneath the North American continent.
P.S. In 1969 Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, Joe Engle and Eugene Cernan visited Craters of the Moon. They explored the lava landscape in order to learn the basics of volcanic geology in preparation for future trips to the moon.
P.P.S. “The Devil's Vomit" is how one pioneer described Craters of the Moon. In the 1850's and 1860's hundreds of pioneers traveled through the area along the Oregon trail.
Photo from the National Parks Service
If you are in the South West, the Valley of Fire near Carrizozo, New Mexico, is a great cheap Hawai'i alternative:
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