By Stephanie Namahoe Launiu
All of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is too big to see in a day, no itinerary could provide that. The closest you’ll get to seeing the whole park is to see it from the air. The Circle of Fire Helicopter Tour will give you a vantage point that few people on earth ever get.
You’ll spend a fascinating 50 minutes flying over Kilauea’s active crater, and your pilot will make sure you view the remnants of Mauna Loa’s most recent eruption. In case you think that you’ll have a hard time hearing anything over the engines, Relax! Each passenger is provided with a noise-canceling headset with two-way microphones. We’ve thought of everything to make this one of your best Hawaiian memories.
If you decide to visit the National Park on your own, these are some things to be aware of:
- There are major construction projects going on inside the Park. You might experience delays and limited parking around the most popular sites. If you want the latest updates from the National Park Service, click here.
- The Jaggar Museum is permanently closed because of damage suffered in the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
- There is a $30 fee per car to enter Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
- There are only limited places to get food or drink inside the Park. Be sure to pack some water and snacks in a backpack or an easy-to-carry bag.
- Regardless of the weather when you enter the park, wear layered clothing and bring a jacket. You don’t know how long you’ll decide to stay, and temps can change a lot in a few hours.
- There are many changes taking place at the Park, and volcanic activity can never be predicted accurately. So check out the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park website when planning your itinerary. It’ll give you updates on late developments and air quality at the Park.
If you want to get the most out of an 8-hour day at the Volcano, consider taking our Volcano Adventure Tour that leaves out of Hilo. They only run tours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but you can’t beat them for convenience. The tour guide will have the latest info on changes at the National Park. You’ll avoid the entry fee and they provide a picnic lunch. Tour buses and vans usually get convenient parking at popular sites (better than you’ll get as an individual). Your day ends with sightseeing around historic Downtown Hilo including stops at Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls.
Still want to venture into the Park on your own?
Be sure your car is gassed up and your cell phones are fully charged. Let someone know where you’re going and what time you expect to return. Don’t venture off defined paths and obey all Park signage. This is vital during an active volcanic eruption! It’s a good idea to have a phone charger inside your car to zap your phone when it needs it.
Itinerary for Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in a Day
Follow these stops in order or change them up to fit into your day. It takes about 45 minutes to drive to the National Park from Hilo, and 2.5 hours from Kona.
1. Kilauea Visitor Center
You can ask a park ranger questions. Top off your water container, use the restroom or visit the gift shop.
The Kilauea Visitor Center (KVC) closes at 5:00pm. As part of a two-year renovation, the KVC will close on February 17, 2025. After that, Kilauea Military Camp’s (KMC) Koa Room will have a welcome center and gift shop for park visitors during the construction period. KMC is 1.2 miles west of KVC and parking will be on the ball field.
2. Steam Vents
Clouds of steam form from underground water heated by volcanic rock.
3. Kilauea Military Camp (KMC)
For over a century, KMC has serviced the U.S. military in various ways. Today it is a Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) facility for various categories of current and former military personnel and their families..
4. Uekahuna and Kilauea Overlooks
Both overlooks have excellent views of Kilauea Caldera and Halema‘uma‘u Crater, the legendary home of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of the volcano.
From Uekahuna, you can see not only the Kilauea Caldera but also Mauna Loa and the area around it. Native Hawaiians regard this location as a significant cultural site.
From either of these lookouts, you can get onto the Crater Rim Trail that will give you a closer view.
5. Sulphur Banks
This roundtrip hike is an easy walk of a little over a mile. Along the paved path, steam continues coming out of the ground.
6. Kilauea Iki Overlook
This overlook gives you a great aerial view of Kilauea Iki Crater. In 1959, an eruption turned this mile-long crater into a lava lake shooting fountains of hot lava high into the air.
7. Nahuku (Thurston) Lava Tube
This interesting natural formation is one of the National Park’s most visited spots. A trail takes you into a lava tube that measures 600 feet long and through a thick rainforest.
The shortcut trail to Kilauea Iki Crater is right across the street.
8. Kilauea Iki Crater Trail
The entire Kïlauea Iki Trail is a hike that covers four miles along the rim of Kilauea Iki. It winds down to the crater floor. This is where you can feel the lifeblood of this amazing volcano since the crater floor is still steaming.
If you’re short on time, there’s a shortcut across the street from Nahuku Lava Tube. This shortcut trail takes you to the bottom of Kilauea Iki Crater in an hour, but it’s a steep forested decline.
On the crater floor, take pics! This is a once-in-a-lifetime visit. Go back up to the parking lot using the same shortcut you came down on.
9. Devastation Trail
You’ll wonder if you’re still on Planet Earth here. This mile-long trail traces the path of an explosive 1959 eruption.
Along the trail you’ll see areas where life is re-emerging and growing. A large lava mound called the Pu‘u Pua‘i Cinder Cone is an example of how new mountains are formed.
10. Puhimau Crater
Chain of Craters Road was named because of the string of gigantic craters along its path. Puhimau Crater is a dramatic pit crater formed centuries ago.
A pit crater forms when a volcano shifts or expands. Surprisingly it’s not the result of an explosion or eruption.
11. Thermal Hot Spot
At this site, the vegetation and plants suddenly look dead. At this thermal hotspot, magma is believed to be just 500 feet below the surface that you’re standing on.
12. Pauahi Crater
On the boardwalk, you can take an awesome selfie in front of Pauahi Crater. This is another massive pit crater measuring roughly 360 feet deep and 1,600 feet long.
13. Maunaulu Fissure Hike
This is really just a walk, not a hike. In 1969, an eruption here caused fountains of lava up to 200 feet in the air. You’ll see lava trees and other volcanic formations. The trail is marked with stacked rocks. Please do not move the rocks or build new stacks.
14. Muliwai a Pele
Muliwai means river of lava in the Hawaiian language. When you look closely at the lookout, you’ll see how the 1969 Maunaulu eruption flowed from this volcanic cone about 5 miles downhill into the sea. It literally was a river of lava.
15. Kealakomo Overlook
The overlook is on Holei Pali, a towering cliff that drops 2,000-feet down. At the Kealakomo Overlook, the view of the Pacific Ocean seems never-ending. You can also view widespread remnants of the 1971 lava flow that blanketed parts of the ancient village of Kealakomo.
NOTE: Nearby picnic tables provide a natural place to stop and enjoy lunch or a snack. Lower on the Chain of Craters Road, there are fewer craters with a view.
16. Pu’uloa Petroglyphs Hike
This is a favorite stop for many visitors. Petroglyphs are ancient images engraved on stone. Please respect this as a sacred Hawaiian site.
This hike takes about 20 minutes in and out. It ends at a wooden boardwalk that encircles many of the 23,000 petroglyphs here.
17. Holei Sea Arch
You can see the Holei Sea Arch when you get down to the end of the Chain of Craters Road.
This 90-foot arch was formed about five centuries ago from a lava tube that hardened as it touched the sea. It’s been further sculpted by the ocean over the years.
Relax and take a break after fulfilling your itinerary for your day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. You’ll find restrooms here at the end of Chain of Craters Road.
