The following description of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is taken from the website:  

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitors Guide (explore-the-big-island.com)

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​Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the most popular attraction in Hawaii and should be considered a "must visit" on your tour of the Big Island.  The Park is like no other place on earth.

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The cornerstone of the Park is the active Kilauea Volcano. Imagine standing on the summit of the most active volcano on earth. Hike into Kilauea Iki, the volcanic crater which was recently a lake of oozing lava.  Witness steam vents, sulphur banks, lava tubes, historic lava flows, thick and lush rainforest, and raw coastline that continues to expand. 

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The entrance and the Kilauea Visitor Center are located on Highway 11, a little over two hours from Kailua-Kona and approximately 45 minutes from Hilo.  The Park is open 24 hours a day all year and it's free with your Senior Pass.  The focus of the park is, of course, the Kilauea Volcano, the general study of volcanoes, and the magnificent rainforest.

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Just past the entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the road to your left leads to the Kilauea Iki Overlook, Thurston Lava Tube, and Chain of Craters Road.  Keep that in mind for later, as we recommend continuing straight to the Visitor Center for a nice overview of the park, maps, current conditions, hiking trails, plus interesting exhibits highlighting various geological, environmental and historical features of the Big Island.  

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Steam Vents and Sulphur Banks

Less than a mile past the visitor center on the left is Steam Vents.  Stop here to witness how ground water seeps down through cracks in the surface lava, meets hot subsurface volcanic rock and returns to the surface as steam.  Looking around, note how void the area is of trees.  The ground only a few feet below the surface is too hot for trees to survive.

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Thurston Lava Tube

Heading back toward the Park entrance, turn right onto Crater Rim Drive right before the entrance station.  In a little over 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) you will come to Thurston Lava Tube on the left side of the road.

Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku) is a stunning example of a historic lava flow.  A lava tube is a sort of cave formed during an eruption when the thicker and slower moving lava flow on the surface cools and begins to form a hard outer shell.  After the faster moving lava underneath has passed through, what is left is a tunnel or tube.  Make a point of stopping here; it's an easy walk and well worth your time.

 

Chain of Craters Road

A couple of miles past the Thurston Lava Tube, Crater Rim Road meets Chain of Craters Road. Turn left and follow the road as it winds across a dramatic landscape of old lava flow and dry lava lake craters. Chain of Craters Road ends abruptly after 18 miles, along the coast near Holei Sea Arch where the lava flow from the Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent of the Kilauea Volcano crosses the road. 

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Kilaeua Iki Trail

Heading back toward the Park entrance, our favorite hike in the Park is the four mile Kilauea Iki loop.  This spectacular hike drops to the lava lake bed at the bottom of the massive Kilauea Iki crater, still steaming from activity far below the surface. 

 

Even if you aren’t up for a hike, stop at the Kilauea Iki overlook to enjoy the marvelous view of the crater, with Mauna Loa towering far in the distance.

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Mauna Ulu Trail

Mauna Ulu is another great place to explore, a few miles farther down Chain of Craters Road from Kilauea Iki.  This short hike brings you to the top of the Mauna Ulu volcanic cone, where one of the longest known rift zone eruptions of Kilauea took place between 1969 and 1974.​

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Volcano Village Restaurants

If you need gas or a snack before getting back on the road, the quaint village of Volcano, Hawaii is just 2 miles north. Check our Volcano Restaurants page for a list of area dining establishments.  Enjoy your visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park!​

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