Photo:
Hermann Luyken / CC0
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a front-row seat to the raw creation of the Earth, home to Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, and Mauna Loa, the largest. Here you can walk across still-warm lava, peer into a glowing summit caldera, and watch new land being born, all within a park that also protects rainforest, sea cliffs and a living Hawaiian cultural landscape.
The park descends from the 13,000-foot heights of Mauna Loa across the summit of Kīlauea and its steaming caldera, through fern and ʻōhiʻa rainforest, over vast hardened lava flows, and down the Chain of Craters Road to sea cliffs where lava meets the ocean. It is a landscape in constant change, dotted with craters, lava tubes, steam vents and, at times, active eruption, and it holds sites of deep meaning in Hawaiian tradition.
The park is open year-round, and its weather varies more by elevation than by season, warm and often rainy in the rainforest, cooler and clearer up high. Volcanic activity, not the calendar, shapes a visit: an active eruption draws crowds (and possible closures), while quieter periods still offer craters, lava fields and glow after dark. Nights are excellent for stargazing.
The park sits on the Big Island via Highway 11, about 45 minutes from Hilo. Crater Rim Drive loops key overlooks and trailheads around the Kīlauea summit, and the Chain of Craters Road descends nearly 4,000 feet to the coast and its lava fields. A vehicle is essential; conditions and closures shift with volcanic activity, so check current status first.
Peer into the Kīlauea caldera from overlooks, walk through the Nāhuku (Thurston) lava tube, and hike across the crater floor of Kīlauea Iki or over the vast Chain of Craters lava flows to sea arches and petroglyphs. Ambitious, permitted backpackers climb toward the Mauna Loa summit, and after dark the caldera’s glow (when active) and the star-filled sky are unforgettable.
Volcanic gas, vog and sulfur dioxide, can be hazardous, especially for those with heart or breathing conditions, so heed air-quality warnings and closures. The ground can hide unstable crust, earth cracks and cliff edges near lava and the coast, so stay strictly on marked trails and behind barriers. Lava terrain is sharp and sun-baked, so wear sturdy shoes, carry water, and check eruption updates before you go.
A park pass is required, backcountry and Mauna Loa trips need permits, and eruption activity can close areas with little notice. Always check current volcanic and air-quality conditions before and during your visit. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; confirm current conditions, closures and permits with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
