The newer part contains a limestone island, a bit of a respite, but soon hikers enter lava tubes of the Bandera Flow. The vegetation is sparse, the landscape stark black, with ropes, and odd sculptures flowed a thousand years ago. One can only imagine the smoke and fire that filled it once long ago. Sink holes, caves and pot holes appear without warning. While there's no elevation gain to speak of, it's a challenge from one end to the other, and well worth the effort.
Views are expansive, and the lava is wonderfully tubed, cracked, flowed, humped, pitted and sharp.
It's like tap dancing across a whole table covered with clattering dinner plates.