A newcomer’s guide to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

It’s no surprise that Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is one of the top attractions in the state.

This breathtaking landscape features two enormous volcanoes—Kīlauea, one of the most active in the world—and spans from sea level to the summit of Mauna Loa, among the largest volcanoes globally. Covering 333,259 acres on the southeastern side of the island, the park is one of the most vibrant and diverse in the US.

The constantly evolving scenery includes a variety of terrains, from verdant rainforests and stark lava fields to a volcano that can be capped with snow each winter. Yes, that’s right, even in Hawaiʻi!

So lace up those hiking boots and grab your binoculars; use our insider’s guide to fully enjoy your inaugural visit to this extraordinary national park.

What’s the best time to explore Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park?

There’s really no bad time to visit the park, which attracts nearly two million visitors each year. The weather on the Islands remains relatively stable, with temperatures ranging from 66-85°F year-round. However, winter and early spring tend to be rainier and cooler compared to other seasons, while hurricane season spans from June to November, bringing potential tropical storms, strong winds, and heavy rain.

The peak travel seasons in Hawaiʻi are summer and winter—summer draws families on vacation, while winter appeals to those looking to escape the chill of colder regions. Be prepared for busier trails and longer waits for parking during these times.

Spring and fall offer quieter travel periods, making them ideal for a park visit. Hiking conditions are much more pleasant without the sweltering summer heat, and you’ll likely find more affordable airfare and hotel rates nearby. However, expect a spike in visitors during spring break and around the weekend of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long hula competition in Hilo that occurs in late March or early April.

Tuesday tends to be the park's busiest day—try to choose another day if possible. This is when the Pride of America, a cruise ship touring the Islands, docks in Hilo. Many of its 2,000 passengers head to the national park, visiting popular spots like the Kīlauea Visitor Center, the Kīlauea Iki Trail, and Nāhuku (known as the Thurston Lava Tube). Winter also brings more cruise ships to Hawaiʻi Island as thousands of North Pacific humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the warmer waters around the Islands.

Although Kīlauea ceased erupting on September 16, 2023, the volcano continues to draw visitors even in the absence of visible lava flows or fountains. It's expected to erupt again; the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption, which began in 1983 and lasted 35 years, is the longest and most voluminous lava outpouring from Kīlauea's east rift zone in over 500 years. As Jessica Ferracane, the park’s spokesperson, notes, “If there is an eruption, it’s busy all day, every day, especially if it’s at Kīlauea’s summit.”

Planning tip: The park is currently undergoing a significant disaster recovery project following the 2018 Kīlauea eruption and summit collapse. Expect temporary area closures, lane restrictions, limited parking, and other services to be affected for the next two years. Check the park website for updates on construction closures and delays.

Discover everything you need to know about events in Hawaii year-round in our guide to the best time to visit the Aloha State

How long should I plan to spend in the park?

While Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park may not be as vast as Alaska’s 13.2-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve—which is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Switzerland combined—it does span from sea level to the peak of Mauna Loa at 13,681 feet and includes seven distinct ecological zones. To fully explore the park's highlights, you’ll need at least a full day, but two days would be even better.

Park staff suggest arriving at sunrise to tackle the most popular trails early—it's open 24 hours to help you make the most of your visit. Dusk is also a magical time to explore, as the absence of light pollution offers stunning stargazing opportunities.

The national park features a range of hikes, from the easy 1.2-mile Kīpukapuaulu Trail to more demanding backcountry routes up Mauna Loa, which can take two days. An extra day allows you to visit the quieter and less crowded Kahuku Unit on the southern slopes of Mauna Loa. This 116,000-acre former ranchland is about an hour's drive from the Kīlauea Visitor Center and is open to the public five days a week. Here, you can hike to the summit of an old cinder cone, wander through a pristine Hawaiian rainforest, or bike across scenic pastures with sweeping views of the ranchlands.

The charming town of Volcano Village, just outside the park, is also worth a stop, featuring relaxed eateries and food trucks, art galleries, and a vineyard and winery.

Is it easy to access and navigate the park?

The closest airport is Hilo International, located about 30 miles northeast of the park (you can also fly into Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole, but the drive from Kailua-Kona takes about two hours). Getting to the park from Hilo is straightforward—just take Route 11 (Hawaiʻi Belt Road) west until you reach the main entrance. The drive takes approximately 45 minutes.

The Hele-On Bus is the only public bus service on the island, run by Hawaiʻi County. The No. 11 Red Line connects Hilo and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with daily stops at the Kīlauea Visitor Center. Be sure to check the bus schedule in advance, as it can change. There is no public transport or shuttle service within the park, so having a car is essential for getting around.

Must-do activities at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Kīlauea Iki Trail

A highlight of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is the popular 4-mile roundtrip Kīlauea Iki Trail. This hike features diverse terrain, starting in a forest of native ʻōhiʻa trees and hapuʻu (Hawaiian tree ferns) before leading you across a surreal crater floor. It’s short enough to finish in just a few hours, leaving you time to explore other areas of the park.

The trailhead overlooks a crater created by a 1959 eruption that featured lava fountains over half a mile long and a plume that reached a record-setting height of 1,900 feet. The first segment of the trail descends through a lush rainforest filled with native ʻōhiʻa and koa trees. Keep an eye out for the white-rumped ʻapapanae, a Hawaiian honeycreeper that flits between the trees. The switchbacks lead down to the crater floor, a vast moonscape that starkly contrasts with the surrounding native forest.

Nāhuku

This lava tube, also known as Thurston Lava Tube, was formed by a river of molten lava at a scorching 2,000°F (1,093°C) around 500 years ago. Discovered in 1913, this expansive lava cave is quite accessible, featuring a flat rock floor and ceiling heights exceeding 20 feet in some areas. Most of the path is illuminated by electric lights, but you might want to bring a flashlight for extra visibility—it takes about 20 minutes to walk through the tube. The surrounding rainforest is alive with native birds, including the scarlet ʻiʻiwi, a Hawaiian honeycreeper classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Hōlei Sea Arch

At the end of Chain of Craters Road, roughly 18 miles from the Kīlauea Visitor Center, you'll find the Hōlei Sea Arch, a 90-foot-tall rock formation sculpted into the cliff of an ancient lava flow approximately 550 years ago. In 2020, the park opened a new viewing area about 1,000 feet past the gate at the end of the road, set back from the cliff's edge for safety.

Puʻuloa Petroglyphs

On the southern slope of Kīlauea lies Pānau Nui, home to numerous petroglyphs—images pecked into hardened lava. Puʻuloa, which means “long hill” in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language), is a sacred site for Native Hawaiians. This archaeological area features over 23,000 petroglyphs—the largest collection in Hawaiʻi—depicting motifs like circles, canoe sails, human figures, feathered capes, and various geometric designs.

Devastation Trail

This half-mile hike is perfect for everyone, as it is wheelchair and stroller accessible. The paved pathway winds through a striking yet beautiful landscape blanketed by cinders from the lava fountains of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption. You may spot volcanic remnants, such as glass-like droplets known as Pele’s Tears and thin strands called Pele’s Hair, named after the revered Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes. The area is also frequented by Nēnē (Hawaiian geese), so please avoid feeding or interacting with this threatened species.

My favorite activity at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Sadly, there are few places in Hawaiʻi where native forest birds can be found these days. Their populations have drastically declined due to habitat loss, as well as predators like feral cats, mongooses, and non-native mosquitoes that carry avian pox and malaria.

However, at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, where native habitats are safeguarded and flourish, you can observe—and hear—a variety of these unique birds, from the sociable ʻelepaio (Hawaiian flycatcher) to the elusive ʻōmaʻo (Hawaiian thrush), which is found only in the montane rainforests of Hawaiʻi Island. The bright orange ʻākepa, an endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper with a distinctive beak, can be spotted in the high-elevation forests of the park’s Kahuku Unit. With some luck, you may even see the endemic ʻio, the only native hawk species in Hawaiʻi.

I enjoy strolling along the 1.2-mile Kīpukapuaulu Trail, an easy loop through untouched native forest that is often referred to as a “bird park.” A kīpuka is a land area surrounded by younger lava flows, resembling an “island” amidst a sea of lava. This location boasts more native tree species per acre than any other forest in the national park, making it an ideal habitat for the native forest birds that depend on these trees.

What are the entry fees?

The cost to enter the park is $30 for private vehicles, $25 for motorcycles, and $15 for pedestrians and cyclists. The park has transitioned to cashless transactions, so payments must be made using debit or credit cards either in person or online.

If you’re planning to visit Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park near Kailua-Kona or Haleakalā National Park on Maui, you might want to consider purchasing the Hawaiʻi Tri-Park Annual Pass for $55. This pass grants you access to all three parks in a single private vehicle.

The National Park Service offers complimentary admission on the following days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the first day of National Park Week in April, Juneteenth, the Great American Outdoors Act, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.

Typical expenses at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

• Standard room for two at Volcano House: $80 to $385 per night

• Average Airbnb in Volcano: $150 per night

• Cup of coffee: $0

• Mid-range meal: $15-$20 per person

• Local beer: $10

• Gas (regular) in Hilo: $4.81 per gallon

How to travel mindfully in the park

With two active volcanoes and ongoing repairs from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, it's vital to stick to designated trails and overlooks, avoiding closed areas. Regardless of what you may have seen online, please refrain from disturbing or stacking rocks. Park staff utilize ahu (stacked stones) to indicate trails; this is not a suggestion for you to do the same. Such actions are not only culturally disrespectful but can also confuse hikers who depend on the ahu for navigation. Additionally, there’s a longstanding belief that taking lava rocks brings bad luck, prompting hundreds of people to return rocks they’ve taken from the park each year.

The park is home to many culturally significant sites and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These include petroglyphs, historic trails, fossilized footprints, shelter caves, heiau (Hawaiian temples), and stone walls from canoe sheds and corrals. Many of these locations are on the National Register of Historic Places—please treat them with respect when you encounter them.

The land within the park holds sacred significance for Native Hawaiians, with moʻolelo (stories) and mele (songs) connected to the area. They believe that Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, resides in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the summit of Kīlauea. If you witness Native Hawaiians engaged in cultural rituals in the park, maintain a respectful distance to allow them—and others—the space to connect with nature undisturbed.