Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Reviews

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). We were there right at the right time; the second week of June '23. There was an eruption a few days before we arrived.

First thing: you may want find a place near the park. We were on the other side of the Island. It was roughly a 2 hour drive each way. We did that twice.

When you arrive. You must pay to enter the park. You can also prepay before you arrive. Then you start your journey. Our first stop was the Volcano House. That was our first view of the crater. Spent some time there.
Next was the Kīlauea Visitor Center. We picked up a few maps, looked around and started off. We drove down, about 45 minutes to the Puna Coast. It a cliff that overlooks the ocean. It's called a bridge(was 2 now only 1). It's a sea arch in the cliff wall. They were made by cooling lava, wind and crashing water. Had some lunch. We brought our own. Then started back up.

There are year markers of eruption areas along the road. We stopped at a few of those on the way back. We also stopped at 2 short trails. We were able to see a number of rock drawings. We also stopped and walked through a Lava Tube, a cave made out of lava. They do have a few lights but it's mainly dark. One of the last things we did before it got dark. We stopped at the steam vents. After standing next to one. It gets cold.

Once it started getting dark. You could see the lava. That was the reason we went twice. We spent all day walking and driving around. When we went back a couple of days later. We went later in the day. We walked a couple trails near the steam vents. By then it was getting dark again. We were able to view the eruption and the Lave flow from 3 different locations.

Even without the eruption I would recommend multiple visits. If you can.

The park was absolutely fascinating. We downloaded the National Parks Service app and followed two of their recommended tour routes. I absolutely recommend using their app if you don’t want to pay for an outside audio tour / guide. Great day trip from Hilo.

We hiked the Kilauea Iki trail and floor, and Thurston Lava tube trails. We saw steam vents up close. We were only there for an afternoon. Wish we had spent more time here to explore more areas. We finished our hike in the rain. While hiking we had this beautiful big bird with red around the eyes walk right out in front of us on the trail. I looked it up, and it’s called a kalij pheasant, which was really fun to see. The hike across the crater and lava rock was much more difficult than what it looked like from up above. Just take your time and wear good supportive hiking shoes. We were in closed toe Keans water/hiking sandals but I really wish I had brought my hiking boots here. When crossing the floor of Kilauea Iki trail there are mounds of stacked rocks placed throughout. You follow these and the path will lead you across. The lava tubes were very interesting to see. It’s dark inside but there are some lights. There is a scenic chain of craters road we didn’t get to drive because we were running out of daylight. I would plan to spend more time there next time, to hike more and visit the overlooks…at least a full day.

On the afternoon of Wednesday July 26, we paid a visit to the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Although we brought our annual park pass, there was no one manning the front gate so we just drove in.

This park is breathtaking with all its sites, including the Nahuku (Thurston Lava Trail), the Devastation Trail, and the Chain of Craters Road. At the bottom of that road is the Holei Sea Arch, which wasn’t worth the windy drive. At the end of the visit, we stopped for dinner inside the Volcano House. The food and service were ok, but not worth the extra effort if you don’t have reservations.

The park was beautifully maintained and there is so much to do. The views are spectacular, the steam vents were amazing and interesting all together. So much history on out earth, I was blessed to experience it.

The Kīleaua Iki Trail is a MUST. We went counter clockwise from the lava tube. I think this is the best direction because it keeps the lava field hidden until you walk into it and it is BREATHTAKING. The far end of the field does require hiking up a bunch of steep stairs (vs down on the clockwise) but it goes by quickly and overall feels less taking this way. Having some ponchos handy is a good idea. This hike put Volcanoes at the top of my NP list alone.

The lava tube is quick… so why not. But for my family it was just meh.

I enjoy this different kind of national park. It is a 2 hour drive from Kona and 45 minutes from Hilo. The visitor center has a movie, gift shop and exhibits. Thurston Lava tube is a highlight. Jaggard museum is fenced off as it is being demolished. I like Chain of Craters Road which snakes by several past lava flows and striking scenery to the ocean. However the main attraction, Holei Sea Arch is not accessible. At this time there are no active flows. Best view of the crater is Volcano House.

This is a must see! No trip to the Big Island is complete without going to Volcano National Park. Lots of trails, hikes, lava tubes to explore. I came for one day but could have stayed a full week.

Beautiful, well-organized park where you get a good idea of the volcanoes! We found it a bit difficult to get an idea in advance, so here is a description:

1. Book your ticket in advance - per car costs $30 and your ticket is valid for 8 days. You can then continue driving

2. You start at the visitor center. From there you can walk the easy sulfur trail, which takes you to the smoking ground and the steam pots. You can be up and down in 45 minutes, for variety you can walk back on the other side

3. Then drive a little further to the viewpoint over the crater

4. Then you take the east rim: we didn't get a spot for the lava tunnel trail, so we first briefly did the devastation trail.
We then did the lava tunnel, parked at the kauleaa iki trail. That was very cool, and not crowded due to lack of parking!

Then you can drive further to the sea, but we chose to leave the park and visit the Akaka Falls! All in all we were there for over 3 hours, and we enjoyed it!

A great national park with many many hikes from easy to serious. Amazing views both from the trail and while driving. Highly recommend as part of your Big Island adventures.

Currently the park is in a construction mode. It's a mess. 90% of the flush toilets are closed and you'll have to make do with portapotties. Yuck. There's not enough parking at any of the lots.
We wanted to see the lava tube and take the Kilauea Iki trail but after circling the parking lots for a half hour, we gave up and went to see a few other things. Then we went to lunch outside of the park (Volcano Village has some halfway decent options) and then returned to see if the parking improved. Yes, we waited another minute for 1 spot and cheered like crazy people!
But the Kilauea Iki trail is worth it. You get to walk to the lava tube (which is very short and not that exciting but it is free! We visited one in Maui that was amazing but very expensive) and then through the tropical forest before descending into the crater. But what goes down must come up....so those 1,000 feet you went down you have to take endless steps back up. You're getting your leg day in!
My recommendation based on my short experience and what I heard other people complaining about? Park at Kilauea Iki trail and then walk towards the lava tube. After the tube, go down into the crater. This side of the trail is longer and winding and not hard at all. The other side coming out of the crater seems to have less steps.

Interesting visit with consistent volcano activity and lodge right on the edge of the rim. Trails offered good variety in length.

This National Park is a must see, if visiting the Big Island of Hawaii! It about a 2 hour drive from Kona, and there is a US$ 30 per car entrance for a single occasion. ( This can be paid in advance at the National Parks website.

The Kilauea volcano had just finished it 26th eruption the day before we arrived on the island, so we just missed it. 😭😭 It was still smoking when we visited and this can be seen from a safe distance. There is a paved walkway around the craters edge from where you can view the volcano. Look for Pele’s hair which are thin strands of glass on the ground the size of a needle!

There are other craters of dormant volcanos throughout the National Park some of which are totally overgrown.

The Thurston lava tube tunnel (Nahuku) is well worth a visit. There are some steps at one end which may be difficult to negotiate if disabled! But more importantly there are toilets nearby with running water and not a long drop! 😁

We drove to the Halina Pali overlook which was down a long windy single track road over lava rock, at the end is a view of the sea…. And a picnic hut, not worth the time or effort!

Big Al’s top tips: You need a whole day to explore this park. Get your ticket in advance and wear good walking shoes. Take plenty of water as it is hot out there. The park staff provide talks and information which is useful. Follow me for top tips around the world

This amazing National Park is unique and extensive with ongoing volcanic activity. We enjoyed our stay at Kilauea Military Camp which was very convenient for visiting the steam vents and the lava tubes and sightseeing throughout the park. We walked the Crater Rim path for a great view as Kilauea was steaming and producing a bit of lava. Then came a gigantic eruption with lava plumes 300-400 feet high!!! We had the best possible (and safe) view of this mind-blowing eruption! Truly an event of a lifetime for all 8 of us (three generations)!

There is currently volcanic activity in the Kilauea caldera - it has a great glow at night, the 'fountain . Favourite view points - Kilauea overlook (short walk from the carpark, you can see 3 separate lava lakes) and Keanakako'i Overlook (further walk, fewer crowds, less wind, you can hear hissing sounds from the caldera). It is COLD at night - i wore long pants, boots, a puffer jacket and a hard shell to keep the wind out.

Mauna Loa lookout is currently closed.

The steam vents are interesting and feel nice and warm on a cold day.
The sulphur banks are not as impressive as the ones in iceland..but also less stinky.

The Thurston lava tube is OK but easy to walk in - the Kaumana Cave in Hilo is a bit more impressive but more difficult to walk in as the ground is far more uneven.

Really enjoyed the Kilauea Iki Trail - I went the clockwise direction starting from the Thurston Tube carpark - i think the views are better walking in this direction, especially the view when you just reach the crater floor. Walking clockwise might mean slightly more elevation gain than anti-clockwise.

Food-wise - Tried the Tuk Tuk thai food truck, and the Thai Thai restaurant. Ended up preferring the food truck curries but they close much earlier than the restaurant!

How can you go to the Big Island and not make time to see this natural wonder? We drove from Kona for a half day here (was going to be a whole day but we also went to South Point and a few farms along the way). You can spend as much or as little time as you like there. Can easily see the highlights from the road/parking lots in 2 hours. Of course you could also spend days here exploring the trails - your choice. We had lunch at Volcano House on the edge of the caldera. Amazing views! Rain and mist moved in during lunch, but that only cleared out the crowds. We had the park almost to ourselves and the cooler weather was a welcome relief from the heat. Made hiking easier. Volcanoes NP is the perfect place to pay your respects to Pele and gain an appreciation for Hawaiian culture and life living in the shadow of volcanoes.

I really this NP. It’s definitely an attraction I can visit on a regular basis when I move here. 3:00am meditation and watching the star dust fall. Keep yours eyes open you might see an UAP!

If you’re ever on the Big Island this is the top of the list. You can’t see it anywhere else. Looking at 20 ton boulders that were sent hundreds of feet in the air is a testament to the power of the rock we all live on.

Not a pretty place. Drive from Kona is a series of abandoned junk vehicles, litter, graffiti and nasty shacks. Very aggressive local drivers. Dangerous winding roads. Very crowded. A disgrace to the National Park system.
the economic disparity is obscene.
Not a paradise. Fake aloha.

This was great! Plan on a LOT of walking. You could get close to the areas by car but everything to see it properly took a hike. It was a challenge but OH SO worth it.

This is an awesome place if you are into volcanoes. We only had a short while to be there, but what we saw was incredible. At the time we went, the crowds were manageable, but I imagine in high season it would be tough to even find a place to park. Well worth the time to go here -- there is literally nothing like it anywhere. Active steam and sulphur vents, recent and soon-to-happen magma eruptions, sights of recent and long-ago eruptions, and so forth. Really worthwhile, although their infrastructure is not really designed to handle the kinds of crowds they get. Go if you have a chance.

Wow!! It was recommended that we visited at night. Very scary but breathtaking. Nature sounds everywhere. Watch step when walking - uneven grounds.

Beautiful National Park!

Lots of trails to hike and overlooks to see Kilauea erupting.

Volcano House is cool and so is the visitor center.

If you love the outdoors, go in the middle of the week, it’s much less crowded. Enjoy the aloha.

I always pictured a volcano to be a large mound of lava, but the Kilauea Volcano is in a caldera. Sulfur dioxide in the form of steam is visible, and there was a haze in the air the day our tour visited. Away from the caldera we saw bamboo orchids and water vapor coming from the ground.

This was an absolutely beautiful national park in very unexpected ways! We were not expecting to walk through a rainforest and such moist grounds on the park. At the end of March, there was no glow from the recent Nov 2022 eruption, but the ranger pointed out that you could still see smoke (which we were able to see). Would definitely recommend the Kilauea Iki Trail while you’re there. You’ll be able to hike across a former crater and see all kinds of interesting rocks. We used the Shaka Guide as we drove all the way to the sea arch at the very end, and we couldn’t recommend this more for this park!

This is an experience not to be missed. On an ever changing landscape the opportunity to view the crater of Kilauea and also walk the Kilauea Iki trail is fantastic. The lava tube is also a must do.

The Volcanoes National Park extends over a large area and you can travel by car (the yellow line on the site maps) or on foot (there are routes of 1 hour to 4 hours depending on your fitness level)
It is better to bring several layers of clothing because wind and rain can appear in 5 minutes, the weather is very changeable.
Toilets are present in several strategic locations on the site as well as a restaurant at the entrance opposite the Visitor Center.
The lava tube is very popular and the 2 parking lots are small, you have to be patient or go there on foot.
The walk in the Kīlauea crater is for me the must do.
The Visitor Center distributes a map of the site as well as at the vehicle entrance.
Remember to buy the pass online before otherwise you will have to do it on site by scanning a QR code.

We visited when the volcano was dormant - it erupted 2 days after we were there which was a bummer but it was still epic to see such a unique and limited natural phenomenon in person. There were lots of different vantage points and plenty of places to take great pictures of the vog (the term they use for the smoke/steam rising out of the mouth of the volcano) and the surrounding area. Some people were even able to go down into the volcano and walk on the dried/cooled part of the magma that is much closer to the lava part than the higher viewpoints our party checked out.

The park was clean and there were people from all around the world there, all in awe. There were also forest areas you could walk around in and they were basically rainforests in the mountains full of ferns and other trees and plants. We saw a cool type of pheasant cross our paths while trekking around there. There are also "lava tubes" you can go into that are apparently places that the lava carved out a cavern to allow it to pour out on the other side of a mountain wall.

The park volunteer we spoke to was super knowledgeable about the volcano (of course) and taught us so much. He was a former schoolteacher and you could tell by how well he broke it down for us. It was an awesome time and a must-do if you are in the area. Where else can you walk around inside an active volcano?!

Wow what a awesome time to see the eruption, make sure to plan on being there in the evenings, we started at the visitors center around 1pm got some info then drove down the chain of craters road stopping along the way to check out everything. It was quite windy but mostly clear with an occasional rain shower. Drive all the way to the bottom then made our way back up to the parking lot of devastation. Fallow the eruption signs and wait for the sun to go down.

It's a drive to get to the Park but well worth it! There are several hikes for various levels of hikers. A stop by the Ranger Station is helpful in determining what to see and do. We did a cool Lava tube hike and hiked along the top of the crater of Kilauea.

We had an incredible day in the national park - a true once in a lifetime experience. We purchased a ‘self guided’ tour via an app, which allowed us to enjoy the national park at our own pace, but with a virtual ‘guide’ to keep us informed. The sights within the park are truly magnificent - on both a large and a small scale, and it must not be missed if you are on the island.

A couple of tips …

1) You’ll need an entry pass - it is easier to purchase online before your visit. You need one per car, or one per person if not arriving by car.
2) It’s worth getting here early - you’ll get the first few stops pretty much to yourself and you’ll stay ahead of the crowds.
3) There isn’t much in the way of cafes in the park, so make sure you have a decent supply of snack if you’re liable to get peckish!

This place doesn't really need any more reviews. If you're on holiday on the Big Island, you've probably planned a trip to Volcanoes NP. We recommend a visit to the Visitor Center as a starting point for various hikes and for initial orientation. Even if there is no lava to be seen at the moment and Kilauea is "asleep" again, the Crater Rim Trail is definitely one of the trails you should take. We also particularly liked the Thurston Lava Tube and the Sulphur Banks. Since we were in the park for the second time and already knew the Kilauea Iki Trail, this time we decided to do the Mauna Ulu Eruption Trail, among other things. Simply drive a little way down the Chain of Craters Road and you'll reach the parking lot of the Mauna Ulu Trailhead. Everything is well signposted and you can't really miss it. This time, too, we were fascinated and impressed by the landscape. Highly recommended!

This is such a bucket list destination. So fascinating and so interesting to see what geology can do.

Add this to your list if you can. It's very impressive. And just in case bring a light jacket or rain coat. The wind picked up, and in came the rain. It made for lots of laughs.

Of the 43 national parks I've been to so far, this is truly one of the most spectacular and wondrous of all! We completely dominated the park during our visit, trying to experience as much as possible. I would definitely recommend at least a day-and-a-half to two days for a good visit. This allows you do do a couple of hikes, see all of the sites, and hedge against the weather, which can change a lot from one day to the next. Also, there was no visible hot lava in the park when we visited. Bummer.

When you first arrive, be sure to stop by the visitor center to see the old film, and then walk across the street to the Volcano House (the park hotel) to take in the view of the Kilauea Caldera. Our favorite activity during our visit was hiking the Kilauea Iki trail a little ways down the Crater Rim Drive East. It's a 4 mile loop trail that goes out along the crater rim through a rain forest, and then drops down into the crater across a hardened lava lake...absolutely amazing. The climb out of the crater is a bit strenuous but the trail is great. Definitely a top ten hike of all time!

Our second favorite activity was driving down the Chain of Craters Road and stopping at all the pullouts and sites. This takes a good several hours if you try to take in all the cool sites and activities along the way. Be sure to hike the short trail through the Thurston Lava Tube near the beginning of the road...awesome! Some of the craters further down the road are also pretty cool, but make sure to do the short hike (100 yards) at the Napau Trailhead to see the formations from a recent volcanic fissure (very cool!). To me, the overlooks further down the road of the ocean and the lava flows to the ocean are the coolest part of the whole drive. Definitely bring a snack to enjoy while you sit there and drink it all in. Near the end, we hiked the 1.5 miles (round trip) Pu'uloa trail to see the ancient petroglyphs. The petroglyphs were super neat, but keep in mind that this trail is very rocky and completely exposed to the sun. At the end of the road by the ocean, we hiked out to see the Holei Sea Arch. The arch is fairly underwhelming and you can't really get close to it. That being said, watching the waves crash against the lava coast is definitely worth this extra bit.

Other things we did in the park include driving up the Crater Rim Road West to the Uekahun and Kiauea overlooks. This was definitely worth the time as these are the best views of the Kilauea Caldera. Be sure to do thus on a clear day as the views can be poor on a rainy day. We also drove all the way up the Mauna Loa Road. This is a fun but extremely narrow and windy 20+ mile road that ends at the Mauna Loa Overlook. Unfortunately it was a rainy day when we did this drive, so there were no views as we did not get above the clouds.

Overall...an absolutely amazing experience. Different from anything I've ever seen or experienced before! Highly recommended!

A must do while you're on the Big Island. Spend the day and do one or several of the scenic drives or hikes. Lots of info and helpful park rangers at the visitors centre to help plan your visit. Paved roads make for easy and accessible driving. Check weather/conditions before you go. Bring water and food for while you're in the park.

Luckily, we planned to only spend a couple hours here, as it turned out to be just not that impressive. Would recommend the private lava tube tour nearby with the Caverns of Fire, and then maybe hop over here for a couple hours to at least run out and see the crater. Although, if you have seen steam vents and similar features in Yellowstone, this park is honestly less impressive. And if you try to bring young kids here I imagine they will get bored pretty quick, as its just hike after hike of looking at craters and lava rock.

Volcanoes National Park is on the southern side of the Big Island (Hawai’i). It’s about a 45 minute drive from the Hilo airport. As you can see from my pics, there is a striking contrast in landscapes. Obviously the numerous craters and volcanoes have the black basalt, and yet this contrasts with the untouched rain forest. In-between the two extremes are fascinating transitions showing the evolution of re-vegetation after a lava flow or eruption.

The magnitude of what a volcano or lava flow can do is hard to capture on film. The roadside pullouts and vistas provide the necessary scale to appreciate magnitude of these events. The heat of the steam vents in the Park, is just a fraction of the heat that comes from the molten lava that can be seen in online videos.

Download a tour or take a tour when you go here. It is worth it. You learn so much about the history and risks involved in living on an island with a volcano.

Wonderful day at Volcanoes! The maps given at the entrance are super easy to use. The trails were epic and the overlooks are fantastic. The National Park pass is good for 1 week!

It’s a place you don’t want to miss! Go early to avoid crowds! Limited gas station as well so plan and fill tank when you can !

We started with visiting the lava tube - this place has limited parking so go early !
Then we drove across chain of craters road - this has multiple view points for you to explore ! The road sides are full of lava rocks! The road leads to Holei Sea Arch , it has spectacular view of the sea shore rocks !

Then we saw amazing steam vents and smoke coming out at Kilauea visitor center ! This is where you see sulphur deposit and steam venting out ! Must must visit !

I love National Parks and I was really looking forward to coming to this one but unfortunately the weather was just awful the day I went. We were pretty much inside of a cloud so visibility was terrible. The crater was hidden in the cloud, all of the scenic overlooks were hidden behind clouds, and of course it rained almost the entire day. That's not exactly the fault of the park but after talking to people on the island I came to find out that our experience is not at all uncommon. I was told that your best bet is to get there really early in the morning because a lot of times the clouds don't move in until later in the morning so if you get there early you will usually have a couple hours of decent visibility. The Thurston lava tube was really neat and I highly recommend the Mauna Ulu Eruption trail. It's only a .5 mile round trip loop but it has some really cool fissures and lava formations. It's mostly flat too, so it's a pretty easy hike. Honestly it's more of a half mile walk than it is a hike, and it's totally worth it. I also just missed the current eruption by less than a week so there was no lava visible while I was there. I will have to come back another time because that's something I'd really like to see.

Suggest going early in the morning as there is so much to see and do. Make sure you go through the lava tube as it is a really cool experience. The drive down to the beach is worth it. Take a picnic and enjoy the amazing scenery. If I come back to the big island I will definitely go back and plan to stay at the volcano house and do some hiking.

Took the self guided tour and it was well worth it! Walking thru a volcano tube, lava fields, spend easily 3 hours here. Don't miss it!

Really worth seeing the Kilauea's active lava spirting and swirling in the crater - so cool to see an active volcano. Once you are on the east side of the Big Island, it is a short road to the volcano form the main highway. There is an interesting info center with a guide info session and video, maps. We arrived about an hour before dusk for easy parking and enjoyed looking around the area, saw a little hot lava and a couple of good rainbows. But once the sun went down, you could see all that beautiful, bright red lava!!! Definitely a must see on the Big Island right now.

We loved wandering through the various areas of the park and learning lots about the volcanoes. The caldera was amazing.

My husband and I recently visited Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. It was a very well taken care of park! Facilities were clean! Rangers were knowledgeable and helpful! Views were amazing! Highly recommend it if you are interested in volcanoes!

Wow. I’ve waited to see Kilauea my entire life and this trip was definitely a bucket list moment for me. I absolutely loved this park. The Volcano House is awesome! The view of the volcano is so cool! If you don’t have a clear view of the volcano, don’t give up! The clouds tend to move quickly.

I also highly recommend viewing it from multiple viewpoints and trails, especially the steam trail! Seeing the lava flows, lakes, and craters was so extremely cool! The chain of craters road is clean and well maintained and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We drove down to the sea arch and it was really beautiful. I would love to return someday and do even more hiking and see even more!

Amazing visit to see an actual erupting volcano! Once in a lifetime experience. Easy hike. We missed the big eruption by a day! 😫😂. But we still got a great show!

Our national parks are fabulous. The Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is great! $30 for our car (worth it). This park is very drivable if getting around is tough. There are good spots to stop on the west rim drive including the steam vents.
We hiked the Kilauea Iki trail including the lava tube (Easy Rim Drive). We walked thru the lava tube first It was pretty amazing.
The rest of the hike down into and out of the crater was a good workout.
Pretty amazing to think that we walked across a lava field from the 70’s.
It will take you 3-4 hours to do the hike.
The views are awesome!

Highly recommended. Spectacular views and fascinating history, a must do trip if you want to understand this fabulous volcanic island

Definately a visit to not miss. Time your visit with flexibly, as windward weather is often rainy/in the clouds. Adventurous hikers beware: most trails are heavily frequented by "non-hikers" and to go to the back-trails, you must first register with the back-trails service which is not always available. Perhaps contact them in advance. We had to give up doing some of the hikes we had planned :(

This was a long drive, but I was happy that it was worth the time. We didn't have enough time to hike all the trails, but there are plenty of easy short trails with beautiful scenery. Thankfully, you can make a list and prioritize your trails. Bring water and lunch - you will need it!

We were very happy that we had a nice day to visit the park while on a cruise stop. I a in a wheelchair and feel like I was able to see quite a bit. My husband did a few short hikes on his own too. We got there as soon as we could and the crowds were minimal. It definitely got more crowded as the day went on. I hope we can go back and see it again.

We had such a great time here! We loved the biodiversity and lots to experience. We wished we would have made more time to make it a whole day

Actually stand on a live volcano! Whether or not the lava is flowing there is SO MUCH to see! Kilauea Crater is always steaming and the geology is magical. The scale is truly enormous! The slow drive through the giant fern forest is right out of Jurassic park! A dinosaur wouldn’t look out of place here! Driving further down ‘The Chain of Craters’ road are ancient and not so old volcanic calderas! Further along the road you drive through an unbelievable geologic terrain. As you drive towards the ocean you drive down the Pali (cliff in Hawaiian) a huge panorama opens up! There are ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs to be seen via a short hike! ( It can get really hot so take plenty of water!!) The ocean can be extremely rough here but spectacular as it smacks into the lava cliffs sending spray over the top. (Use caution here and obey the safety signs!) There are several pull outs. We always pack a lunch and watch the waves a the Black Noddy’s that nest in the sea cliffs. Whew! That’s the basics. I haven’t touched the lava tubes or Desolation Trail. You’ll have some discoveries to make on your own!! Have fun!! Aloha!!

We arrived early afternoon and could not find a place to park at the visitors center so we kept going down the road to the first rim stop where we were able to park. It was an easy walk to the rim. After viewing the rim we were able to go back to the visitors center and find a place to park. The park rangers were very informative.

The experience of the national park is simply amazing. From the entrance and viewing the smoldering crater to the hiking paths, lava tubes and the chain of craters road there are non-stop views and experiences for all ages to appreciate.

The argument can be made this park needs multiple visits and/or days to truly appreciate and experience.

I’m sure it’s a completely different and worthwhile experience when the lava is flowing. Of course I realize that only Pele controls the lava, but without any lava spewing into the air and no red glow at all, the park was underwhelmimg. Yes, the steam and gases coming from Kilauea are cool as is the huge crater. BUT you are better off going to Yellowstone or Iceland for much more dramatic, vast, and colourful geo-thermal action.
We wanted to go on a hike in the patk but most trails were closed due to purported seismic risk, and the ‘hike’ we did take along the rim was mostly a paved path, not a trail, with the building at the end (Jagger museum) permanently closed. The signage was mostly brief, so without a guide you don’t learn much. Fortunately, Epic Lava tours does very thorough walking tours inside the park, and that was an excellent way to bring the psrk to life and learn about the lovely flora too (separate review).
We also tried to hike to the lava tube, but again it’s a wide, urban-style path often near the road, that just basically went between parking lots. The lava tube was cool to walk through (glad we went early before the hordes arrived!) but was also too developed, with wide stairs and artificial lights. This park felt way less natural than most national parks!
The visitor centre had excellent displays, interesting films, and a great gift store, and there is a cool public viewing area inside the lodge along with a cafe and another nice gift shop. The entire area around Devestation viwpoint was closed. We were able to drive the opposite way down the steep Chain of Craters road to the ocean where the sea arch and petroglyphs are pretty amazing, but that part of the park is extremely hot and desert-y, too hot to stay outdoors for long. Nice and cool (chilly even) up by the crater, you’ll want much more outdoor time up there. Bring a sweater and rain jacket.
At the bottom of Chain of Craters Road, the only ‘hike’ (other than the short petroglyphs trail) that went along the coastline for any distance was on a wide tsunami evacuation road.
Fortunately, we did not have to pay $30 to enter the park since it is free if you enter before 9:00 AM. Glad we found that out as it wouldn’t have been worth it to pay the entry fee. I am all for supporting national parks, but with too many closed areas and very few actual hiking trails (open ones at least) there was nothing much to support. We would not visit the park again unless Pele was putting on a really dramatic show!

My favorite part about visiting g the Big Island was this park. We hiked all day, and each trail felt like a different environment. So many beautiful plants and dramatic landscapes. Even though we didn't see the eruption, it was still an incredible experience. It's absolutely worth spending a day hiking here. If you just stop to take a picture of the crater and then leave, you're missing out. Make sure to also stop by the visitor's center (it had been relocated when we were there, but I'm glad we made the effort to find it.) They have a lot of great information as well as gifts. I bought several books for my class and was happy to give my money to the National Parks.

Hawaii is not just about beaches. The Hawaii Volcanos park is a must see for everyone visiting the Big Island. The location is picture-perfect. The drive is under two hours which makes the park very accessible. There are any number of beautiful trails. The roads around the crater are very well maintained. There are volcanic craters, lava tubes, steam vents which makes it a wholesome, awe-inspiring experience. And to add to that the volcano is erupting too. We did both the Chain of Craters and the Crater Rim Trail – the views were spectacular. Walking on a lava field was quite a cool experience. It is an experience to cherish when you have lush green rainforests adjacent to the stark lava fields. The park requires a full day – there is so much to do and see

It was awesome, one of the most beautiful things I saw. You can do some hiking there and is excellent with beautiful views and you can go to the end down into the carter. We just stop to the first stop and took the left path and started to down and down and arrived to the carter’s end. You don’t have to paid any tour you just need a car to visit the park and the best way to knowing it is walking.

Unreal park and it’s huge! Trails are great and the geology is so interesting. Great spots to stop by the ocean, too. A must see park.

This place is amazing. Such a different landscape. We enjoyed hiking around the crater rim and through the lava tubes. The steam from the volcano floor gave it an different worldly vibe. Just wish we had more time to hike.

This was a great experience. Not many can say they stood in a volcano crater. The lava cave was super cool. Going back at night was an added bonus.

This short drive from Hilo is just off the main highway into the national park. It’s $30 per car entry for 7 days. The informative visitor centre with has lots of info that you should stop in to see. Plus they have toilets, wifi and phone there and an art centre nearby. You’ll receive a helpful map and advice that highlights trails and viewing spots in area. There are a variety of walking paths, paved roads, and hiking trails in the area, just make sure you you have the proper gear. You get beautiful views of live volcanos including steam vents and the wafting scent of sulphur. You can hike down into and across volcano crater (about 90 minutes). If you go counter clockwise, you end this hike at the lava tubes and can check those out before you continue on. If you keep going, you’ll visit the Kilauea viewpoint and get various angles of the crater. This area has a better view because it’s the least cloudy side. Amazing place!

The diversity of terrain and experiences were remarkable. Very few visitors were at the park the day we visited so parking was a breeze.
We saw and did the highlights but could not go on some of the hikes due to the eruption and fumes. This was not an issue because everything else was absolutely wonderful!
The staff was polite and helpful throughout the park with the exception of the host/cashier at the coffee shop where we got our lunch to go orders. He appeared bored, irritated that we interrupted his phone experience to order food, and deliberately made it difficult to order. Hopefully he will get some training or quit before you visit. But I must emphasize again that all of the other employees were spot on with their customer/guest services.
Now for the food. The pizza was excellent. The burgers were very good. The fish and chips were tasty but very small portions. The fries were okay. We enjoyed our meals and would eat there again. In fact, it was definitely the best food we have ever eaten at a national park.

A must see on your visit to the big island.
Various hikes along the rim or down inside the crater.
Longer walk to lave but walking down and across old cooled area is nice but the walk back up you pay for the easy walk down.
Not difficult hike but older folks may want to bring hiking poles.
I found signage not as great. When we left the main building, location of trail head was not visible.
We expected good signage from the building and parking lot.
Plenty of items for sale in the main building. I found prices fair, as many places hit you with overpriced souvenirs.
Dress for the weather, rain or sun.

Seeing the active lava flow was incredible. It was totally worth the drive, the rainy weather, the hiking. I cannot describe how mesmerizing the volcano was. So beautiful.

An absolute necessity if travelling to the Big Island of Hawaii. There isn’t much to say other than you will regret not going if staying on the island. The volcano and the craters are awesome. The steam vents, lava tubes and trails displaying natures might just puts things in perspective. Absolutely incredible and need to be seen with your own eyes.

Beautifully preserved by local authorities.

The park was very big. The Kilauea Volcano was hard to see, and I wish I could have gotten a closer at it. The lava tube was really cool, and so are the steam vents. Overall, it was a good trip. The whole park was fairly easy to see, but parking was a challenge. Getting into the crater can be difficult for those with mobility issues. Worth the view.

This is the real highlight of the Big Island. The history of volcanic activity in this region and its development of the Hawaiian Islands is fascinating. The $30 fee is collected when the entrance when it is staffed, otherwise (if you arrive before then) you can pay later using the QR code in the visitor station.

Take time to review the hiking trails before you arrive because there are some that are truly amazing adjacent to the lava tube. Also, the 19 mile drive to the ocean to view the lava arches was worthwhile.
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Cool experience to visit a volcano. Seeing lava is rare, mostly barren volcanic floor and steam. Bypass the visitors center and save time. Head to the last stop #1 for best view, stop at steam vents location and head to lava tubes. Parking at lava tube is minimal but worth checking for spots before returning to overflow. Overflow is a walk (5 minutes) which doesn’t seem bad but the extra steps add up if you are going to try to make it to crater floor.

Lava tube is easy walk and cool to see. Dark and not well lit so break out you phone flashlight to avoid puddles and soaking your shoes. Took about 15 minutes.

The guide suggests the best way to see the floor was across from the lava tubes. This path was a moderate/difficult hike down over 1 mile to the floor and hike back up. Felt like 20 min down and 30 min up but not sure as we lost track of time. Bring plenty of water! Saw a few elderly and small children and thought…how the heck?

Seeing the floor was worth the time as how often can you say you stood inside a volcano 🌋. We didn’t make the walk across the entire floor as it appears to be another mile, then up a large staircase before another mile back to overflow park. I’m not sure which route is better but I do believe the one we took down and back up the hill side was the shortest and quickest. It just may not have been the easiest.

So much to learn. We took our 7 and 3 year old for a day and they had as much fun as we did. We drove to the Crater Rim and walked along the hiking trails down to the lookout points and to the steam vents and sulphur shore. Thurston Lava tube was one of the kids favorite and hiking through the rainforest was very memorable.

Completely amazing! From walking the Thurston Lava Tube to walking the trails and observing the different lava flows, this was a great experience! Of course, the best part was seeing the lava glow at night! So amazing!

We booked a tour from Oahu with Mauka Tours. It included a flight to Hilo. We were met there by our tour guide Albert from Polynesian Adventures. We were taken to some water falls and other sites around Hilo, and then we’re off to Volcanoes National Park. The sights there are amazing. Even with no lava flowing, it is a very interesting place to visit and a must do in Hawai’i. We had a great experience with our tour. It was a very long day between flights and sightseeing, but so worth it.

This is a really easy park to find, and very cheap entry fee. Don't bother paying for really expensive tours - it's easy to rent a car and drive round the park yourself, or jump in a taxi and enjoy walking the well mapped out hike round the craters. It's an incredible geological wonder with steam vents throwing out steam all over the park, and brilliant viewing points along the route to see the crater and cauldron of the volcano from different angles. Fascinating history, and plenty of interesting flora and fauna along the route.

I'd recommend enclosed shoes for walking around the park (volcanic rock is pretty sharp), and take care around the steam vents. They're very HOT!! Nearly singed my eyebrows off LOL!!

My wife and I visited shortly after noon as part of a Holland America Cruise shore excursion. The park was our last stop of a wonderful day tour with Kapohokine Adventures. Our entry into the park was covered under our excursion cost. We travelled by van, our driver and guide was
Hunter. He was great! Our first stop in the park was the overlook into the huge crater. Very cool. From there a quick stop at the steam vents. Kind of hokey, with all the coins and crap that people toss into the vents, but still interesting to see, and feel the vents heat. And there is another crater overlook nearby. We then stopped at the visitors center. An easy, but interesting visit. And restrooms. Finally a visit to the Thurston Lava Tube. The hike down to the lava tube was very nice. And the hike through the lava tube was very cool. And the loop hike back after exiting the lava tube was very nice. This was a very nice stop. We had a great visit. I would love to come back someday, on our own, to do some hikes, and more sightseeing.

In a continued effort to get full value out of our recently purchased National Park card, we visited this particular park on the big island. A reasonable drive from the airport (where we picked up a rental car) brings you to a surreal landscape that most of us have not experienced. This was my first volcano visit, and I was not disappointed. Like other national parks we have visited, you drive around the park, getting out of your car when you see something you’d like to visit further. In this park, you can walk down right into the crater if you have the time (and pulmonary capacity). The various viewing areas give you a great perspective on what you’re here for. The big crater shows the remnants of the eruption in 1959, forever changing the landscape of this park. Subsequent eruptions also left their mark, with lava flows covering the road. The crater rim road will take you all the way to the Pacific, with panoramic vistas that are so big that it’s hard to comprehend the enormity of what you’re seeing. That the island was created by volcanic activity in the distant past is obvious when you look at the landscape before you. I could go on, but the fact is, it’s a really cool park and you want to make the time to visit if you’re on the island. Highly recommended.

This is a special place. There wasn’t much volcanic activity, but there are many viewing areas and great signage throughout the park. There’s a super visitor center, plenty of parking, and a very nice gift shop. There are quite a few hiking trails. You can venture through a lava tube and hike across a lava field (about a 4 mile hike). The guides were available and very helpful - happy to share their wealth of knowledge. There’s a second gift shop in Volcano House that is chock full of goodies. This is also where Uncle George’s Lounge is - a great lunch stop. Please support our national parks. Your length of stay depends on you. If you want to just drive the crater rim, you can be done in less than an hour. If you want to stop at all the overlooks and take a few pictures, it's 1-2 hours; if you're going to also have lunch and do some shopping, then plan on 2-3 hours. If you're there to do some serious trial hiking, then it's going to be over 3 hours. Whatever you decide to do, I recommend a visit 10/10

Excellent tour of active volcano at volcanoes national park. Tour guide (Tom-Polynesian Tours) was very informative and took us to various points of interest. Highly recommend.

Took a tour from NCL POA on Polynesian Tour bus. Albert our driver was very informative a d kept us engaged the whole way there and back. The volcano was steaming and incredible in size.

We stopped at this park on our tour of Island trip for about 45 minutes. We looked at volcanoes site, steam jets and walk through lava tube. Next day after our visit Kilauea volcano erupted on 09/11/23 but no structural damage was done. Park is beautiful for picnic, hikes and just to observe nature’s beauty.

Awe Inspiring! To think you are walking on material that spewed or flowed out of the middle of the Earth is amazing. This was a spur of the moment adventure which would have been even better if we had planned for it. We were winging it but still thoroughly enjoyed it. The view from the Volcano House is a "MUST" Another couple said if you can afford it definitely do a helicopter tour. Just go the the Ranger Station, get a map and start hiking and taking pictures! Go through the Lava Tube too.
The Rainforest type of foliage is so Beautiful also. Enjoy nature at it's finest.

It was worth the drive to see this park. The steaming crater and steaming vents were fascinating. The hike down through the crater was also incredible.

Took an early flight from Honolulu to Hilo for a hiking tour of the hawaii Volcanoes national park. It was an absolutely amazing experience. The landscape is incredible. The ability of plants and trees to grow in the volcano is a true testament of the power of nature. The steam from the crater was a bit unnerving but the excitement of being in this environment soon overtook any misgivings. We then took the last flight out of Hilo back to Honolulu. Would definitely do this again!

This is a great park. An informative visitors center, several scenic overlooks and interpretive sites. One highlight is the walk through the Lava Tube.

The National Park Service in Hawai'i is a treasure! Each of their parks provide the joy of exploring and learning.
Volcano National Park maintains good roads and paths in shifting terrain. Plenty of viewing points, informative signage, well-maintained and clean.
Even though the volcano fell quiet during our visit, there were plenty of views of the craters and steam vents. Navigation and hiking were straightforward.
We left the park feeling like we had an adventure!

One of the Best experiences we had on the Big Island of Hawaii. Saw the lava flow and thruston lava tube. Steam vents and more! A Must see!

Make the drive to Hilima Paii Overlook. Stop along the way at various locations to appreciate vistas, the immense destruction areas of a flow, and the remarkable regenerative power that nature has.

We had a great visit. Had to wait for parking at the Visitor Center.
We drove to the end of the Rim Crater Drive which ended at the ocean.

We spent a whole day in Volcano National Park and loved it. The Thurston lava tube and Kilauea Iki hike down into the dormant volcano was amazing. I only wished the volcano would have been erupting, only had steam.

The visit to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was the highlight of our visit to the island of Hawaii. From the west side of the island, we took the scenic coastal route. Even though this route took more time, it was lovely and added beauty to our trip. We started the park tour by stopping at the visitor's center to talk with a ranger regarding good routes and watched an excellent film. From there, we explored steam vents, views of the crater, walked through a lava tube, and stopped at many viewpoints. Not being a hiker, I was hesitant to walk over the lava beds to see the ancient petroglyphs, but we made it (it was a bit strenuous in the heat) and enjoyed that experience. Before leaving, we drove down to the ocean to see a beautiful sea arch.

This is a huge park so make sure you plan in advance to make sure you don't miss anything. There are a couple of lookout points for the Kilauea volcano, and there are lava tubes too. The visitor center is under construction so follow signs to the makeshift welcome center instead.

Went very early on a Monday. Stopped by the visitor center before they even opened for a restroom break before heading to the steam vents. Also went to the lava tube and Kiluea Iki trail (great hike). Then headed out to the sea arch and petroglyphs. Ended up with a total of over 10 miles of hiking for the day. The volcano erupted again that night after I'd left, so I had to go back on Tuesday morning to see that. Great view from the Volcano House hotel.

Why are they doing construction everywhere at the same time? We visited a makeshift welcome center because the visitor center is under construction, but then there is road construction all around the area, too, causing mass confusion. I feel like we missed out on a lot of things. We visited the south unit first because it closes earlier. Both sections of the park have their own junior ranger books and badges, which is confusing and a time suck. If you only have time to visit one site, go for the main part of the park to see the vents.

This was an exceptional tour, went to the Thurston Lava Tubes, all over the place, our guide was very informed and interacted very well. The price for this tour was approximately $100 less for the 2 of us than the Carnival excursion, and had a lot more interesting stops. We were worn out after this one, with no retrets

Although the volcano was not active at the time, this was still a very cool stop. We spent about 3 hours just doing the main attractions ( we did not hike any of the trails). Getting around by car is easy as well as walking. It's slightly cool, but temps really aren't requiring a jacket. The crater and information are still fascinating as well as the heat vents and lava tube. Very glad we went.

This has been my favorite place on The Big Island. Absolutely amazing! The largest active volcano in the world. It was smoldering with hints of orange showing us it was ready to go at any time. Mesmerizing!

On our bucket list while in Hawaii. Honestly other than the summit to Haleakala to see the beautiful sunset which was our number 1 favorite. This was our second favorite day to the Park.

We were fortunate to see lava flowing and spewing. To say it was spectacular is an understatement!! You just don’t see this everyday. Walking past the steam vents, going inside the Lava tube. The whole day was so full of excitement and amazement. They have bathrooms in all the right places. At dawn it gets chilly, make sure you have a jacket and hat. So many tourist were not prepared for that. Some paths are lighted. So many spots to visit.

Don’t even think about this, just go!! You want regret it, especially if you love nature and exploration with excitement.

Volcanoes is beautiful. Many off the previous sites we have visited are closed due the lava flow a few years ago. It is still a fun place to visit.

This has always been a bucket list place for me and it did not disappoint! Definitely do Thurston Lava Tube (really cool) , chain of craters road (beautiful views), and the Kilauea Iki trail hike (gets you to floor of the crater).

Our family loves visiting national park sites and we thoroughly enjoyed going to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. We stayed in a cabin at Namakanapaio Campground and loved it. Highlights at the park for us were the Kilauea Iki Trail, Nahuka Lava Tube trail, driving the Chain of Craters road and looking into the crater. Our kids also did the Junior Ranger program. We had a great time and would love to return again in the future; especially if there is active lava flow.

The sites where fantastic and easy to get to. Make sure to bring a second layer, some days the weather changed (rain gear a must).

Loved it. Super lucky to have the lava flowing on our trip. You can see it from many angles (though distant) from the park. If it is flowing, you must go in the evening. It’s magnificent.

We did a private tour of the park and loved it.

Such an amazing otherworldly experience, to see the lava fountains and lava lake, steam vents, Thurston lava tube, and drive Chain of Craters Rd. Definitely worth staying until after dark to see Pele in all her glory too!! The gift shop at the visitor center is a bit disappointing, but the volcano and rest of the park make up for it. If you have your own bikes and can tour the park that way, you can see so much more, and there are plenty of fabulous trails. (Don't rent bikes from the shop in Volcano, as their service and cancellation policy are horrible).

From Kona we reached the volcano NP via the southern route after a good 2 hours.
Our objectives were: First we took a look into the large Kilauea crater not far from the Visitor Center. Nice, but not overwhelming.
Then it went through the lava tube. The almost half-hour walk through the forest of tree ferns is very impressive.
The Devastation Trail vividly shows how nature has partially recovered its terrain after a major volcanic eruption.
The highlight was to be the Chain of Craters Road. Past various craters, then through/over cooled lava flows we went down to the sea.
There were many great views and everyone could now imagine the forces of the lava flows rolling over everything.

Gabriel was our tour guide. He was great! This was a tour booked through NCL cruise line, Pride of America. Gabriel was interesting & very knowledgeable.

Driving up from Hilo, we arrived at night to view the current lava flow at the Halema'uma'u Crater.
A night visit allows you can see the hot lava which does not show up during the day. To viewed the crater we chose the Kilauea Overlook which I have photographed the crater from on previous visits. Last year the best view came from the Keanakako'i Overlook. This year a fellow tourist said the rangers were recommending the Kilauea Overlook.
The parking lot was crowded but as people left car spots opened up. By 10PM the car park was very open.
We took our tripods for stability and were not disappointed with our photos. FYI, weekends the road can be blocked as the park monitors the number of cars. A sight that you should not pass up if you happen to be on the Big Island while Kilauea is erupting. This is the only active volcano that allows easy viewing world wide. Enjoy

We enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day meandering the various trails throughout the park! This is a must when visiting the Hilo side of the island!

Worth at least a day of your vacation to explore. The staff at the visitor center are very knowledgeable about all the trails and other information.

What an amazing place! Lots of trails to hike and amazing views. Make sure you go to the lodge and walk through to the back, it has some of the best views of the crater. Read the history of the lodge and its owner, very interesting. We also had luch there and it was pretty good. There is also two gift shops at the lodge that has more stuff than the visitor center. But you will need to get your passport stamped at the visitor center. Dont forget the lava tubes!

Interesting to see the crater from different points of view
You can take your time, parking lots at each stop

Sadly, the volcano wasn’t erupting, but it was mad about something, because there was steam all over the place. Recommended lunch at the Inn. Great food, service and price was ok given where it was. Suggest driving down to the water on Chain of Craters Road. Also the Kahuku Section of the park to the south is a hidden gem. The road there goes to a gate, and if you’ve got 4WD, you can go further up the mountain. Well worth it.

This was a fun visit. Suggest you Walk counter clock wise. Was so wild to walk across a volcano. Was like being on mars or something out of a sci fi story. It was very hot. Bring water and wear sunscreen! Suggest good hiking shoes not sandals.

This national park is a great experience, whether you can only visit for an hour or two, or take days to hike and see more. We and another couple chose a 2 hour tour, as we drove over from Kona as a day-trip. We started at the Visitor Center, and the rangers there were extremely helpful in tailoring our tour for the time we had. Just walking across the street from the Visitor Center to the hotel offered stunning views. We then made the short drive to a couple wayside/viewpoints, and were blown away by the views of the crater. We heard there is a road that winds down into the crater, but that happened to be closed that day, next time! If you're on the Big Island, don't miss this.

It was a long, slow drive to the park from Kona, so when we arrived, we headed straight for The Rim Restaurant at Volcano House Lodge, which turned out not to be open right then as they had no power due to the high winds. Very disappointing. There isn’t really any other food available in the park. To the Kilauea overlook - it was a steep walk up, and very windy. A good view of the Kilauea Caldera, but not very exciting when the volcano isn’t active. (On our previous visits, the volcano was active, a whole different experience, especially after dark). Drove up to Uekahuna, which we remember going to last time, to view the crater, but the whole thing is closed, apparently since all the changes following the 2018 eruption. Then drove to Kilauea Ike overlook to view the Kilauea Ike Crater, but couldn’t see too much there. Next drove to Nahuatl (Thurston Lava Tube) - parking was crazy, and we did walk down to and through the lava tube, which is always interesting. Lovely, lush vegetation. We didn’t get to the Visitor Center this time.

We hiked several of the trails and wished we had time to do even more. Well maintained trails and a variety of distances and difficulty to suit all abilities. Particularly loved the Kilauea Iki (pit crater) trail.

This is a very interesting and scenic park. We were able to drive the entire road, both to the crater and down to the ocean and we did some short hikes. Come prepared and bring a light jacket. There was some traffic on the roads but it wasn't bad. The rangers were very knowledgeable. Wear sturdy shoes if you plan on hiking.

We spent the majority of the day exploring and hiking the Volcanoes National Park. There is plenty to do for all abilities and ages. My kids age 8 and 12 were able to come on all the hikes with us including the crater. My 80 year old father in law joined us for a bit and turned back. Unfortunately the auditorium in the visitors centre was closed for the week. It would have been nice to see the videos of the volcanoes and eruptions of the past.

Food options are limited and quite basic, but available.

We came back later in the night for star gazing! We were lucky to have had clear skies and the sky was FULL of stars. It was magical!

We used the Shaka Big Island app for the guided tour of the volcanoes national park and found it very helpful.

Amazing views of Kelo volcano during eruptions. Beautiful hikes and scenery. it’s a must see if you’re visiting the Big Island of Hawaii.

I was a first time visitor to Hawaii, and the National Park did not disappoint. Wonderful views and lots to see. A must visit if you go to the big island.

A great opportunity to see into a volcano. The walk to a viewpoint just beyond the Volcano House is fairly easy. You can also take a short path into the tropical forest.

There are, of course, a number of other longer trails so hikers should enjoy too.

You can’t, of course, predict if the volcano will be active. When we visited it was in a “pause” with no real indication that anything was coming, yet there was activity there the next day.

We had a lovely time at the park. We first stopped at the visitor center to gather information and plan out day. They had Volunteers working there who were very informative and enthusiastic about the place which made us even more excited to be here. They had advice on what to see depending on how long you intended to be visiting. We were in no time crunch so we started off with the peak of Kilauea Volcano which just erupted a few days before our arrival to the Big Island. We then toured the Thurston Lava tube before starting the “hike” across the lava lake which took up a good couple of hours. We came early to avoid the crowds and heat and glad we did. Though people move through the some of the sites quick, parking at sites do fill up quick and you may have to double back if no parking is available. I would bring sneakers or at least have them on you. This park as a lot of hikes that would be beneficial to have sneakers on.

I loved our time at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, although admittedly I wish we’d had time to see more of the park—we stopped as part of a Big Island Circle Tour and my only complaint on the entire tour is that we spent so little time in the national park. The Kilauea Visitor Center was very nice—clean bathrooms, a nice little gift shop. We were excited to get our passport stamps. We liked getting to see the Kilauea crater and it was really cool to walk through the Thurston Lava Tube.

If I ever get the chance to return to the Big Island, I’d definitely want to spend an entire day, at least, more fully exploring Volcanoes National Park.

A really large and special place. Highlights were the rim itself, and the lava tube and the steam vents...wow! Allow a lot of time to see it all and there are more aggressive hikes that could be done. The info station (currently at KMC) has tons of information on hikes and history of the place.
TIP: Go early early early! The busses start arriving at 0900 and make road travel slow.

Great experience even without lava flowing. You could spend multiple days here - we spent one and hit up the steam vents, the sulfur deposits, the volcano overlook area, Thurston lava tube, and the chain of crater road down to the sea arch.

This took about 5 hours total.

The visitor center is nice and clean with restrooms a place to fill up water bottles, a few exhibits and a small gift shop.

Volcano Lava Flowing started Monday. Our guide shared some the photos. We were able to see the lava shooting up 100-200 ft.

What can I say other than we love this place, seeing Kileau Crater steaming is exciting it really is something special. We did a crater walk which was spectacular, you do need plenty of water though and which ever way you walk you have quite a steep climb definitely worth it though. There is so much to see and do one day isn’t really enough.

Amazing park and we did a tour with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Experience Departing from Oahu. The visitor center is under construction so there is a temporary set up with porta potties, so hopefully it will be finished soon but I got my passport stamp and all the usual goodies...ornament, stickers, tokens, coins, postcards, but they had bookmarks which were unique that had Advice from a Volcano...a Nene...etc... with different sayings...Loved those. I got them all. I've not seen them at any other park. It's a must visit ~

Volcanoes National Park is a fascinating place. New Zealand has a lot of geothermal and volcanic activity but Kīlauea is so different to the volcanoes we have seen before.

We walked Sulphur Banks, Crater Rim Trail and Thurston Lava Tube. Such diverse landscape and it was really interesting learning about the 2018 eruption.

After about 4 hours of exploring, we were ready for food. We should have tried to get a table at Volcano House because everywhere else in the park had closed at 1pm. I understand it was low season but the part was still FULL of visitors.

In Volcano the only place open was Lava Rock Cafe. Service was slow since they were understandably busy and the food was fine, not that we had any other choices.

Overall the park is great and we could have explored for longer. The food options clearly need to stay open for longer, even in low season.

A place to see the geology of the Hawaiian islands and to get breathtaking views as well. There are many good, easy to navigate walking trails - along with some that are trickier, so use caution of course. Don't miss the visitor's center and the Volcano Art Gallery - beautiful things to see, Hawaii-inspired creativity to appreciate.

Never been to an active volcano and we just happened to catch Kīlauea spewing lava flows 50-100ft in the air. Access is limited from the perimeter of the crater but viewable from south side. Got to see it at night and it glowed a beautiful orange. The walk from parking was about 20mins with a slight incline.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is incredible on its own, but visiting during Episode 38 made it next-level. Seeing active lava glowing and moving in real time was surreal and humbling. Photos don’t come close to capturing the scale or power of it.

The park was well organized despite the eruption. Rangers kept things safe and accessible, viewpoints were clearly marked, and it never felt overly chaotic. Standing there watching new land being created was something I’ll never forget.

If you’re considering a visit and have the chance to see an active eruption, do it. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that actually lives up to the hype.

What an amazing experience. There is no fee to visit the park. We went twice - once in the daytime, then later at night. The volcano was erupting at the time and provided a sight you should not miss.

Beautiful hiking trails in and around various volcanoes, educational stops for learning about the formation and eruption of volcanoes, especially on this "young" island. Kilauea was erupting again and steam was venting everywhere.

The best part of this trip's visit to Volcanoes was Park Ranger Dean Gallagher, at the Visitor Center, who shared endless facts on the development of this island and all the other (including submerging) Hawaiian Islands. We had the most fascinating conversation with him about eight different mini-shrimp species that originated when the islands were one land mass; the national preserve of submerged islands representing the early life cycle; and how early Polynesian peoples followed migrating giant birds (with teeth!!) traveling between Asia to the Americas with stops in the Hawaiian Islands to give birth. I could have soaked up his vast knowledge all day.

The visitor center has great pictures, graphics and details on island formation and history. Plus maps and information on exploring back country sites within the park. This is a must see national park!

Volcanoes National Park is a must for anyone visiting the Big island of Hawaii.
The visitors centre has lots of information and rangers to assist you with planning your visit.
The park is overwelming with the amount of lava and steam vents availale to look at and it is just amazing to think that the eruption s that have occured here over the years have formed this breath taking landscape.
You can walk down hill to the Lava tubes, but very steep not for the unfit.
Driving to the crater (Kilauea) and seeing the size of it just astounded me. Then we headed to the ocean down to see the Sea arches, such as Hōlei Sea Arch at the end of Chain of Craters Road, can be found along a wide swath of the southern coastline of Hawai’i. They are remnants of once-continuous sea cliffs, where lava has previously met the sea and added to the size of the island.
Just Beautiful.
AWell worth the long drive.
Would go back again.

Amazing place. Kilauea is continuing to erupt, the Volcano house hotel, and restaurant is great, and the park rangers so helpful. a serious "bucket list" place to visit. There was snow in top of Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kia. Black sand beach is nearby, as well as Mauna Loa macadamia nuts farm.

This is a must see! We were there with the active lava flow in the Kīlauea crater. It is amazing to see in the day, but even better at night. Stay in the park if possible for night viewing. We also really enjoyed the Chain of Craters road and Sulfur trail in the park.

Hawaii Volcano NP was so neat. It was not erupting during our visit. The visitor center is a good first stop. A ranger-led tour down to the Kilauea caldera from the visitor center is recommended. Pop-up showers and heavy wind are to be expected so be prepared. The hike through the lava tube is cool and the hike to the Kilauea Iki crater is nice but not accessible (it is a bit of a hike) and leads to a path to walk across the crater. A drive down Chain of the Craters road is neat as the landscape is covered by lava so that is different. We drove to the end to the Holei Sea Arch and then drove back up. There are not a lot of food options in Volcano Village but I recommend the hardware store for drinks and snacks (better selection and prices than the general store),

We were very excited to visit the volcanoes. However, it was raining. When we googled the website, it said the volcano was still glowing. And that there was lots to see. What actually happened began at the gate with a cheeky young gate attendant who told us that we would see things but it would all depend on our “attitude“. When we mentioned we were Canadian, he said “oh you’ll have to pay double”and laughed about it! It was not a good start, and not very much in the Hawaiian spirit I was expecting. Once we arrived at the Visitor Center, we spoke to a gentleman who was telling the history of the volcanoes. We asked him where we go to see it the volcano? He said you won’t be seeing anything today. You’re best luck is to go and watch the film in the theater. We were very disappointed and turned around and left. We were at the volcanos for five minutes. The weather was very poor. And I understand that the Park can’t control the weather, but it would have been nice to have been told at the gate the likelihood of seeing anything was minimal. We would then have the choice to not pay the $30 gate fee.

It was the highlight of the Island. We had a car, so we were able to drive around the rime and then drive down to the ocean. The road to the ocean was about 20 miles long through the lava flows. Would recommend this trip.

This is an active Volcano. We had many nice views. The park is very clean. The park rangers were very helpful and informative. The visitors center was very informative. An Eruption can occur at any time!

We weren't sure how long we would want to be here at the start, but we ended up spending about 7 hours here. Right from the word go it was awe inspiring. We've seen volcanic scenery in other places but not on this scale. We drove all the way to the sea arch and, while I have seen more impressive natural arches, I'm still glad we did it because of the lave fields and craters on the way. Really informative guys in the information centre too

On March 9th, we visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Unfortunately, the most recent eruption had ended on the 7th. However, it was still a great experience.
We visited the 3 remaining sites on the Crater Rim Drive and drove the Chain of Craters Road to the end at Holei Sea Arch, which was a highlight. The steam vents at Halema'uma'u Crater were the only sign of volcanic activity but were quite impressive nonetheless.

During our visit to the park for Episode 38 at night, I must commend the park rangers for their excellent job in managing traffic and crowds. I am truly grateful that we had the opportunity to witness the volcano during our time there.

This is a wonderful and unique national park with so much to see and do. We started at the Kilauea Visitor Center, which is a bit small, but well curated. After not finding any parking at the lava tube, we drove to the Kilauea Iki Overlook for a hike.

I took the Rim Trail to the lava tube--which was awesome-- and on to the Kilauea Iki crater, over the ledge, and then briefly into Kilauea caldera before heading back to the overlook. It was a great hike through a variety of different environs.

We then drove to the Steam Vents and on to Kilauea Overlook, which both have great views of Kilauea. Unfortunately we had missed the most recent eruption by just a few days. We wrapped up with a visit to the terrific Volcano Art Center.

There is enough at Hawai'i Volcanoes for a multi-day visit, but even if you just have a single day, it is still a must-visit experience when on the Big Island.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers breathtaking landscapes with active volcanoes, lava fields, and lush rain forests. The trails suit all levels, and the visitor center provides great insights. Witnessing volcanic activity, especially at night, is unforgettable.

Not often can you stand on the edge of a steaming, active volcano. This Park is one where you can. Start your visit at the Visitor’s Center. Get a map of all the overlooks. The last overlook along the road is about a 1.6 mile round trip walk. Definitely do it. Most of the other overlooks are very close to the road, including the lava tube.
Seniors can buy a $20 pass that allows access to all National Parks. Took us about 2 hours to drive from the Mauna Kea Hotel area. Expect rain and cooler weather. Ponchos would be helpful.

This place is phenomenal. The park is open 24 hours per day, so go early. If you arrive early, visitors can avoid the crowds and get great photos. If you go later in the day, you will have to contend with more crowds and will have less visibility. Full disclosure - we did hire a private guide to take us around the park. Visitors can go through the park independently; however, with a guide, you will actually learn about the volcano. It was interesting and beautiful. Would highly recommend.

This was a wonderful experience, including the steam vents, and views of the volcano crater. We took the road to the right and explored the trails and the many viewing areas. We went to the end of the road, and at 4000' elevation it was 40 degrees with very high winds. So bring a coat to be able to savor the views there for more than a minute. Signage was rather weak in some areas, so there was often a coin flip as to which path to take. Still full stars for this !

One day really isn't enough to spend here but if that's all you have, it's definitely worth a visit! Not sure if this is typical but it was incredibly windy when we were there. Like blow you off your feet windy. We hiked to see the pteryoglyphs which was very interesting. It's an uneven walk about 0.75 miles and the wind made it even more challenging. My elderly mother sat that one out.

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is probably THE place everyone comes to visit while on the Big Island, and it is totally worth it. Quick, easy access to several mostly easy hiking trails around the rim and adequate parking, although it gets busy during mid-day. Access to the main viewing areas from parking is mostly paved sidewalks so also easy for wheelchair access.

We did several visits in order to have enough time to hike more of the trails around the rim and through the caldera, so would recommend getting the 'tri-park pass' - good for a year that also gets you access to other Hawaii parks.

Choose your visit times wisely as it can be misty rainy sunny voggy (yes that's a word here) depending on what the weather throws at you. We were glad to have our Gortex jackets to protect us from periodic rain showers during the February rainy season, but the views, steam vents, sulfur flats, a lava tube and miles of exercise were all still totally worth it.

Bring a picnic lunch with you as food access is mostly limited to the local Volcano village. Enjoy!

This was something we definitely had to do when visiting Big Island. Since we had a hire car, we just drove up and bought our entrance ticket, no need to book on a tour. The only thing where we had a slight problem when we came into the park was locating the visitor centre to use the toilets before driving off into the park. There is currently some repair/building work going on so the main centre is closed and the replacement wasn’t signposted that well, but we found it eventually. We had a driving audio tour which we had already purchased and the park was included so we had no problem following this, along Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road right to the end. Lots of stops along the way including walking through a lava tube. We always managed to find somewhere to park as at most stopping points, people are getting out, taking pictures and probably moving on after 10 - 15 minutes. The only exceptions are any where there are hiking trails as people may be gone for a few hours.

Other than the volcanoes, there’s not a lot in the park so you may want to take food and drink in with you. We didn’t bother but were pretty hungry by the time we came out. Also, obviously make sure your fuel tank is full. Wear sensible walking shoes even if you’re not planning on hiking as the ground is pretty rough. There are plenty of signs to read at the main stopping points and we thought this was a great place to visit.

Our one big disappointment is that when we visited Kilauea was erupting in episodes. Unfortunately, one episode ended on the evening that we flew into Hawaii, and the next one didn’t start until the day after we flew to Oahu but when the episodes were taking place, there were 1000 ft high lava jets to be seen, but traffic blocked up for 10 miles all around. We still got to see steam and a red glow from the vents.

This is one main things to do when you visit Hawai’i. The volcanos and
biodiversity is just amazing.

Unfortunately for me I only went for the day and I was only able to see just a portion of the park.

I know, you're staying in Kona and don't want to drive 2 hours to go see some lava fields that you can see from your hotel room. I get that. But the National Park is much more than lava fields and is well worth the drive. And this is true even if the volcano isn't erupting.

There is a lot to see and do here from the summit of Kilauea to the ocean. A couple of highlights are the lava tubes and the Chain of Craters Road. Stop by the visit center first where the rangers can help plan your visit.

Our day at Volcanoes was right between eruption events 38 and 39, so we missed the chance to see the actual lava, but the steam was venting all over the caldera, so still a very surreal sight. The Crater Rim Trail gives you a variety of viewpoints, and the steam vents trail allows you to get up close and personal with the rifts in the landscape. We enjoyed the Lava Tubes as well. Absolutely could spend 2-3 days to see everything. Just do it!!

A must when visiting Hawaii Island. The national park is just over 45 minutes from Hilo. It's almost 100 miles from Kona. There is an entrance fee that depends on the type of entrance (car, foot, by booked tour, with annual passes...) to the national park. A roundabout and the new welcome centre are currently being built at the entrance area of the park, which will result in small restrictions. The Welcome Center is relocated and is currently located on the Military-Camp site.
The park once offers various viewpoints to take a closer look at the active Kilauea or other extinct volcanoes. You can also take the Chain of Craters Road down to the coast. This route takes you through various vegetation to Holy Arch. 19 miles is a stretch. You cannot refuel on the track or in the entire park.
There are also various hiking trails of varying difficulty levels. The most famous is the Kilauea Iki Crater Trail.
You can also go through a lava tunnel (Thurston Lava Tube). There are few parking spaces at this tunnel.
At Volcano House you can, if you want some food.
The park is open all the time to see the active volcano even at dusk - if there is anything to see. Sometimes it just smokes or nothing is visible from the distance from the lookout. How active Kilauea is right now can be checked online beforehand.
Allow several days for the visit to have enough time for the different options.

I enjoyed the park but there's a lot of driving and walking with limited information. More interpretive signs throughout the park would be good.
The park is suitable for those who love hiking.

The Volcanoes National Park is a must if you visit Hawaii Big Island. We were fortunate to see a fountaining (eruption) when we were there. Totally mesmerizing. Also the Kaluaea Iki Trail is a must hike. And the Sulphur Sands trail. Go early before the crowds.

We drove up to Hawai’i Volcanos National
Park from Kona in 2.5 hours (110 mi) while enjoying the scenic views and landscapes varying from volcanic, tropical to dry and bone dry.
Along the way, we encountered a heavy downpour, heavy dense fog with visibility limited to 50 feet, yes in the middle of summer! It cleared after a quarter mile and by the time we reached the Visitors Center at the park we fortunately had perfect weather. The first place we went to see were the steam vents, lava from the June 6th eruption of Kilauea was still spewing. We wanted to see more of the source of the lava. We drove up to the Kilauea Caldera.
It was a phenomenal site! Words can’t express what we saw at the overlook, the tour guide explained what had occurred since June 6th to the present time and we listened with amazement. The experience was incredibly rewarding and extraordinary!

Really amazing, unique national park. Check the website prior to your visit for up to date eruption, closure and weather info to best prepare. We did not see an active eruption but the visit was really fascinating- highly recommend the crater rim hikes and Thurston lava tube, for a combination of rocky lava flow and lush rainforest views. Wish we could have planned for the hike down into the inactive crater, but we did not have enough time. Lastly, the visitor center is under construction but a temporary one is set up at the military camp, which was helpful.

Highly recommend, go early to avoid the crowds. The hike into the Kilauea Iki Crater was 6 miles that starts off through a rainforest with amazing and at the end we visited the Nahuku Lava Tube.

We did this park on a tour. We enjoyed it, but you can definitely do this park on your own. It's fairly easy to navigate. The lava fields were fun to walk on, the Thurston tube was really cool, the volcano itself and the steam vents were amazing. Volcano house is a cute place to get coffee.

Go early to beat the crowds and take advantage of the popular as well as the side excursions for hiking.

Bring plenty of water and be prepared for all weather conditions.

The stark landscape is unique and juxtaposed to the vegetation it’s an interesting study in survival.

Take it all in . Hike can be slippery and difficult for some.

This national park has been on my bucket list as long as I can remember and it lived up to the hype. Unfortunately Pele had other plans and we missed episode 38 by 2 days, but nonetheless- the park itself is amazing. There is so much to do- I couldn't spent multiple days here exploring different trails and seeing all the feats of mother nature. Chain of Craters Road is a must, as well as the Thuston Lava Tube. Getting to see Kilauea glowing orange at night and simmer/smoke during the day was quite the experience as well. I'd happily return to explore all that I missed (and hopefully Pele will decide to grace us with an eruption!)

Visited twice during our stay on Big Island.

Day 1. Walked the Kilauea Iki Crater trail plus Thurston Lava Tubes. We did this first thing in the morning before it got too hot, wise decision. We parked at the Visitors Centre which added a little time on the loop but it very enjoyable. The landscape is amazing, to walk the crater trail is fun, just wear some good sturdy shoes and watch where you step.
Day 2. Walked the Crater rim trail to the stand where NPS rangers were do talks about different things throughout the day (where the Jaggar museum used to be). Park rangers are the awesome, so knowledgeable and informed. This scenic trail took us past Sulphur Banks and got very exposed as progressed on the trail (hats, sunglasses, SPF & waterproofs needed for all the weather you may encounter!). Hardly anyone walks this trail choosing to drive it instead, makes for a very peaceful walk, would recommend.

All in all, this is a wonderful National Park, you never know when the next eruption may be, Pele is Pele!

No trip to the big Island would be complete without checking out the Volcano National Park. Not all Volcanos are the same, and the depth of the craters with the tropical back drop of Hawaii are breathtaking views. Wear comfortable shoes and plan on lots of walking. Check into the welcome center, get a map and learn about the area before you explore.

The park is large and the recommended routes at the information center provides a lot of details and options for you to tailor your visit. But the weather in the mountains and coast is volatile so dress appropriately! It literally goes from pouring rain to blazing sun between the landmarks. So good waterproof shoes and a rain jacket AND sunglasses & hats and SPF of some sort are a must.

One of our Highlights on our stay. We rolled the dice in trying to save some money and glad we did. We were at our own pace and saw almost all the sites. It was a solid day trip from Hilo. Iki trail - don't miss this! It took me about an hour at a good pace. Amazing views. Jagger was closed after 2018 from what we understand. The east road down to ocean was a neat drive with cool crater stops along the way. Park entry was $30 I think. Lunch was pretty good by the hotel.

A must see. Sadly, the summit to Mauna Loa is still not accessible. But, go and visit the Kilauea… both day and night visit are a must. Book a dinner at the Volcano House, relax and go watch the exceptional experience of the Kilauea. You want to experience a road far more challenging then the Road to Hana on Maui… take the Mauna Loa road… the lockout is not very good, but to experienced the road is something!

Every visit to Hawaii Island is incomplete without a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Volcano Day is always a highlight, and getting to experience it this time with not only my wife, but my mom and sister made for a memorable day visiting the park. We checked out so many things while visiting, including the Kilauea Overlook, Steaming Bluffs, Kilauea Iki, the Thurston Lava Tube, Pu'upua'i Overlook and the Devastation Trail. We of course then drove the Chain of Craters Road and got views of many of the craters throughout the park and ended with our final stop at the Holei Sea Arch. This is a long and busy day, but with so much to see and do, it is always a highlight and was again on this trip. Mahalo to the staff and volunteers that make Hawaii Volcanoes National Park such an inviting and exciting place to visit. I know, when we make it back to Hawaii Island, a day at the volcano will be on the itinerary!

Scenes from another desolate planet is what this place reminded me of. What views, the size of the craters. Unfortunately, we did not get to see any lava, just plenty of smoke and steam. If you make it as far as Hawaii, a side trip to Kona to see this national park is very worthwhile.

Prepare for a full day and start early.

We entered the park at 9am. We pulled up to the window, after the car in front of us paid with the staff member, only to find a QR code on the window. It started our trip on a wrong foot because we intended to buy a national park pass, but that wasn’t an option on the link the QR code took us.

We skipped the visitor center to head straight to the lava tube. We had no problems finding a parking spot, but any later in the day and parking would have been hard to find.

We had great timing and didn’t run into any parking issues. I’m glad we saved the visitors center until the end of our visit.

We used the Shaka app and really enjoyed the history, stop suggestions, and stories.

Lots of porta-potties and out houses along the route.

Bring lots of snacks and water!

Got to see an active Volcanoe. Was packed the day we went but still was able to get out and walk to the top of the peak and overlook where as recent as June had an eruption.

The visitor center has nice restrooms and some great exhibits on volcanology and the wildlife within the park boundaries. However, the landscape consists of dried lava. It is not a place for the kids to run wild and unsupervised. It can be enjoyable but also potentially dangerous if you're not paying close attention.

Volcano National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii is absolutely on the must do list. Timing of our visit to the Big Island was perfect. Hawaii's Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park began erupting on June 7, 2023. We visited on June 15, 2023, it is still erupting. The best eruption view (IMO) was drive on Crater Rim West. Drive pass the Kilauea Military Camp, then look for a small sign on your left for volcano lookout. Turn left to Kilauea Overlook. During our visit, two park rangers had their telescopic cameras on tripod video recording the eruption. They allowed us to look through their equipments. During the day, the smoke obscures the lava flow. If you can stay there after dark, you can get a stunning photo with telescopic lens. Of course there are many trails available to do besides watching the eruption. Walking the across the volcano caldera, the large depression formed when a volcano erupts and collapses, though strenuous was another highlight.

Absolutely worth the long trek to and fro! A gorgeous, lush, arid, diverse park that was easy to drive around. Feeling the steam vents reminds you of just how young and powerful this island is. A must do!

Loved the volcanic tunnel and the hike through the crater. Great information, beautiful views and a great hike. Saw so much unique flora!

In a few words: this is a great place to visit. We saw lava, steam and smoke, walked through an old lava vent and did a bit of hiking. It is a chance to see things that you won’t see anywhere else in the US.

This was a really nice, but also a slightly frightening place. We walked a long way near the crater and saw steam rising from the earth. It was not too frightening overall.

Get there early for special experiences! We arrived soon before the official opening and bypassed the pay station (you can pay in the boxes at the visitors center), then ended up securing tickets for an NPS guided tour into the currently erupting caldera. Be at the visitors center before 9a and you might get lucky, too!

Have been to other national parks and this is to see once. Lava tube trail is interesting, easy , little wet in the tube need good walking shoes.
Also did crater trail is moderate , rocks, shady, goes down to crater walk across crater is about 3 miles takes about an 1- 2 hrs depending your pace, coming back is all up hill. Great hike.

Absolutely a must do when on BI! We hiked the full round trip Kilauea Ski crater rim trail and IMO it was a hard and long hike. Absolutely spectacular but be prepared for the hike up and take water. We got lucky with the weather, it was quite cool so that helped but being in the crater itself was the most amazing experience! Thurston lava tube was quick and easy and a amazing sight!

Was sent this strange image while there but loved it got so many pics of my 7 kids!! Amazing views and gorgeous all around all my kids loved it. Even my 29 yr old🥰

This is by far the most incredible national park we have visited. We got lucky with a clear bright night and even saw a stunning sky of stars.
For the best viewing of lava, Kilauea Lookout was the key!
We have eaten at the Volcano Lodge, and stayed at the cabins. Lodge views are amazing; food is adequate but overpriced. Cabins are well outfitted and a DEAL for the convenience.

This is an amazing place. One of the highlights of our visit to the Big Island of Hawaii. There is a $30 entrance pass that you will need to buy. The pass is valid for 7 days. The pass can be bought online. I will recommend buying the pass at the start of the trip so you can visit multiple times.

There is 1 popular option that most people use to explore this. The option is to travel in your vehicle and go to the 5 popular attractions in the park. There is a road which inside the park that you will need to stay on to visit these 5 attractions. This includes lava tube as well as several interesting spots. The car journey will take about 30 mins but you will probably want to spend about 30-60 mins at each of these attractions.

It will be important to wear comfortable shoes as there is a fair bit of walking involved. Also it does get to be somewhat cold, so I will suggest keep a hoodie or sweater handy.

Definitely a must do if in Hawaii

My husband and I went there 20 years ago and then brought our kids this year. The experiences were very different primarily because of the weather and the lava flow. Twenty years ago, there was an active lava flow and we were able to watch the lava on Devastation Trail, even having to move back as it moved towards us, per instruction. On both trips, we went to the Thurston Lava Tubes which are spectacular. This year, it was far more rainy and the overlooks were foggy. However, we could see some moving lava in the distance when it cleared. While it was more disappointing than what we saw 20 years ago, we had a fantastic view from Uncle George's Lounge at night over dinner. Night fell and the flow of the lava in the crater was glowing under the fog. Some of it even cleared after dinner. There are no words to describe how magical seeing something like nighttime glow of lava is. We are so glad that we were able to see it both times.

What an incredible experience! We drove to the volcano rim to see the crater and steam vents. It was $30 to access the park, but it was well worth it- especially knowing that over $200 million was cut from national park funding recently, I consider this a well deserved donation.

I visited in the evening to see the lava lake in the Kilauea crater. It was a fantastic view with both a constantly spewing lava fountain and a larger lava lake. During the day it's difficult to tell that it's a lake because the top is crusted over and not glowing, but you can still see the fountain. At night, the cracks between plates on the lake surface are brightly glowing. The view is significantly more impressive at night and I would strongly suggest going after sunset or before sunrise; however if you can only make it in the day it's still absolutely worth seeing.

As of early February 2023, I could see the lava lake from both the Keanakakoi Overlook and the Uekahuna Overlook. Both views were excellent. The Keanakakoi Overlook has a 1 mile hike to get there, but it's closer to the lava and I would say the view is slightly better. The national park website says you can't see the lava lake very well from the Uekahuna Overlook but this is out of date and does not factor in the new lava lake which appeared in January 2023.

The status of the eruption could change at any time. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory posts daily updates and has a live webcam. I tried to include the link but TripAdvisor won't let me, so just google "Hawaiian Volcano Observatory" and you can find the info on the USGS website.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is now my new favorite national park. If you like being outdoors and hiking then this is a must do on the big island. All of the trails are well maintained and the views are breathtaking and other worldly. I even went on a guided summit tour with one of the ranger where she described the story of the volcano and the history of the park. I would recommend to get there early to knock out some of the more popular attractions such as Thurston lava tube. I got there around 8:30 and had the whole tube to myself. Overall, this is a must do on the big island!

What an amazing place to visit. Had a fantastic guide and enjoyed every moment of the Volcano National Park and Volcano House. A must go see if you are in the area.

This was our second trip to Volcano National Park but it has been 20 years since the last one. On this trip we downloaded the Shaka Guide and followed it and that was very helpful. Our kids are also adults now so we were really able to walk around and take long hikes. This trip was definitely fantastic. We enjoyed every stop and did the 3.2 mile Kilauea Iki Crater hike - it wasn't easy but it was very cool to walk in the middle of the crater - highly recommend. The only issue is finding parking at this spot - they need to create more parking spaces in that area.

We had a great time visiting Volcanoes National Park on our honeymoon. Make sure to screenshot your QR code if you pay for it ahead of time in case of any service issues. We started at the Visitor Center and then headed to the furthest western side of Crater Rim Drive to see the Kilauea Overlook. We just wish we had seen some lava activity. Then, we took a quick 5 minute hike from there to get another view of the crater. After this, we went to the steam vents, which was really cool. After this, we walked across the street to the Sulfar Banks Trail. Make sure you stay on the path. There are eventually signs about people who did go off the trail. A hole from the person's leg is actually still visible in the ground! The sulfar smell really wasn't that strong. After this, we finished at the Thurston Lava Tube, which was really cool! Parking was difficult here, but we just circled around and were able to get one. We didn't want to make an entire day out of the park, so after these stops, we headed out.

If you have never been to the birthplace of actual land, you wont regret making the trek. also, stamp your passport you were there.

This is an amazing hike. Great views and the entire park is easily navigable. I used my All Trails app to see the different hike options as well as the best scenic routes. The center was closed to visitors when I went so I didn't get to see as much as I wanted, but there were still great hikes available. I stayed in Kona and this was a very quick and easy drive.

We were really blown away by Volcano park. Not something you can see many places. Lots of craters, more than just the big one, which was extremely impressive. My college aged sons were really impressed, so were my wife and I. You do not need to stay on the Hilo side, we drove from Kona, just make a day of it. Roads are twisty and two lanes so would recommend coming back before dark. We also stopped at the black sand beach and saw turtles

What a place! We spent all day here hiking and exploring, there is such a variety if thinhs to see. The visitor center staff were very friendly and there was staff around the park explaining different things to us.
Make sure to wear comfy shoes and bring plenty of water as it can be a long day with a lot of walking.
There is plenty of car parking spaces and several toilets along the way

I enjoy visiting our national parks. But getting to visit an active volcano was so much fun. Our driver, Captain Rob, was highly knowledgeable & shared so much. The volcano site was open & more active the previous couple of days but we were able to see the smoldering aftermath. The steam vents were also enjoyable to see & experience.

The roads are well maintained & traveling was easy through Polynesian Adventures. We had a few stops along the way which made the trip easier.

This was quite he experience! We went to 2 spots...the highest point and the crater rim. It was something we had never seen before! The tour guide, Aaron brought his binoculars to share so we were treated to close up views! His history lesson was much appreciated on when there was a last eruption, and the geological information was helpful too! This tour was ell worth the longer day! Definitely recommend!

Witnessing the power of nature with live volcanic activity is unforgettable. The landscapes are surreal, and the hikes offer breathtaking views. A must-see when in Hawaii!

Great views but just the smoke rising is all you can see from the visitor center. Was disappointed however that the center is closed at this moment for some reason and it looks like it has not been occupied for some time.

Our family was able to spend a wonderful day at Volcano National Park. The weather was perfect. Clear and warm but with a cool dry breeze. It was easy to get to and easy to navigate once inside. Also, there is great internet connectivity here too. Definitely a place to visit if you’re on the big island. I’d also recommend making the drive down the chain of crater road to the sea arch.

A wonderful national park experience. More subtle than Yellowstone, but uniquely beautiful. Loved the long drive through the lava down to the coast.

Was there with daughter and family, super place to spend a few days, we missed the eruption but the evidence of all the past eruptions were there and the park has a number of areas to see from long hikes to short walks, the visitors center is great and the rangers are very helpful. This was truly the highlight of our visit to the Big Island.

Loved how you could pick which trail to use based on your group's willingness or ability. The map showed how long each trail would take, which was very helpful to plan the day. Nice look out areas every so often with plenty of picture perfect views. It was amazing that my family was there 3 days before Kilauea erupted (6/7/2023). So close! We had a great day!

I did an E-bike tour of the park and loved the entire visit. So much to see - and definitely take the time to do the lava tube walk. It’s absolutely worth it. The vastness of the craters is like the Grand Canyon - you just can’t fathom the size until you see it in person. The main gift store is great too - lovely people working there and we should be so proud of this national treasure!

From the tallest dormant volcano to one of the most active. Interesting visitor and observation deck at the Volcano house hotel. One knock was bar at Volcano house would not serve us, maybe because we were howlies on a tour?

The sites are just breathtaking and the gift shop sells some beautiful photographs! Wear sneakers, be prepared to walk on a lot of uphill paths. Amazing!

Our family of five from Texas and Oklahoma visited Oahu and the Big Island for Spring Break! Volcanoes has been a bucket list item of my husbands. It did NOT disappoint. We spent two days hiking the park. We started off going to the Visitor Center and picking up our Junior Ranger Books and watching the film, “Born of Fire, Born of the Sea”. Very informative! We then toured the rest of the visitor center. We were going to eat lunch at Volcano House, but because of the power outages due to the high winds that day, they were closed. We hiked the Kilauea Iki trail, the Thurston Lava Tube trail, and the Destruction trail the first day. All of the hiking was Amazing!! The second day we got up super early and was in the park before sunrise, we went straight to the Steam Vents trail to catch sunrise! Unfortunately, it was super cold and cloudy so not the best sunrise but we stayed there for a while and as the sun came out, the view of Mauna Loa was absolutely majestic!! We were so glad we got up early!! We then hiked the Steam Vent trail up to the Jagger Museum and back and crossed over to the Sulfur Banks trail and boardwalk! While on this trail we ran into a park volunteer, Mark Watanabe. My daughter stopped him to ask a question and we ended up visiting with him for about 30-40 minutes as we asked questions and listened to his very informative answers! Thanks to Mark for spending so much time with us!! After completing our Junior Ranger books and receiving our badges, we continued with hiking the Keauhou trail, the Petroglyph trail and ending our trip to Volcanoes hiking the Ho’Lei Sea Arch!! What a way to end our visit to Volcanoes! We hiked both days with our 6 and 10 year old grandsons and they never complained once! We hiked a total of about 25 miles in the two days!! One HUGE disappointment in Volcanoes is that Pele decided to pause the day before we arrived at the park.. We had hoped she would start back up before we left the island but no such luck… Would absolutely recommend Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to anyone!!

I was able to experience a vast landscape that cannot be conveyed by photos or videos. The Lava Plateau is like some other star in a monochrome world. I could feel the energy of the earth from the fumaroles and steam vents. I didn't feel the sulfur smell. If I have a chance to visit next time, I would love to see the red lava flow.

Jill was really very nice, accommodating and warm. Very knowledgeable. We enjoyed every bit of the tour. Jill was even happy to take our photos and gave us time in every places we went to. Mauka Makai is a very trustworthy company, we’ll get them again if we ever visit Hilo again. Thank you Jill, we had a blast!

This a unique and interesting national park with a very active volcano. We spent time around the cauldron, hiked the lava tubes and drove to the sea, which I highly recommend. The Volcano House restaurant was quite good and great way to spend an evening.

An incredible sight to see even with no active eruption. There is something for everyone, with driveable experiences and stops or hikes for all abilities. You could spend 5 hours, all day, or just stop through and hit the highlights in and hour or two. With two small children, we visited the lava tube, the steaming bluffs, the overlook at volcano house, and the devastation trail overlook. Our two were not down for a hike, but we spent 2 hours exploring. The park rangers in the visitor center will help you customize your experience to fit your time, needs, and fitness abilities.

There is a great old timey hotel here we want to stay at. They have rocking chairs you can sit in while you watch the volcanoes smoke! Great gift shop and restaurant with a full bar. Definitely worth the drive.

Amazing views around the Kīlauea Volcano. Steam vents to Lava tubes there are many things to see and do. You can take a guided tour or just grab a map and ask the rangers at the visitor Center for suggestions. The sea arch is a long drive but the journey is worth it. This adventure will take some time so give it the entire day. The trails alone will take you most of the day if you enjoy hiking.

Probably the highlight of our 10-day vacation on the Big Island. We visited the Park on a Sunday from 9 am till 5:30 pm. Not much at the Visitor Center except one brochure/map and some chatty rangers. You will find clean restrooms and rainwater to fill up your water bottles there. Also, not much at Volcano House except a decent view outback and two overpriced restaurants. Thurston Lava Tube was okay, not much to see, but it was fun walking through it. The highly recommended Kilauea Iki Trail is where you will see and experience what you came to the Park for. The hike kicked my butt, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The Kilauea Overlook is an amazing view, and the steam vents were fun to see. We drove down the Chain of Craters to the hot, dry and windy coast to see the petroglyphs and the Holei Sea Arch. Both were an interesting sight well worth a visit. The ocean down there is rough and angry, which makes for quite a sight. On the way down to the coast, there are several crater overlooks. Make sure you stop and check out a few of them because each one is unique and awe inspiring.

We went during a cold and rainy day in February and it was still a great experience. The park was busy and the Kilauea visitors centre packed, but you could still enjoy the very well done exhibits , the theatre showing many films about the area, Hawaiian culture and volcanoes. The rain didn’t stop people from wandering around the outdoor pathways to see the caldera and the stunning natural vegetation and animals. This is a must visit for anyone coming to the big island, rain or shine.

This is a must do if you’re on the big island! It was an incredible feeling being that close to this incredibly huge active volcano! We didn’t get to do any of the trails, so we will have to come back. We did eat dinner at the Volcano House, which is on the rim of the crater and has an amazing view down into the crater.

Enjoyed our visit to this national park. Drove the south route from Kona over, then drove the north route back to do stargazing. At the park we'd recommend visiting the lava tube early due to parking. Then from that location hike down into Kilauea Iki Crater and maybe do it clockwise. Check out the steam vents on the drive in the park to the west. Had a GREAT short ranger program from Volunteer Jeffrey at Kilauea to the west. He really gave us a lot of context for what we were looking at.

We stayed overnight three nights so we could view the area as needed. If its active, you will see it best after dark. Lots of great things to do during the day.

Great views. Fun hikes. Walking on the dormant caldera was super cool. Definitely a top activity of our time on the Big Island.

We visited 4 of the islands on our Hawaii trip and this was one of our favorite places that we went during our trip. Kilauea was erupting at the time so that made it even better. I would recommend hiking the crater rim trail. I thought it would be boring with the same views the whole time. That was not the case at all! The hike itself is interesting and there are nice bathrooms at the end. We also stopped at the Thurston Lava Tube and did the Kilauea Iki trail. The trail takes you through a rainforest to the solidified lava lake on the floor of Kīlauea Iki crater. It looks hot and bleak from an overlook above and I was not looking forward to it. But it ended up being one of my favorite trails that we did on the whole trip! I would recommend going counterclockwise if you want to avoid a bunch of stairs at the end. We did not do this and I wish we had. Wear good hiking shoes and take water!

The last time we were here, was in 2017 and we wanted to go back to see the changes that were caused by the eruption in 2018. The changes were amazing, so glad we got to go back to the park.
We went with a small group tour; if you can afford that, that is the way to go. You can see so much more than a bus group can in the same amount of time.
If you want to go here; do visit the National park web site and do your research first, there is so much to learn before you go.

This was amazing. Looking into the Kīlauea crater was as awesome as the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. The steam vents and lave tube were also amazing.

The steam vents were fascinating. We enjoyed watching the movie at the park station. Nice gift shop inside. The walk to the hotel across the street is easy, and you can grab a bite to eat or a coffee.

We were there during a peak eruption and it was the experience of a lifetime. Great Park Rangers (so kind and informative for us and our six year old) and beautiful scenery in spite of the rain. Thurston Lava Tube was a great for the whole family.

Spectacular views, very time-consuming. Do not miss the tunnel, but be prepared to get your feet wet. If you have binoculars, I think that would be the best thing to have on hand and a great Zoom lens.

We arrived early to avoid the crowds, but it really wasn't that bad. Bring a jacket... it's cool in the AM. The Visitor Center is temporarily closed, so you have to maneuver your way through the construction to go to the Welcome Center. Very helpful rangers and staff! We combined driving and hiking on this trip. If you want the closest view of the active vent, drive to the Kilauea Overlook. This view is partially obscured by the north cliff. A more direct view (but further) is from the Volcano House. Another driving tour is the Chain of Craters trip down to the Sea Arch (about 45 minutes each way). You can drive or hike to the Steam Vents. If you hike, start at the Volcano House and take the Sulphur Banks loop tour. The north part of the loop isn't that bad (stinky), no matter what you hear. If you want to hike to the caldera there are a few options. We hiked the loop: Halema'uma'u/Byron's Ledge/Crater Rim (2 hours at a leisurely pace). We brought hiking sticks... highly recommend!

Went and experienced this amazing park. Highly recommend a guided tour then do a helicopter ride after. Walking on the lava rock and going in the tubes is such a cool experience. The different weather throughout the park is a cool experience too.

Here you can see Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes calderas. We visited only Kilauea’s one. You can explore the Kilauea caldera with hiking trails different difficulties. There are visitors center, where you can watch movie about this place, buy souvenirs and volcano house with direct view on the caldera and restaurant inside the building.
This park has couple view points - the views for the caldera from them are really mighty. There are lava tube which you can pass through and zone with steam pits as well.
Volcanoes park is located on a high altitude, that’s why be prepared for a rainy weather.
There are bathrooms located in every spot.

The first day we visited the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station. Excited to check out this part of the park and to visit the bookstore. My husband gets his passport book stamped and he collects commemorative stamps and tokens from each NP we visit. It was disheartening to be turned away from the bookstore because a play was being put on at the top of each hour and chairs were filled and blocked entry to the bookstore section. The female park ranger didn’t care that we couldn’t access it. My husband was able to stamp his book, but didn’t spend any money. Whomever made this decision was wrong.

Great hike on an overcast/misty rain day. Not overly stessful hiking from Kiliea Iki parking to the Lava Tube, the down and across the crafer floor, back up Kiluaea Iki trail. About 5 miles with elevation chamge of 1000 feet each way, on mostly gradualntrails. Going down from lava tunnel side and up far side was best on knees.

Clouds blocked some of the views, but kept. temperature down. No food was available near the park, so plan snacks, food water, for a good callrie burn accordingly.

Do it! So relatively empty midweek midday. Great trails, gorgeous vista's, and you get in free with a Senior Pass for the US National parks.

We spent six hours exploring the main part of the park. We had hot sun, clouds and rain and wind. Come prepared for anything. We did all of the lookouts that were open, the lava tubes, the steam vents, steam boardwalk and part of the crater rim trail. We also went to Volcano house, the art museum and the visitor Center. It was scenic and interesting. My only suggestion would be better signage. Often it was a little difficult to figure out which trail we were on. Any rangers we dealt with were very friendly and helpful. This is a must see in Hawaii

We ended up going two days. The first day we drove to different points in the park. Day two we parked at the closed visitor center and walked the rim. Had lunch at volcano house and then hiked down to the lava tubes and back across the lava field. About 12 miles.

The park was very interesting. It was some of the closest views I have been able to see. The volcano erupted on Tuesday before we went on Saturday. I wish we could have seen that. A park ranger came to the overlook where we were. He showed us pictures of the 3am eruption. Impressive! Definitely worth our hours long visit.

Last year we did a guided tour. This year we decided to do the park on our own. The visitor center was a lot of help. The chain of craters road is amazing. Go all the way to the arch.

If you have four hours, download the Shaka Guides tour for Volcanoes National Park and do the Chain of Craters Drive tour. We felt like we got so much out of the information and advice provided on the audio tour.

Try to hit the Thurston Lava Tubes before 9am and the rest of the day you won't have to worry about getting a parking spot, etc. Also, the walk to the petroglyphs was well worth it (thank goodness the Shaka Guide told us to cross the road for the start of the walk or we would have been walking on the wrong side of the road).

Just amazing experience being here, this is something I wanted to do, it was a cloudy day but we still had the change to see the crater, 100 %recommended

The park is pretty incredible and will be worth the trip. Here are some notes you may find valuable:
We arrived around 8:30 and didn’t even need a pass for entrance, it seems like they staff the booths around 9:00 (note: the park is open 24x7)
Hiked kileau iki trail, 4 miles including definitive descent and ascent (many folks recommend doing it counter clockwise, it seems fine either way) and then across the volcano valley
Lava Tube – near the trail, takes @ 15 minutes but good to get there early to beat crowd
Lunch at Volcano House, which opens at 11:00, overlooks area with steam emanating from earth
Trail outside Volcano House leads to steam vents, and to Sulphur Banks Trail – both cool, unique stuff (note we did not take trail all the way to end of caldera but may do so on future visit)
Drove Chain of Craters Rd
45 minutes to sea arch (the end) so about 1.5 hr round trip
Hit petroglyphs near sea arch – about .7 mile walk each way from parking lot
Kealakono Overlook
Left petroglyphs around 3:15 to head home, so nearly 7 hrs in the park and we were able to avoid crowds
Lowest temp was 60, highest temp was near ocean at 84
22k steps, 10 miles of hiking and solid exhaustion tonight
We returned 2 days later to hit Devastation Trail, Sulphur Banks Caldera and Hilina Pali trail.

This experience needs to come with a serious addiction warning. We’ve visited three times in as many days, and if our schedule permits, we’ll squeeze in another visit. It is mesmerizing. Two of our visits were during daylight hours and there was so much to see and do besides the actual volcano that can only be done in daylight, so that was great. But we went back at night and…oh my goodness, there are no adequate words to describe the feeling of looking into that fiery caldera in all its glory! Definitely the high point—so far—of our trip. If I lived here I’d come back every week.

Heads up—hang onto your receipt for admission for entering the park. You can go back as often as you want for 7 days, but you must show your receipt each time.

If you go at night get there ahead of sundown. We were surprised at the crowds compared to daytime—but it makes sense. The parking lots fill up fast.

To fellow night-time observers: *PLEASE* exercise aloha if using a flashlight/phone to make your way from the farther parking lot to the observation area. After a sublime experience, the walk back to the car along the path was terribly unpleasant, with repeated blinding lights hitting us right in the eyeballs, from people walking in the opposite direction and holding their lights at a height to suit their own convenience (I can only guess). Please be considerate and aim your lights on the ground to light your path.

This park is a little out of the way but worth the drive. The lava fields are amazing and impressive. The history of the island is also amazing. Wouldn’t miss it.

Very wonderful spot to be able to walk, view, and enjoy the scenery of the effects of volcanic activity. There are not too many other places to do this, so highly recommend visiting.

We spent a day here starting with Ranger Dean‘s talk above the steaming crater vents. It was the best ranger talk I’ve ever heard, filled with fascinating details and history, as well as photos. We stayed after to hear even more of the history of the park and of Hawaii. I can’t recommend this highly enough. Then we drove to the southern end of the road, stopping for hikes at the rim trail, the lava tube, Devastation Trail, and the Petroglyphs Trail. Each one had unique landscape views. We would’ve liked to have done more but didn’t have time.

Unfortunately we went on an extremely busy (holiday) day and the weather was awful. We had almost no visibility of the giant crater due to fog and mist and suffered horrible wind. Make sure to dress appropriately and bring ponchos. The park itself is lovely, the lava fields up to the ocean are impressionable and the tube is intriguing and a once in a lifetime. The traffic through the park (due to the number of visitors) was unfortunate especially near the Thurston Lava Tube and there is no passing room. The park rangers did not show up when we were there parking and it was a fiasco of rudeness. On our return they were out directing traffic which likely makes a world of difference. The ocean, the remarkable landscape, craters/calderas, jungle foliage and forest, etc. make it a diverse and enjoyable place to visit for a day.

This was a disappointing park. It was impossible to see anything because the park service made no effort to cut back vegetation in front of viewing area. We did see some steam coming out of the rocks, but otherwise it was just a walk in the park.

I walked across the crater floor of a volcano. How can that not be a 5/5?! We did the Kilauea Iki trail and it is challenging for us middle-aged folks (particularly the going UP part, and make sure you have water for the trek across the shadeless bottom) but totally worth it. I also survived the lava tube - I am claustrophobic so it was rough but I’m so glad I did it!

Worth the long, long drive from Kona.
So fascinating to see all the recent flows, old flows, etc....

Walking through the Livingston law tube was so cool.

The sea arch was very unique and supposed to crash into the sea in a decade or so.

The walks were cool - esp the steam vents, and view from the cauldron's rim.

Of note - the Volcano Village is a cool place for a quick drive-thru
There is a lack of park rangers throughout the park.
Be sure to load-up on, and pack water.
It does rain on this side of the island. Be prepared.
The entrance sign needs to have one of those "selfie" posts like most National Parks have now.

The visitor's center is cool, and their merch is some of the best I've seen - great variety and quality.

Would recommend: Definitely.
Would re-patronize: Mostly likeluy if we visit again, and kids are older to do longer hikes

Absolutely wonderful! If you love Mother Nature/Pele and what she can do, you will appreciate this park! Unfortunately there was no active lava flowing when we went but it does happen often! The park is open 24 hours. We saw many people hiking the trails to some of volcanoes. What an amazing experience. Due to the time restraints, we had we did the driving tours. If you download the national park app, it will give you a guides and maps for a few hiking trails and 2 driving tours while listing facts about each stop. The main visitors center was awesome as well they had a lot of local art for sale, including a gallery next door. It truly is an amazing place to see how the volcanoes changed the land. Wish we had more time! At the very end of Chain of Craters Rd leads to the lava arch where the lava had ran off the cliff. Lava tube is cool too! Just beautiful. Want to go back and experience more and at night

Stunning views.
All the signage is very educative and the drives are in perfect conditions.
There are very different options to do, and the landscape really diverse.

Unique place to visit, a lot to cover so plan plenty of time but well worth it. Highly recommend the Kilauea Iki trail which takes you across the Kilauea Iki Crater floor. Not an easy walk (steep descent and climb with lots of stairs etc) but amazing views.

Volcano National Park is really awesome - even when no lava is flowing! A totally new ecosystem that we encountered. Suggestions: 1) If possible, go on a day when no cruise ships are coming into Hilo - you can check for this on line. 2) Arrive early in the day. 3) Due to high altitude, it can be a little cool. Wear long pants and bring a sweater/windbreaker. 4) BRING FOOD! Stop at a grocery store and buy some food to bring, especially if coming from Kona, like we did. Limited food options and the restaurants in Volcano Village close at 3 pm to 5 pm. 5) Surprisingly, the visitor center, gift shop, and food areas are quite small and limited. 6) Arriving early, the first stop is the Volcano Tubes, because of the limited parking. You will first pass an overflow parking lot. If there are spots there, just park there! There is then a ten minute walk to the Volcano Tubes that is really beautiful with great views. (If you decide to advance to the volcano tubes parking lot there are only 25 spots and if full you have to turn around a mile down the road, so don't waste time doing this!). The Volcano Tube is the highlight of the park, in my opinion. 7) After doing the volcano tube, continue down the road and do the 19 mile drive to the ocean. It is really incredible with many unbelievable views. At the second to last stop on the 19 mile drive there are picnic tables. Have lunch there :) . 8) Stop at many spots along the 19 mile drive - all worthwhile. 9) When you return, do the visitor center, the steam vents, and the overview. 10) We did not walk down to the volcano floor. I think you can do this from the lavatubes area. I would recommend. 11) We did the other 1/2 mil trail past the lava tubes - this was great. 1) We tried to eat at the Volcano House but the wait was an hour at 2 pm....

You cannot express the wonder of looking into a Volcano, feeling the heat of a steam vent or walking through a lava tube.

So thankful that we have national parks to experience the beauty of our home!!! There is so much to see and learn at this park. The staff was very helpful. I visited years ago (over 20+) and the lay of the land has changed. It’s interesting to see how the terrain looks after many years of movement and growth. This will be a park we continue to visit on our vacations to the Big Island! Make sure to bring your phone / camera with a charged battery. Cell service may be spotty.

It would be strange if I left this place anything less than a perfect, five-star review because I've pulled the setting into five books now; it's simply that inspiring. Always changing, it will give you the sense of how alive our earth truly is and remind you of the power of our natural world. The best time to come is either in the morning or the evening, and always check to NPS website to find out the details about the conditions because sometimes they will recommend that you stay away. It's otherworldly - don't miss out!

The Crater, Lava Flow, Lava Tube, Lava meeting the Pacific Ocean is a mystery unfolding and very clearly documented. Even a non-scientific person can understand the theory and practical devastation of volcanic eruption, life forms emerging again from lower plants, the wild life and flora & fauna. Explained in brochure, boards at view points and by volunteers at key points. Once in a life time opportunity. Kudos to National Park Team for providing the comfort and info to visitors, at the same time, respecting the law of the Polynesian land.

Accessible, informative, easily one of our favorites - if not our absolute favorite - of all the national parks.

This wonderful park is a site that has to be included in a visit to the Big Island.

We were lucky enough to have previously scheduled a tour of this park for the day after the volcano began its recent eruption.......amazing to see it during the day, but we were able to return to also see it at nighttime. Unbelievable sight of the flowing lava in the darkness!!!!!! So if you're planning a visit here anytime soon, while the volcano is still active, we'd highly suggest trying to see it during both times of the day too.

Another suggestion is to view the park with a tour or a guide. There is so much to see in the park...we probably would have missed a lot of it if we had decided to see it by ourselves. What we did see was made even more interesting because of our tour guide's description/explanation of lava tubes, the volcano's history, etc.

We were a part of the Viator Small Group National Volcano Park/Kona Coffee Farm/Black Sand Beach tour....and were extremely happy with the whole tour, especially with our experience in this park.

Rise early, rent a car make the drive yourself to immerse yourself the entire day. We chose to hike 6 miles down the kilauea Iki trail then back up to lava tubes, snacked & rehydrated a bit, drove to craters rd to reminisce a decades earlier trek to the lava arches. The drive along this was breathtaking

Favorite place on the big island! So much to see and do, take your time, we did everything over two days and enjoyed many hikes and scenic drives. Don’t skip a thing!

Definitely walk along the Crater Rim Trail to get awesome views of the caldera. It was smoking pretty good while we were there and erupted later that evening. Very cool experience!

What can you say, but WOW and double WOW WOW! You must see this National Park. There was a small eruption when we were there.

We were fortunate enough to visit the park right during one of its eruption episodes in the main crater. While there were other viewpoints closer to the eruption, we ended up staying in Volcano House as there were restaurants, restrooms, and a place to shelter indoors during passing rain showers. There was a wide outdoor area with unobstructed views of the main crater. Parking adjacent to Volcano House was tight, but you can park by the temporarily closed visitor’s center which is just a 5 minute walk away.

While a live eruption steals the show, there are also many other areas in the park that we had visited in the past that would make for good stops if this is a first-time visit, including driving down the Chain of Craters Road to see the effects of past eruptions.

Note that the park’s visitor’s center is closed for renovations and a temporary visitor’s center is set up nearby. However, the parking lot there was not paved and there were only portable restrooms making Volcano House a much better experience.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an awe-inspiring destination that immerses you in the raw power and beauty of Mother Nature. From the moment you step foot into this remarkable park, you are surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, volcanic wonders, and a deep sense of wonder.

Went up before sunrise to beat the crowds and watch the mist burn off the caldera. Walked around several lava flows -uneven ground but amazing landscape- and saw a lot of native wildlife. Would recommend for the adventurous traveler.

Incredible! You will need two days or you will at least need to get up very early to be able to do most of it in one. The sea arch, chain of craters road, Kiluea, steam vents and petroglyphs. I was amazed every second of every day. We were able to see pretty much everything in two days. Don’t miss it.
The weather changes rapidly, one minute it’s blazing hot, the next cold, then it might rain. Do not try to look cute at this park or you will come across like an idiot. Wear the right shoes, be prepared and stay hydrated. If you bring your kids keep a close eye on them because the trails have steep drops and lava rock is no joke.

Tour company Viator found thru trip advisor did a fantastic tour. Driver/guide very knowledgeable and engaging. This was my second tour with Viator in Hawaii and would 100% recommend using this company

This is a must see on the Big Island especially the Rim restaurant. You can watch lava flares while you eat! The food wasn't bad. They make a decent burger. Very neat gift shop but kind of pricey.

Worth the 100 mile drive there. Very interesting and the lava tube wad magical. Visit early morning to avoid the crowds, we got there 9am after a 2 hour drive. Not busy until the coaches arrived about 10.30am.

We walk the trails, saw steam coming up from the grounds. loved looking at nature. My family enjoyed it very much.

Everything was very cool,I have actually been here twice once with family and once with friends. The first time I went it got very cold so you may want to bring a sweatshirt just in case, the other time I went it was sunny and nice. There is a lot of Hawaiian culture and if you're visiting I recommend getting a tour guide. I don't want to spoil it by telling you everything, but there are tons of beautiful sights. A MUST if you're visiting for the first time.

We spent a day seeing a lot of the park. We hiked to the bottom of the crater plus hiked the rim trail and the lava tubes. Kilauea Overlook and the steam vents are nice stops too. Devastation Trail was closed while we were there. We drove to the sea arch and walked to the palm tree area and loved sitting at the edge of the rocks and watching the waves. It was very windy but we loved the view. We enjoyed seeing all the lava fields and the lava in different forms. We ate lunch at the Volcano House. We had great service and the food was delicious plus isit has a great view. Definitely include this park in your visit to Hawaii.

Spectacular display by Kilauea, wonderful to see at dusk and after dark. Loved standing by the steam vents...like an outdoor sauna! Used our senior pass, great experience.

More than what I was expecting! Beautiful and was able to see the volcano still smoking. Would advise if you can go when it is erupting, I wish we could have. But still amazing views!!

We love the national parks. In some ways, Hawaii Volcanoes is incredibly amazing while also being a little hard to 'experience'. You go to some overlooks and the views are really impressive but for obvious reasons and dangers they don't promote getting too close.

The lava tube is really cool. And the rain forest setting of the lava tube was also neat. I would definitely recommend that.

The steam vents were also impressive. The steam was crazy hot coming out of the ground. Just another thing to give you an appreciation for what is under you.

We were a little put off that when we went, the main visitors center was closed for Covid. I haven't seen that anywhere in a long time and didn't run into it anywhere else on the island. They were letting people in the building to shop, but not in the exhibits to learn about the park which I actually found a little extra annoying because I tend to feel if there is a big concern, then close it down, and if not, then open it up but to open it for shopping but not to look at the exhibits seemed bizarre to me.

We lucked out and were there for Kilauea's June eruption. We got our first glimpse behind the Volcano House and then we went before sunrise to the Kilauea overlook and it was amazing. As we drove into the park we could see the red glow. The visitor center was informative and the rangers helpful and patient. We drove the Chain of Craters Road to the Ho'lei Sea Arch and hiked the Pu'uloa Petroglyph Trail. The information at the visitor center really helped us make the most of the park. It was such a highlight to be there while the volcano was erupting. I will never forget just listening to it. This is a must do even when the volcano is not erupting. Seeing all of the lava fields is amazing.

Definitely a once in a lifetime trip. We used Wasabi Tours to visit during our stay. So much to see around the park including the Thustin Lava Tube. The volcano is currently erupting so we were thrilled to see Lava.

Well worth the two hour drive from Kona for a day trip. If we were to come back to Kona I would plan ahead to stay the night in the park at the Volcano House. It is accessible for toddlers from the parking lot. We had lunch in the on-site restaurant with great views of the crater at the volcano house. The magma tube is not to be missed.

Very interesting but not a lot to see. The steam vents were interesting but in reality not a lot to see. The park headquarters were nice and clean.

First time seeing this park with family was an amazing experience! I got to see the glow of the volcano at night and was amazed at how quickly it glows! Anyone that goes to hawaii needs to see this because of its amazing attraction! Definitely go here if you go to Kona!

Like nothing I've ever experienced!
It was beautiful and ominous both at the same time. We missed major eruption by maybe 7 hrs. If we'd only stayed at the hotel on the rim, I missed my opportunity. Oh well next time.

This is a must visit if you are on the Big Island. There are a lot of hiking trails and cook site to check out in the park. If you are lucky, you may be able to see an eruption! Stop at the visitors center to plan your day!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an absolute gem of a destination that left us in awe! The dramatic landscapes, volcanic craters, and lush rainforests make it a must-visit spot in Hawaii. We had the chance to witness nature's forces at work, from flowing lava to unique geological formations.

The park's visitor center was informative, helping us understand the park's history and the significance of its natural wonders. The hiking trails were well-maintained, and walking through the Thurston Lava Tube was a thrilling experience.

The experience of exploring the lava tube, with its otherworldly rock formations and history, was a definite highlight. The rangers' guidance and safety measures in place made it a safe and exhilarating adventure.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a testament to the Earth's dynamism and the beauty of creation. It's an essential stop for any nature lover or adventurer visiting Hawaii. We are grateful for the opportunity to experience this natural wonder!

It was a trip to get there, but we certainly don't regret this. If you are on Big Island of Hawaii, then you should definitely go here. You can go either way. From short walks to long walks. Impressive crater and the smell of sulfur you smell in different places. You can also see in several places that the volcano is active because of the smoke plumes that come from the ground. There is a visitor center available. Here you can get a lot of information about the volcano. There were also some rangers around who were helpful. One thing to keep in mind is that you bring enough drinks and some food. There are whole stretches where you have no way to get water. It can be very hot, so water is really needed.

There are several picturesque hikes starting near the Visitors Center.

If you prefer level trails, take the Crater Rim trail to Thurston Lava Tube or Sulphur Banks. You can also hike down to the volcano floor for a short hike. There is a longer hike to the Kilauea Caldera, but it was closed in April 2023 due to the recent eruption.

The park is not overrun with visitors to the extent Yosemite and Grand Canyon are. The trails are busy where they skirt different lookout parking lots, but otherwise aren't very crowded.

The visitor center dispenses maps and offers several guided hikes.

There aren't a lot of other amenities at the park entrance. There's Volcano House lodging across the street with a restaurant, coffee bar, and regular bar.

I took the free public bus from Hilo, which worked out well for half-day explorations. Though if you have a car you have access to additional hikes.

It can be cooler in the park than at sea level. Also, wise to bring rain gear.

If you are lucky to have the weather cooperate, you will be treated to a glow and some lava at Halemaumau Crater, at Kilauea volcano. The colors are more pronounced at night. We went when it was raining and cloudy during the day and didn't see much. We went back a few days later and it was clear and we saw a lot of activity. The rangers are great. They direct traffic in cases where there are a lot of visitors. You will find parking somewhere. Be sure to walk to all the different vantage points.

The Sulphur Banks trail near the visitor center was incredible. Watching and smelling the smoke come out of the ground was astounding. You can walk to the steam vents also.

Be sure to drive Crater Rim Drive and take Chain of Craters Road to the ocean.

Super fun place to visit! They say parking is limited during an eruption but we had no issues finding parking while we were there. Viewing the eruption was super cool, and we enjoyed walking through the lava tube. There are cute gift shops there and a nice restaurant. The rangers were very nice and helpful.

Visited 3 times during our stay at Hilo.
Great hikes and we were there 2 hours after this latest eruption.
There is a fee to enter the park, and when unmanned it really is an honesty system to pay via QR code. Payments help support the ongoing maintenance of the park.

Don't miss this park when you are on the Big Island. I highly recommend taking chain of craters road all the way to the end to see the amazing ocean views and sea arches. It is a drive from the Kona area but can be done in a long day. Start early because the parking lots at the areas near the entrance fill up quickly. Once you make it a few stops down the road there is hardly anyone there.

With Kilauea erupting, we had to check it out while on the island. Even though everyone says it’s better at night, we were staying in Kona, and the two hour winding, mountainous drive at night in drizzly weather was not something we wanted to do. So we arrived around noon, and yes, you can still see the lava! And it’s much less crowded. We also went down the Crater road and checked out the lava fields and lava tubes. They now have created a service road down where you used to be able to take a picture of yourself lying on the road, with the lava rock behind you, looking like it just flowed by! It’s good-better evacuation routes for the locals. Anyway, if you are anywhere in the Hawaiian islands right now, you’ve got to come check it out… it is beautiful, terrifying, and historic. Just be respectful of Pepe’s mountain and don’t take anything out of the park or you’ll get bad luck!!!

What an awesome experience!! Trails to devastation and to crater mind blowing!! We all had a blast 😂😂.

All I can say is WOW! We were lucky enough to be there when there was an active volcano eruption. What an amazing experience. We went to the Volcano House and were able to stand on the back deck to watch the eruption. We got there early so there weren't many people around yet, but it quickly filled up.

Everything about this National Park is very cool. From seeing the dormant volcanos to walking through the Lava tubes. If you have a car, I recommend taking the drive about 40 minutes away to see the black sand beach.

With an active eruption, this place fills up quickly. We took an early flight from Oahu into Hilo, rented a car, and spent the day. It is about a 40-minute drive from the airport to the park.

If you can go during an active eruption, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

We visited the park late in the afternoon and watched the sunset, and the volcano eruption becoming more and more visible. It was crowded at this time and the crowds thinned out at around 9 pm. We used the observation points in the park to view the volcano. If everyone was quiet, you could hear it crackle and pop.

Went to the lava tube, couldn’t get a parking space continued up the road to the parking area called devastation. Parked and walked out to the view point to see the volcano crater you could see smoke and steam pouring out of the ground.

This was another incredible experience on our Big Island visit! While it is a long drive from Kona, it is well worth it! Many picturesque stops, including Green Sand Beach and Black Sand Beach, the main attraction is the volcanoes and the national park! The NPS does such an amazing job and the Visitor's Center is a great place to start! Staff is so helpful and knowledgeable. There are so many trails and options! We hiked around the craters of Kilaeaua and Mauna Kea volcanoes and hiked through the lava tubes, which were great. The lodge on the lip of Mauna Kea has quite the view and is a must see. Also, don't miss the Art Galleries, amazing local art! It was a great way to get some hiking in, see some amazing views and learn about the history and folklore associated with the Big Island! Highly recommend this!

When else will you stand on a volcano of this magnitude? So many trails to hike. Beautiful vistas. Don’t miss the lava tube walk.

We had a wonderful day exploring and learning about the volcanos and the island. We loved the dark lava tube and the steam vents. It was amazing to see the difference from one explosion to the next. Then seeing the shades of black, exposing its age and the new flora and fauna that grows among it. Our earth is so amazing!! Volcanoes are absolute proof of the majesty of it!

Impressive national park, very versatile lava formation and good installation. Take the creater rim drive down to ocean for beautiful views on the ocean.

Great to see an active volcano!
Go at night to get a better view and better pictures.

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