Big Island - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Driving Tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Hawaii Volcanoes
15 stops
Kīlauea Visitor Center (Pass by)
Stop here to ask a park ranger some questions, fill up your water bottle, or use the restroom. If you didn’t bring a jacket, the gift shop at the Visitor Center usually has sweatshirts for sale. You might want to pick one up here, as temperatures vary drastically across the park.
1
Steam Vents
Stop and stare at a cloud of steam formed from underground water meeting hot volcanic rock.
5 minutes • Admission ticket not included
(Pass by)
Learn about the history of the Kilauea Military Camp which dates back almost 100 years. Today, it offers accommodations near the park for military families.
2
Stop at Uēkahuna, the highest point on the rim of Kīlauea, for panoramic views across Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and Halemaʻumaʻu. Uēkahuna is also an important Native Hawaiian cultural site. Volcanic activity and visibility vary.
15 minutes • Admission ticket not included
3
Sulphur Banks
This 1.2-mile hike (roundtrip) is actually a leisurely walk along a paved path where you’ll see more steam rising from the ground. Feel free to hike this now or after your trip down Chain of Craters Road.
30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
4
Back in 1959, this mile-long crater was a seething lava lake spewing fountains of lava up to 1,900 feet in the air.
10 minutes • Admission ticket not included
5
Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube
This magnificent natural landmark is one of the most popular spots at the national park. There is a well-maintained trail that takes you inside a 600-foot lava tube and through a lush rainforest.
20 minutes • Admission ticket not included
6
Kilauea Iki Trail
Optional hike: Shaka Guide recommends a shorter out-and-back option to experience the Kīlauea Iki crater floor in about an hour. Travelers who choose the full 3.3-mile loop should allow approximately 2–3 hours. The Kïlauea Iki Trail is technically a 4-mile hike that takes you along the rim of Kilauea Iki and down to the crater floor, where you can feel the pulse of this magnificent volcano from the still-steaming crater floor. If you’re pressed for time, there's a shortcut. Just across the street from Nahuku Lava Tube is a short trail to the bottom of Kilauea Iki Crater. This shortcut takes about one hour to complete. Please know, there is a steep decline through the forest into the crater. Once you get to the crater floor, snap as many photos as you’d like, then work your way back up to the parking area the same way you came.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included
7
Devastation Trail
You’ll feel like you’re on Mars as you take in the terrain on your walk along Devastation Trail. This one-mile trail takes you along the path of a destructive and explosive eruption dating back to 1959. Along the way, you’ll see spots where life is beginning to regrow and find a large barren lava mound called the Pu’u Pua'i Cinder Cone -- a perfect example of how mother nature forms new mountains.
30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
8
Puhimau Crater
Does seeing the views of massive volcanic craters ever get old? We don't think so! Chain of Craters Road got its name from the handful of massive craters with viewpoints along the road. Puhimau Crater is one of many dramatic holes likely formed around 1500-1800 AD. In our opinion, this gigantic pit crater is one of the best views on the tour. What’s a pit crater you ask? It’s a depression in the ground that forms when a volcano shifts or expands--and surprisingly not the result of an explosion.
10 minutes • Admission ticket not included
9
More of a stroll than a hike, the Maunaulu Fissure Hike is at the site of a 1969 eruption that spewed lava up to 200 feet in the air, destroying a native 'ohi'a forest in the area. As you walk you’ll see lava trees and a variety of volcanic formations. The trail is marked with stacked rocks. Please do not disturb the rocks or build new stacks.
30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
10
The overlook is built on Holei Pali, a steep cliff with a 2,000-foot drop. At the Kealakomo Lookout, in addition to the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, you will also have an expansive view of the vast lava flow in 1971 that buried portions of the ancient coastal village of Kealakomo.
10 minutes • Admission ticket not included
11
One of our favorite stops on the tour, the Pu'uloa Petroglyphs hike tells the story of Hawaii’s past. As you walk along this trail you’ll see ancient petroglyphs or inscribed images on stone. This hike takes about 20 minutes each way and ends at a well-maintained wooden boardwalk that circles many of the 23,000 petroglyphs in this area. In fact, this site is home to the largest grouping of petroglyphs in Hawaii! As you walk, remember to respect the sacredness of this place.
50 minutes • Admission ticket not included
12
You can view the Holei Sea Arch from the observation area located just past the gate at the end of the Chain of Craters Road. This 90-foot sea arch was formed roughly 500 years ago from an ancient lava tube that hardened as it entered the ocean. And just within the last 100 years or so, the sea arch was sculpted by ocean erosion.
30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
13
Kipuka Puaulu Trail
Optional side trip: Walk the 1.2-mile Kīpukapuaulu loop through native Hawaiian forest surrounded by younger lava flows. Allow approximately 1–1.5 hours. Access in this area can change, so follow current National Park Service closures and signage.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Hawaii Volcanoes
1 stop
14
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
See all of the amazing landscape views and hikes in this crater while learning about the Hawaiian myths and legends!
1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• The park has begun a major construction project, expect delays and limited parking.

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