Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii (The Big Island)

Before tourism became the islands’ middle name, their singular attraction for visitors wasn’t the beach, but the volcano. From the world over, curious spectators gathered on the rim of Kilauea’s Halemaumau crater to see one of the greatest wonders of the globe. A century after it was named a national park in 1916, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (www.nps.gov/havo; [tel] 808/985-6000) remains the state’s premier natural attraction, home to two active volcanoes and one of only two World Heritage Sites in the islands.

At press time, lava that first struck the ocean in July 2016 was still coursing down the pali (cliffs) toward the sea, a dramatic sight accessible by a 10-mile round-trip hike from the park’s end of Chain of Craters Road (and a somewhat shorter walk from the county viewing area). While there’s never a guarantee you’ll see flowing lava from the ground (from a helicopter is another matter), the park is undeniably spectacular even without liquid rocks. Sadly, after driving about 100 miles from Kailua-Kona or 29 miles from Hilo, many visitors pause only briefly by the highlights along Crater Rim Drive before heading back to their hotels. To allow the majesty and mana (spiritual energy) of this special place to sink in, you should really take at least 3 days—and certainly 1 night—to explore the park, including its miles of trails.

Fortunately, the admission fee ($25 per vehicle, $12 per bicyclist or hiker) is good for 7 days. Be prepared for rain and bring a jacket, especially in winter, when it can be downright chilly at night, in the 40s or 50s (single digits to midteens Celsius). Note: For details on hiking and camping in the park, see our section on Active Pursuits.

This national park is a wilderness wonderland. Miles of trails not only lace the lava, but also cross deserts, rainforests, beaches, and, in winter, snow at 13,650 feet. Trail maps (highly recommended) are sold at park headquarters. Check conditions before you head out. Come prepared for sun, rain, and hard wind any time of year. Always wear sunscreen and bring plenty of drinking water.

Warning: If you have heart or respiratory problems or if you're pregnant, don't attempt any hike in the park; the fumes will bother you.

The Brute Force of the volcano

Volcanologists refer to Hawaiian volcanic eruptions as “quiet” eruptions because gases escape slowly instead of building up and exploding violently all at once. The Big Island’s eruptions produce slow-moving, oozing lava that generally provide excellent, safe viewing when they’re not in remote areas. Even so, Kilauea has still caused its share of destruction. Since the current eruption began on January 3, 1983, lava has covered more than 50 square miles of lowland and rainforest, ruining 215 homes and businesses, wiping out the pretty, black-sand beach of Kaimu, and burying other landmarks. Kilauea has also added more than 500 acres of new land on its southeastern shore. (Such land occasionally collapses under its own weight into the ocean—26 recently formed oceanfront acres slowly gave way on New Year’s Eve, 2016.) The most prominent vent of the eruption has been Puu Oo, a 760-foot-high cinder-and-spatter cone 10 miles east of Kilauea’s summit, in an off-limits natural reserve. Scientists are also keeping an eye on the active volcanoes of Mauna Loa, which has been swelling since its last eruption in 1984, and Hualalai, which hovers above Kailua-Kona and last erupted in 1801.

Crater Rim Drive

Kilauea Iki Trail The 4-mile loop trail begins 2 miles from the visitor center on Crater Rim Road, descends through a forest of ferns into still-fuming Kilauea Iki Crater, and then crosses the crater floor past the vent where a 1959 lava blast shot a fountain of fire 1,900 feet into the air for 36 days. Allow 2 hours for this fair-to-moderate hike, and look for white-tailed tropicbirds and Hawaiian hawks above you.

Devastation Trail Up on the rim of Kilauea Iki Crater, you can see what an erupting volcano did to a once-flourishing ohia forest. The scorched earth with its ghostly tree skeletons stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the lush forest. Everyone can take this 1-mile round-trip hike on a paved path across the eerie bed of black cinders. The trail head is on Crater Rim Road at Puu Puai Overlook.

Kipuka Puaulu (Bird Park) Trail This easy 1.2-mile round-trip hike lets you see native Hawaiian flora and fauna in a little oasis of living nature in a field of lava, known as a kīpuka. For some reason, the once red-hot lava skirted this mini-forest and let it survive. Go early in the morning or in the evening (or, even better, just after a rain) to see native birds like the [‘]apapane (a small, bright-red bird with black wings and tail) and the ‘i‘iwi (larger and orange-vermilion colored, with a curved salmon-hued bill). Native trees along the trail include giant ohia, koa, soapberry, kolea, and mamane.

Puu Huluhulu This moderate 3-mile round-trip to the summit of a cinder cone (which shares its name with the one on Saddle Road, described above) crosses lava flows from 1973 and 1974, lava tree molds, and kīpuka. At the top is a panoramic vista of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, the coastline, and the often steaming vent of Puu Oo. The trail head is in the Mauna Ulu parking area on Chain of Craters Road, 8 miles from the visitor center. (Sulfur fumes can be stronger here than on other trails.)

At the end of Chain of Craters Road, a 1.25 mile stretch of pavement leads to the 8-mile emergency access gravel road to Kalapana, overrun midway by a 2016 lava flow; the first few miles have interpretive signs but if the flow is still active, flumes may deter you from hiking. For avid trekkers, several long, steep, unshaded hikes lead to the beaches and rocky bays on the park’s remote shoreline; they’re all considered overnight backcountry hikes and thus require a permit. Only hiking diehards should consider attempting the Mauna Loa Trail, perhaps the most challenging hike in all of Hawaii. Many hikers have had to be rescued over the years due to high-altitude sickness or exposure after becoming lost in snowy or foggy conditions. From the trail head at the end of scenic but narrow Mauna Loa Road, about an hour’s drive from the visitor center, it’s a 7.5-mile trek to the Puu Ulaula (“Red Hill”) cabin at 10,035 feet, and then 12 more miles up to the primitive Mauna Loa summit cabin at 13,250 feet, where the climate is subarctic and overnight temperatures are below freezing year-round. In addition to backcountry permits, this 4-day round-trip requires special gear, great physical condition, and careful planning.

Campgrounds & Wilderness Cabins in the Park

Two campgrounds in the park are accessible by car. The easiest to reach and best supplied is Namakanipaio Campground, which offers 10 cabins and 16 campsites. The updated one-room cabins sleep four, with bed linens and towels provided, grills, and a community restroom with hot showers; the cost is $80 a night. Tent campers have restrooms but not showers; sites cost $15 a night, on a first-come, first-served basis, with a 7-night maximum stay. Both cabins and campsites are managed by Volcano House (www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com; [tel] 866/536-7972 or 808/441-7750). Call the hotel in advance to rent a tent set up for you with a comfy foam mattress, linens, cooler, lantern, and two chairs for $55 a night, including the site rental. Park entrance fee of $25 is additional. Note: It can be very cool and damp here, especially at night.

Kulanaokuaiki Campground, which has nine campsites with picnic tables but no running water, lies a 5-mile drive down Hilina Pali Road. It’s first-come, first-served; pay the $10 nightly fee (1-week maximum stay) at the self-registration station. Backpack camping is allowed at seven remote areas in the park (some with shelters, cabins, and water catchment tanks) but first you must register for a $10 permit, good for up to 12 people and 7 nights, at the Backcountry Office (www.nps.gov/havo; [tel] 808/985-6178), no more than 1 day in advance.

Vog & Other Volcanic Vocabulary

Hawaiian volcanoes have their own unique vocabulary. The lava that resembles ropy swirls of brownie batter is called p[ā]hoehoe (pah-hoy-hoy); it results from a fast-moving flow that ripples as it moves. The chunky, craggy lava that looks like someone put asphalt in a blender is called ‘a‘ā (ah-ah); it’s caused by lava that moves slowly, breaking apart as it cools, and then overruns itself. Vog is smog made of volcanic gases and smoke, which can sting your eyes and can cause respiratory illness. Since Halemaumau began spewing its dramatic plume of smoke in 2008, vog has been more frequent, particularly on the Kona and Kohala coasts, thanks to wind patterns. The state Department of Health (www.hiso2index.info) lists current air-quality advisories for the Big Island, based on sulfur dioxide levels.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.