Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Want to see an active Hawaii volcano? One of the most interesting things to see and do while visiting the islands is to visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. Volcanoes National Park is ocated at the southern part of the island about 88 miles south of Kailua-Kona. To get there, take Hwy 11 south around the end of the island. You will come to the park entrance near mile marker 25. Open 24 hours a day, the cost to visit the Park is $10.00 per carload for a 3 day pass.

The Kilauea Visitor Center is open from 7:45 to 5 PM and provides scale models, information on park activities and current lava flows and movies on the history of the volcanoes located on the island. Unless you visit during the summer months, be sure to wear long pants and bring a jacket as the crater is located at 4,000 feet and can be brisk or even downright chilly during the winter months.

Park at the Visitor Center and after you have enjoyed the sights and information provided a the Visitor Center, walk across the path to Volcano House.  Here you can find lodging as well as a restaurant and snack bar. From the outside patio at Volcano House, you can take a peak inside the Kilauea Caldera at the Halema’uma’u Crater where one of the two current eruptions is taking place.  In all likelihood, all you will see here is just a plume of smoke so don’t expect to see a dramatic, fiery explosion like you see on the movies. Although vents can explode into the air on occasion, chances are this will not happen while you are viewing the caldera.

Once you have finished enjoying the caldera from this vantage point, take Crater Rim Road to the Jaggar Museum where you can get more info on Hawaii Volcanoes, see seismic equipment monitoring the earth’s crust and get a better view of the current caldera eruption from the Museum patio viewing area. The last time we were there, the road was closed just after this point but be sure to ask about whether or not you can proceed around the 11 mile Crater Rim Road when you go to the Visitor Center. Different parts of the park may be closed depending on the winds and fumes coming from the current flow.

You can also go east on Crater Rim road to see the Kilauea Iki crater. Be sure to stop off at the Thurston Lava Tubes for an interesting hike through a large and interesting lava tube. There are many day hikes that can also be taken in the park but again, be sure to check with the rangers at the Visitor Center for conditions and information before heading out on any park trails. To get to the current lava flow, take Hwy 130 to the end. Be sure to bring a flash light and wear long sleeves, pants since noxious fumes in the area can irritate your skin. To get a good vantage point, be sure to wear sturdy shoes as you will be walking out on old lava flows which can be hard to navigate under the best of conditions. Be careful while walking on the hardened lava. Watch your step especially after dark in these areas as it is easy to fall into a hole or twist your ankle here.