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The Kilauea’iki crater:
is our favorite short hike on the Big Island (more about this
hike). It takes you down into the Kilauea’iki crater across
the crater floor which was formed only 50 years ago, and
up again to the parking lot.
Thurston Lava Tube:
The Thurston lava tube is an easily accessible and very interesting
lava tube close to the Kilauea’iki parking lot. A
20 minute (1/3 mile) walk through a tree fern forest and
a illuminated cave-like lava tube takes you from the main
road through the Thurston Lava Tube and back to the parking
lot.
During daytime hours there the lava tube is illuminated,
but between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. there will be no lights on in
the cave. The cave will remain open overnight for visitors
that want to experience a pitch black lava tube :). Visitors
must carry their own light source if planning to explore the
lava tube in its dark, natural state before 10 a.m. or after 8
p.m. Park rangers recommend head lamps and flashlights;
cell phones are not recommended as the only light source.
Things to do in the
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
It is easy to spend multiple days in the Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park without getting bored. There are many short and
long hikes in the park and plenty of interesting spots you
can easily reach by car. The park also organizes a very interesting
weekly lecture series called “After Dark in the Park“.
Park attractions include the following 10 highlights, but
please remember that here is far more in the park that deserves
your attention. Below the list you can watch a video
shows four of our seven favorite things to do in the park
and find more information about camping in the park and
seeing lava.
The Kilauea Visitor Center:
is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ranger talks and
guided tours can be scheduled here, and there plays a
25-minute film to introduce you to the park. Pick up a map,
learn about the hikes in the park, and get the latest eruption
updates here. Opening hours are subject to change, find
the current hours at the national park website.
Your first stop in the park should always be the visitor center
to receive an up-to-date report on the park events, closedof
areas and ranger-led hikes
The Thomas A. Jaggar Museum
and Halema’uma’u crater overlook:
is opened daily from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Thomas A. Jaggar
pioneered the study of volcanology at Kilauea. You can
find geologic displays, maps, and videos about the study
of volcanoes inside. Outside you will find the best overlook
over the steaming Halema’uma’u crater. Opening hours are
subject to change, find the current hours at the national
park website.
The Chain of Craters road:
takes you from the park entrance past many scenic points
and volcanic craters all the way down to the ocean where
the road finally disappears under a fresh sheet of lava (description
of the crater rim drive tour on the national park
website). The chain of craters road is one of our favorite scenic
drives of the Big Island. The ranger station on the Chain
of Craters Road is open daily from 10 am to 9 pm.
Day hikes in the park:
There are more than 10 day hikes possible inside the park
for which you can find a description at the park website. The
100+ miles of hiking trails take you through old lava tubes
and lush rainforest, and over old and new, still fuming, lava
flows. The park also organizes daily ranger-led hikes.
If you are looking for longer and more challenging hikes a
good place to start is the Big Island Hikes website.
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