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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Parks [Edit]
PO Box 52Volcano, HI 96718
(808) 985-6000
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
52 reviews for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
There can't be that many parks where you can get up close and personal with an active volcano for $10. Don't miss this if you're in Hawaii and have a chance to go to Big Island. If you only have a day, you can definitely see the key highlights in the park.
Our favorite was the hike on the Kilauea Iki trail. It takes you from lush, cool tropical rain forest down across a lava lake that filled the bottom of the crater 60 years ago and back up again. As you descend towards the crater, the air gets thicker with humidity and it gets warmer. The jacket or pullover you had on when you started now seems like a bad idea. The colorful vegetation is amazing, and full of singing birds.
I'd never seen anything like this. The walk across the still-cooling lava lake is like visiting another planet. The strange, porous black rock rolls like the ocean in a storm, with broken pieces jutting up and bright bushes and flowers struggling to break through. A few hundred feet down, the lava is apparently still cooling, so you can get mini-steam baths when it rains as the water evaporates and escapes to the surface.
If you're only here for a day, this is the hike you should do. You'll want sturdy shoes and a rain jacket, though it can also be warm on the crater floor. It's about 4 miles total with a steep climb on the way out of the crater if you walk counter-clockwise. The trail across the crater is marked with rock cairns, so keep an eye out for those.
We also visited the Thorston Lava Tubes, though we should have remembered to bring a flashlight for that. The main section has enough light and is safe enough that all the tour bus tourists can trundle through. The continuation is unlit and narrow, so remember your flashlight.
The overlook of the main crater is impressive, and just a few minutes drive up in to the park behind the Jagger Museum. At the moment, you can't hike in to it since it's busy spewing lots of sulfur in to the air. Don't linger too long up there - it smells and will give you a headache. There's no lava to be seen here for the moment. The museum is ok, but crowded.
Tip: To see actual flowing lava, drive out of the park, head towards Hilo and then south past Pahoa to Kupaahu, the remnants of a town that was mostly devastated by a volcanic eruption. Some houses still remain amidst old lava flows. At 5:00pm, they open up the road that leads to an overlook. You have to walk a little over half a mile across an old lava flow from the parking lot (where vendors have set up a small market to sell you trinkets and the flashlight you forgot), and then back in the dark, but it's worth it - you can see lava crashing in to the ocean, glowing at night, and on the walk back you can see the still-active lava flows up on the hills a mile or two away.
The sight of the Kilauea Volcano spreading before you is akin to seeing the Grand Canyon, albeit on a smaller scale.
The three hour hike through the Kiluea Iki Caldera is worth your time, not just for the thrill of being in a steamy crater, but also for the rain forests on the rim. Thorston Lava Tube is a bit dull if you have explored lava tubes elsewhere: it is surrounded, on the other hand, by a majestic rain forest where you can see rare representatives of the local bird life sipping on the hairy red blossoms of the trees.
Go out of your way to see this.
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Put on your hiking boots, a hat, a camera, and bring some water. Do not hike these trails in flip flops... you stand warned! I witnessed others attempting this - and it's not pretty. I totally recommend doing the Klauea Iki trail counter clockwise - it's a fairly steep descent, but climbing back out of the crater is much more gradual. This is especially nice, since walking through the crater itself can be very hot since you are totally exposed to the sun, and the surface temperature is also quite warm. If it rains - the steam seeping out of the cracks gives you a sauna treatment! So a nice gradual ascent through a shady rain forest is the preferred way!
The Vog bothered my sinuses a little bit - but only at the Visitor Center... once on the Klauea Iki hike, it was fine!
It is so beautiful. Such an amazing place to be. Photos do not do this park justice - just go and check it out.
After the hike, we checked out the Thurston Lava Tube. It's cold and damp in there - but fascinating! Bring headlamps and/or flashlights so you can explore deeper into the tube. For fun, we turned out our lights for a second - to experience total darkness. Very eerie!
Check it out!
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This place was definitely very cool. Try to go on some guided tours if you can because the tour guides know so much and everything becomes a lot more interesting. For example, none of the ginger plants on the Big Island are native, but considered annoyances so the Island tries to control their growth. We want on the Devastation hike with Ranger Ed, who is adorable and funny! He shared a lot about the history of the craters and volcano. Also, he pointed out the plants that were growing through the lava rocks.
We later went on the Kilauea Iki hike and Thurston Lava Tube. I recommend the Kilauea Iki hike because you don't get the chance to walk through craters that often. The Thurston Laval Tube was cool, but not as impressive as the ones at Lassen Volcanic Park in California.
Finally, we did the Kilauea Lava Flow hike at night. The view isn't that nice at the end of the hike so a boat trip might be worth it if you really want to get a close view. However, I was satisfied and enjoyed seeing the smoke and red lava from afar.
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This is a "must see" on your trip to the Big Island. We were staying in Kona, and this was quite a drive so we didn't get to enjoy all the sites. If we were to do our trip over again we'd stay in Hilo or even at one of the lodges in the park so we could do more exploring. A lot of the park was not accessible due to harmful gases. We were able to enjoy the Thurston Lava tube (this was awesome and pre-lit) the steam chambers and Kiluaea Crater.
During our visit flowing lava was off-site at the end of Chain of Craters road and viewable between 5 and 9 p.m. Unfortunately since we had a little one in tow and had to make it back home we had to skip this.
The weather does tend to be cooler here and rain and clouds are usually present.
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This is a wonderful little national park and the price to enter, at $10, is well worth it. Just do yourself a favor and stick to the sightseeing, which is to say, make sure the sights can be seen before you go.
We met the merciless mist here and got some shots of the crater of Kilauea, we hiked the rim of Kilauea Iki, and we saw the steam vents and some other interesting sites.
Grab a brochure or two for free souvenirs and visit the visitor center to find out if the state of Hawaii is letting peiople close enough to the lava flows to enjoy them at all. Sometimes, everything is invisible dur to paranoia, and the rangers will let you know.
We saw plenty but should not have missed the lava tube, but did :( Don't make the same mistake, and bring flashlights!
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One word - - - Amazing.
You can see how Hawaiian islands were created by visiting visitor center or Jaggar Museum.
Museum is located looking down Halemaumau crater which exploded in March 2008.
Rangers usually hang around there to answer your questions.
They are full of knowledge, well trained and friendly, too!
You can walk or take helicopter to see brand *spanking* new creation of land!
MUST SEE!
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What a great experience! Definitely worth the drive down the hill to the sea. Crazy moonscape of lava. When we went the Halema'uma'u crater on Kilauea was spewing a huge cloud of sulphur gas that was impressive to see but also limited some of the driving and hiking options due to safety concerns.
(This gas cloud is pushed around the southern edge of the island by trade winds and up the Kona coast. Which makes this normally sunny area constantly overcast, and obscures the great ocean views--so if you're planning on staying in Kona for sun, check the volcano activity first.)
I love coming here when I visit Hawaii. There is nothing as awesome as watching new land being created, and to witness the effects of time and weather in reshaping the landscape. The drive around the park, the views, the changing landscape from area to area - moon surface to lush rain forest - it's amazing. This is a must see for anyone visiting the Big Island. Be sure to drive down the Chain of Craters road to the ocean to watch the flow coming down the mountain side. If you are lucky you may see the lava spilling out into the sea. This year we had to go to the end of Hwy 130, on the other side of the flow to see the lava going into the ocean. See next review!
Definitely a place to see. We were bummed that half of the road was closed due to the gases from the volcano - but what can ya do, right?!
It's an AMAZING sight.... wouldn't even think you were in Hawaii. Didn't get to see the lava flow... but what we did see was great.
If you go to visit the Big Island, you have to go to Volcanoes National Park. Be sure to bring some flashlights and perhaps a light coat as you can only see the magma at night. If you go during the day, there's still plenty to see as the volcanoes are still active.
Bring sandwiches or snacks because there's not really any quality food choices around here.
This was the one place I was super excited to visit during my last trip to the Big Island.
The park offers a variety of places to visit and things to do. We started off at the Kilauea visitor's center, which was just alright. We were warned about the dangerously rising levels of sulfur in the area, learned basic info and history about the volcano, and took a short guided tour to the rim of the crater. Actually from what we learned on our hike, it's a caldera, which we couldn't really see anyways... stupid fog!
Next we visited the lava tube. That will last you about 5 min of thrills. Ok well it's not exactly thrilling, but it's pretty cool to walk though. It's tucked away in some cool rainforesty foliage so it's a nice place to stop by.
Steam vents were next. Now that was cool. You can just hop out of the car on the side of the road to see them. Stick your face over one and you'll feel like you've stepped into a sauna.
Our next stop was the Jaggar Museum. It's location offers some pretty cool views... if there's no fog. Since there was fog, we went straight inside to be faced with bus loads of Japanese tourists. The museum is alright. It's sorta small though, and the massive amounts of tourists made it that much harder to see most displays. At that point I really just wanted to see some freakin lava!
So off we were, to see the lava flow! We drove, parked, and hiked down to the shore. After anxiously awaiting the moment to see red hot oozing lava, we had finally made it to the shore! And the view we saw was.... steam?! Yes, in the near distance all we saw was steam. Lots and lots of steam. So, we didn't see lava. Boo. I guess not many people can say they stood close to a lava flow and saw lava steam, but man... I wanted to see the red oozing stuff! Oh well... I stood there, took in the steamy view, and got hit by a sudden rush of pouring rain, which was our sign to head back.
By the time I made it to the car, I was completely drenched and a bit disappointed. Oh well, I was closer to lava than most people can say and certainly closer than I had ever been before. If you decide to visit, make sure you wear close toed shoes, bring an umbrella, flashlight, and jacket, and don't set super high expectations. Ok so I didn't see lava, but I would still recommend this place to visitors nonetheless.
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Primordial ooze gushing from the open wound of Earth's most active volcano, we see how life, energy, fire and creation combine in one of the most extraordinary national parks.
Steam rises defiant. Formidable clouds look sternly down at measly humanity.
There are few places in the world that are truly humbling. This is one of them.
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wow neato! Lava flowing!!!
Just took some time to watch the earth get made - it was awesome! seriously!! This part of the island tho is very wet, and I regretted not having an umbrella with me. The jungle is lush and fern-y and lots of hikes led by the park staff. I love that!
The movie was made in the 70s probobly but is super informational and interesting, highly reccomend that part.
The best part was going down in elevation to see the steam vents and the lava flowing in the ocean. Pele Rocks are sharp and jaggedy and very glass like - I fell on them so I know (and am now the proud owner of some pretty fresh scars on the legs).
We walked through the park and then flew over it to get pictures. It's a beautuful place and even nore beautiul from the air. It did make me a little nervous because when we were there last summer there was a part of the park roped off due to some kind of dangerous chemical emmissions. I think it just bothered me because I was pregnant and everything freaked me out at that time. Going through the lava tubes was very kool.
Wowowee this place is just not to be missed.
How often do you get to park your car on an active shield volcano? The park is just incredible because conditions literally change each and every day. As of when I visited, August 2008, much of the park around the gigantic main crater was closed due to the toxic gasses currently being released by the volcano. If you visit Kilauea Iki, the smaller crater, you can see the plume of smoke in the distance.
Kilauea Iki was absolutely incredible. There's a trail that winds about the rim of the 800 foot deep crater, and it eventually descends to the crater floor and traverses it from end to end. The crater itself is still hot to the touch, even though it last erupted nearly 50 years ago. According to the sign in the parking lot it took nearly 35 years to cool, and only in the last several years has it be safe to walk inside. What a surreal experience to walk on lava that was liquid and flowing within your parents life time.
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It was worth the 2.5 hr drive from Kailua Kona to check out this amazing national park. We got in first thing in the morning, I think around 9am and checked out the visitor's center, talked to the park rangers about the current conditions, lava viewing, etc. Then, we went on a 3 hour hike, the Kiluaea Hike (description in a separate review). Then, we ate lunch at the trailhead for the thurston lava tube before doing a 1 hour exploration of the Thurston Lava tube (also in a separate review). Then, we drove Crater Rim Drive and checked out different steam vents as well as the currently active volcano. Then, we headed out to the lava viewing, which opens up at 5p, and it's about a 2 hour drive to get to the lava viewing from the park.
Great hiking...definitely try and sign-up for the Pua Po'o Lava Tube hike...only 12 people are allowed on the hike and it's on wednesday's at 12:30. A ranger and a volunteer takes individuals into a secret lava tube that's not open to the public, it's a four hour hike, covers about 4 miles total. To sign-up for the hike, you have to call the Visitors Center the Wednesday before...starting at 7:45 AM....it gets filled up really quickly. Good write-up on the hike in Lonely Planet Big Island...the latest edition.
It's open 24 hours a day, and $10 to get in...really cool and worth the drive over. We saw craters, the thurston lava tube, where the 1974 lava flow went...it is just awesome. The weather felt a little more chilly than the rest of the island (66 degrees at some places), so bring a light jacket at night. Totally worth the drive and $10 is so cheap!
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Volcanoes National Park should be on your list of "Things to do before I die or am incapacitated". Though it has been several years since I have visited this National Park, it will forever stay in my memory.
Upon entering the park, stopped by the Visitor Center to get bearing and see if the lava was flowing. Started the day by hiking the Kilauea Iki trail which is a moderately difficult 4 mile loop. You walk around the rim of the crater. The vistas are spectacular. Then you descend and cross the crater floor. The temperature goes up now that you right out in the open and all the activity steam vents.
From there a quick jog over to the Thurston lava tube. **Bring a flashlight so you can go into the gated off area** Then cruised down Chain of Craters road, stopping once in a while.
Finally came to the grand finale:
At the end of Chain of Crater's is a shack with people just pulled on the side of the road. You know you are there because old lava flow blocks the way. In the distance are large steam plumes from lava pouring into the ocean. Inside the shack are warning about people dying as they trekked out to the lava flows. Throw caution to the wind and start walking. When I was there it was 5.5 miles one way. Try to time it so you get to the flow at dusk. I got there at dusk downwind from the lava flow. Since the view of the flow was obscured, trekked over to the flow to the upwind side. Sat about 20 feet from the edge of the ledge and enjoyed the scene as the sun went down. It was amazing to see the lava pouring out of the rock and exploding in the surf, blossoming like orange flowers in the waves.
Caution:
Let me comment about walking out to the lava flow:
1) It is a moderately difficult hike if fresh, there is no trail and the footing can be sketchy.
2) Temperature shifts to hot during the day to freezing and rainy at night.
3) Bring plenty of water, snack, jacket, and usual hiking gear.
4) There are no lights where you park so remember where that is.
5) Do not go near the ledge, they are prone to giving away and then you get boiled alive.
6) Do not stand in the steam cloud. Superheated lava + sea water = vaporized hydrochloric acid. Won't burn your clothes off but will irritate your breathing.
Regardless this is an amazing experience on multiple levels. It is definitely worth it but be safe and prepare ahead.
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"" Hey I don't know
I don't know
I don't know where Imma gonna go when the Volcano blows ""
The coolest thing about even coming here is that you're driving in a volcano!
Kilauea just started erupting in March ....the first time since 1982 & it's still going strong. Huge ashy plume rises from the crater within Halema`uma`u at the summit of Kilauea - SUPER COOL!
Unfortunately though, this also caused the Park to close off access to the rest of the Park for safety reasons......but we could head over to Jagger Museum to get a more up close view of the eruption & see the expansive valley that IS the volcano
Also got to see the Thurston Lava Tube & walk through - another cool concept to be walking IN a cooled tube of lava
While in the Visitor Center, see a little movie about the eruptions & lava flows. Did you know there are 2 kinds of hardening lava? A'a is the broken-up rocky kind of lava & Pahoehoe is the smooth, wrinkly hardened lava
Also be sure to talk to the *hawt* Park Ranger to learn about access to see the flowing lava - outside park boundaries but he'll gladly give you a map
$10 gets you acces to the Park for a week - located at mile marker 28 on Hwy 11
Can't wait to come back once full park access is back open!
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This national park has it together. The park admission is less than I expected (likely due to the volume of visitors) and has some serious pissed off momma nature to show you.
The trails are well maintained, have nice benches in thoughtful locations (like if you just went up a couple of hundred feet up) and aren't too crazy about limitations.
Pro tip: Bring a flashlight to explore the end of the lava tube walk. You can go further into the darkness when all of the tourists go back up the path.
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What a sight, I dreaded the long drive to the Volcano and told myself that I would only chill on the beach but seeing the huge pillar of smoke come out of the Volcano is sight to see. I wish we wore the required shoes and had flashlights to see the actual lava flow at night. You literally have to stay in the Hilo area in order to see the flow since it starts at 10:00pm and requires a 1/2 mile hike to see the point.
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Great place to go! I've been there during the day and at night fall! I have to say that the evening walk was thrilling! Highly recommended!
Bring a flash light if you want to explore the other tunnel which does not have any lights during the day...
Simply put day or night this place is beautiful and one that should not be missed!
Entrance fee to the park is $10 per car.
This is one of the way coolest national parks. As a sort of lazy outdoorsperson, I love that you can drive to all the cool spots and get out of the car see amazing things. With flowing lava you don't really want to get that close anyway. Highlights are the Thurston Lava Tube, the hike through the smaller caldera, and Volcano House, where you step out of the back of the cheesiest gift shop ever onto a terrace that is at the edge of the big crater. It is SO cool. There's a great hike that you can take through the smaller crater that seems easy enough and pretty safe. Note that areas in the park can be closed depending on volcanic activity. This is a great place to go on a day trip to if you're staying in Kona (it's on the Hilo side) - it's only a 2.5 hour drive.
Come here for a unique experience to learn about the history of the Hawaiian Islands. As you'll read elsewhere, there are various highlights throughout the park that are accessible by car and even those that require a short hikes. My recent trips to the area have been to visit the new lava flows (newest is outside the park, out near the town of Kalapana) - come at dusk to see the lava flow, daytime visits are limited to seeing rising steam. While evening trips require flashlights, the red/orange glow creates a surreal experience - the glow reflects off the water and also shimmers on the rising steam. Stay late and you'll have a more peaceful visit as most people leave by 8-9pm.
Note: Day trips to this park and lava flows from Kona or the Kohala Coast will be tough long day. I recommend spending one night in the Volcano or Hilo area.
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I've looked over the other reviews and in the interest of restoring balance to review universe, I'm going to rate the Park an even 3 stars. Overall the visit was fine, but my fellow Bears and I weren't completely lovin' it.
Pros --
it's rare that one is able to visit an active volcano, and even rarer to pay only $10 per vehicle for an entrance fee.
the park restrooms at the main visitor center are clean and comfortable.
the park maps are solid and useful.
the steam vents are interesting, but be sure not to stick your face into them as the steam is HOT
the museum is educational and worth perusal
the lava tube is cool to see, and tucked beneath a rain forest (bring a flashlight as others recommend to tote into the additional few hundred meter stretch of the Thurston lava tube, and for night hiking)
Cons
it rains an awful lot around there as east side of Hawaii is basically a rain forest and I think Hilo is one of the wettest cities on the planet; that means very low visibility in general and few opportunities for vista views
if you plan on doing lots of hiking and want to visit the active crater rims, be sure to call in advance and find out whether or not SO2 is pluming all over the rock and how much of the Park is closed. When we went, the majority of the roads were closed.
if you stay in Kona or thereabouts, the drive is long, between 2 and 3 hours, and is a single lane highway the entire route. Fun for some, but tiring for the L.A. Bears as they like to avoid traffic congestion on their vacations. Maybe consider a helicopter tour to save time?
there is virtually nowhere to eat between the Park and back toward Kona past 9pm. I'm sure some islanders will disagree, but we weren't equipped with a nav system or mobile Yelp unit to help us out of the late dinner quandary. Consider staying in Hilo or visiting Hilo (30 mins away) for dinner if you visit the volcano all day (and before driving back to Kona)
Overall, it just wasn't all that thrilling. Granted, it's fascinating to think about how Hawaii developed over time, and how it has like 11 micro climates, snow capped peaks in the winter, a dry west coast and a rainy east coast, green and black sand beaches, etc.; and all because of volcanoes that sprang from the sea, some of which are still active and expanding the Island's frontier. However, you can read all about this in your hotel room's magazine while you are sitting on the can, and if you feel like doing nothing other than hitting the beach and catching some surf, definitely do not feel like you are "missing out" on a trip to the Volcano National Park.
This place is magical.
if you like natural stuff; you will find super heated spouts, surreal terrain. the time I was there , just looking out over the crater, I turned to my cuz' and said : wouldn't it be wild to see a rainbow over the crater? when I turned around, I saw the rainbow, in all its glory. Amazing. I will attach a picture soon.
I heard the trek down to the crater bottom brings you to a rain forest, then thru a desert. If you can, spend a couple night in the Volcano House, a super cool hotel,restaurant, observation area built , literally on the edge of the volcano.
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Volcanos National Park is a very cool National Park
They have plenty of hikes to walk, very informative people at the visitor's center, and a winery just next to the park. (What more could you want?) We decided to do the hike that was around the small crater...the hike was excellent...not too easy and not too hard. You get to walk through very green and lush rainforests and you also feel like you are walking on the moon when you reach the crater...steam vents surrounding you, plant life growing around harden black lava...a very interesting sight to see...the hike only took about 2 hours and it was about a 4 mile loop...I forgot the name of the hike but it's one of the most popular hike there. We unfortunately did not get to see hot red lava as the site was too far and we did not have enough time...if you ever get to visit the Big Island you should definitely stop by Volcanoes National Park..definitely a sight you don't see every day!!!
I don't hike, camp, bike, or any of those outdoorsy things. So my optimal visit to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park would be to traverse Crater Rim Drive in my car, while making a few stops for sightseeing and taking pictures. However, the Thurston Lava Tube and Devastation Trail are easy walks with excellent rewards for those who don't mix with hiking.
The lava tube is an incredible natural formation, much larger than you'd expect to form without a tunnel-boring machine. You'll see water dripping from the "ceiling" of the lava tube, and lush ferns growing out of the lava. The Devastation Trail is a white boardwalk across a lava field. This is a great place to see Pele's tears and Pele's hair, two different natural forms of lava from a typical eruption.
Along Crater Rim Drive, you can stop at several lookouts to view Kilauea Iki. This deep crater is the location of a 1959 eruption. The crater is far deeper and wider than most expect to see. Adventurous people can hike across Kilauea Iki, which is about a four-mile trail. This isn't an easy hike, though, as there's a steep grade down into the crater and back up out of the crater. Crater Rim Drive will also take you past some steam vents, which have always been my favorite part of the Park. I like the eerie yellow color of the sulfur, and the warmth of the steam coming out of the ground is nice on a cold, rainy day (which there are many of at the Park).
Also an excellent adventure at the Park is to take Chain of Craters road until it ends. Depending on the flow of lava at the time, you may be able to hike across the lava fields to see the glowing lava flowing into the ocean. I suggest going in the late afternoon, as dusk is the best time to see the lava glow. Lava flow viewing is not permitted after sunset.
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The hike before nightfall, we did not. Do I regret it? Of course, but it's definitely on the itinerary for my next visit.
We did do the 11-mile drive. For $10/car, you have unlimited visits to the park for a week. Sounds like a good deal, right? Well, unless you plan to do a lot of hiking, you're most likely going to visit just for a day. The 11-mile drive is super easy and fast if you have other activities to jam pack.
I'll cross my fingers that lava will still be flowing and Madam Pele is alive and well.
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Going here is literally a breathtaking experience. I spent a day here and my dad drug my out-of-shape self on all sorts of hikes...through a volcano crater with steam vents, up sandy hills where you take two steps forward and fall two steps back, across lava fields, and out to hot lava, where I got to poke the hot orangy stuff with a stick and have it come ablaze...seeing the sheer power of what the earth is capable of is really awe inspiring and quite an eye opener here...I am especially fond of all the warning signs and respiratory hazards this place has to offer. Hawaii volacno national park will really make you appreciate the beauty of mother nature and give you a stern reminder: you just dont EFF with her..
This place is not to be missed on a trip to the big island. I'm not sure many other reasons why you would go considering this is one BIG island, with not a whole heck of a lot to do...snorkeling, drinking, relaxing...give your lazy big city booty a run for its money.
Where else but in Hawaii would you have a drive-thru volcano? Lots of activities and you'll learn lots about geology, physical geography and volcanos in particular if you come here.
Everything everyone else said too....
What an INCREDIBLE place. If you ever head to the Big Island, make sure you save a couple days to explore Volcanoes National Park.
At first glance, one might think of the strange scenery as being a mere moonscape... dark, rocky and lifeless. But look closer and you'll notice the plumes of steam rising up from cracks and holes in the cooled lava, sulphur stains and stripes of minerals laden in the rock, tenacious plants forcing their way through the stone up toward the sky, lava creeping down the hillside pouring into the sea and creating new earth in the process.
If you have the time and stamina to head out toward the lava flow, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to make it out and back (can be a couple hours or more each direction) safely (the terrain can be pretty treacherous), wear gloves on your hands because the lava rock is sharp and glass-like and can shred your skin if you slip, wear hiking boots or shoes that cover your toes (for reasons mentioned above), bring PLENTY of water (... lava is flowing under the rock that you're standing on ... naturally, it's HOT here!!), bring a heavy duty flashlight and spare batteries (if the flashlight dies when you're out there, you're basically screwed if you don't have backup).
Really, it's a miraculous place that I feel very lucky for having experienced. Go there if you can.
I've posted some pictures for your viewing pleasure...
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This is the most amazing park I've ever visited. From the Chain of Craters Road to the Thurston Lava Tube, this park helped put a lot of context around nature's development of the Big Island. The topography of the park can change in just a few minutes too. Lush and green at one site, the terrain could suddenly be a mix of black and gray the next.
It was also amazing to see volcanic activity in action. My husband and I went back to the park to see the lava flow at night. You can pick up the "trail" to the live lava flow at the end of the Chain of Craters Road, where you'll see hardened lava crossing the road. Just follow the yellow markers. The trails are rocky --- be sure to wear decent walking shoes (no flip flops or sandals) and take a flash light!!! (We picked up two at an ABC Store) The night we were there the rangers were looking for an ill-prepared party who had set out hours beforehand and gotten themselves lost.
I don't recommend this hike for children or adults with health problems.
For more information visit:
http://www.hawaii.volc.../
Amazing, amazing place. We weren't able to get up to the active lava flow, but it was so incredible nonetheless.
Saw some double rainbows while we were out there, too. Definitely go here if you're on the Big Island.
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I don't know how you can possibly go to the Big Island without going to VNP. I don't even know how you could really go to Hawaii at all without going there! Its unlike any other place on earth.
Amazing views of the incredible craters, canyons, lava fields, etc. Make sure to stock up on water though, it's hot for these hikes. We liked heading out over the lava to the petroglyph fields but it gets H-O-T out there so be careful. Some hints we didn't know- If you bring a flashlight, you can explore the inside of the underground lava tubes. Also, if you go at night and don't mind the 30 min hike, you may be get close to where the lava flow hits the ocean and it glows red. However, its best to check the website for updates because they often close that part of the park. The weekend before we went, a huge chunk broke off into the ocean!
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when you arrive on the Big Island, you should have several goals and a handful of mandatory stops.
------------ bruddahs and sistas, this must be at the very top-------------
the nature and magnificence of the very island is captured here.
you hike and drive to see the various aspects of the creation, existence and destruction aftermath of the volcanoes over the centuries.
feel the warmth of volcanic steam
walk through a cave created by lava flow
see incredible views of volcano creation that span the horizon
walk on black rock created by molten lava.
experience this place if you are on the island!
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Maybe everyone who gave them 5 stars actually got to see the lava flow...?
I was looking forward to going to the park and hoping to actually see the red hot lava flowing down, even if it was a trickle, but to no avail.
Hilo, as usual, was rainy and chilly for me. I forgot my sweater at the hotel in Waikoloa. I was so cold I would have probably bought an overpriced, ugly tourist-y sweatshirt with a gaudy volcano printed on it if the small shop they have sold one, but they didn't. I was left to suffer in the rain and cold chilly air.
We asked the park rangers how far the walk was and he responded with 1/2 a mile. We overheard another ranger tell another guest 1 mile. Neither seemed like a hard distance, so we figured we'd go, we don't visit the volcano regularly after all.
Nothing seemed very impressive. It was cool to look at the lava tube. But that lasted 5 minutes. Then making your way down Crater Road seemed exciting at first, but after the first few minutes of staring at nothing but road and lava rock desert it got old. And it's a 30 minute drive top to bottom.
We made it to the bottom and began our hike out. I don't know why the park doesn't let you park closer to the actual place you need to start hiking on the lava rock, but you need to walk about a half mile on the road before reaching the lava rocks. Then begins a tedious hike over deep grooves and cracks and bulges of lava formation. After another mile or more, and with the evening sky darkening dramatically in the time spent walking, we ask a couple of ladies who are walking back if they saw the lava. They said, "no" because it was over 2 miles away on unmarked territory of lava rock hiking. And it was getting dark.
Sadly, we turned around. Maybe if we had gotten there earlier and it wasn't so dark we could have made it, though 2+ miles of unmarked territory is pretty rough for some only-walks-on-fluffy-carpet type girls like us. Even with the sneakers we wore.
It's not a junk place to visit though. It is cheap to get in, $10/car including all of its passengers. Or $25 for an annual pass to all the parks in the islands, and that gets in a car full of passengers as well.
What we did get to see was neat. But we were just disappointed about the misguided information and the fact that we started out too late.
A park like no other. Where else can you see volcanic activity -- past and, if the lava flow is working with you, present -- up close? Even when the flow isn't visible by land (which means you'll have to take an aerial tour), the park's sights are unbelievable.
What amazed me most was how much the topography changed in the short, 11-mile ride around the rim. On some parts -- like near the steam vents -- it looks like Mordor. Then, on the other edge, lush rain forest covers the land. The Thurston lava tube lets you wander through a volcanic tunnel, while scenic overlooks provide grandiose views.
