Series: 52 Episodes

Program Length: half-hour (23:31 min)

Program Description:

Two thousand years ago, a volcano erupted. What remains today is a 600 square mile lava field - a river of lava frozen in time - and there's plenty for naturalist Sue Ellen to explore: strange shapes created by the lava, the "blue dragon", caves and tunnels. She also explores the succession of life that has gradually colonized this bleak and harsh environment. And there are birds too; she goes for a morning census study with a birder who can pick out many different bird songs. She also meets a descendant of some local-area settlers who tells of the particularly treacherous part of the old Oregon trail that traversed this area.