Waimangu

Another excursion I took was about a 20 minute drive over rolling green hills dotted with cows, sheep and deer from Rotorua.  Wai-mangu is a lushly forested gorge and is the worlds youngest geothermal environment, the only one created during written history.  If you click on the photo below you can read about how this area was created in the 1800's by huge volcanic eruption.

This is a silver fern frond, the silver fern is a national symbol for New Zealand and you see these beautiful trees everywhere.

The Echo Crater was filled with deep blue green water. The water has clouds of steam constantly moving  and making patterns across the surface.

This fast moving stream flowing from the crater lake and winding through the area looked very hot, I didn't dare touch it. I felt the rocks along the edge and they were very warm.

 

These sinter terraces were formed by hot geothermal fluids cooling as they flow over the ground.

The air is so clean and as a result the trees are covered with lichen. I have such a fondness for lichen after my years living in Austin, TX.

It was so interesting seeing the variety in shapes and colors.