Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Summary

💵

$30

7-day vehicle fee

📷

5 live

HVO cameras

Historic Crowd Data

Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Light Moderate Busy Very Busy

Peak season is December–January, when around 20% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for April–May.

Plan Your Visit

🌋Current Eruption StatusAdvisory · Aviation Yellow▾

🌋 Kīlauea has been erupting episodically from Halemaʻumaʻu since December 23, 2024, with roughly 50 fountaining episodes so far, typically lasting hours and separated by pauses of weeks. As of this build, USGS's Volcano Alert Level is ADVISORY (Aviation Color Code YELLOW), with SO₂ emissions of 1,000–5,000 tonnes/day even during pauses. NPS's own alert: "Volcanic eruptions can be hazardous. Stay out of closed areas and monitor air quality." Volcanic ash, rock, and glassy strands (tephra) are present at the summit and can irritate skin, eyes, and airways — eye protection, long sleeves/pants, closed-toe shoes, and a dust mask are recommended. Given active volcanism, treat road/trail status as time-sensitive and always check current conditions before visiting. NPS current conditions ↗ · USGS HVO updates ↗

Quick Stats

Established1916

Eruption Episodes~50 since Dec 2024

SO₂ Emissions1,000–5,000 t/day

TimezoneHST, no DST

🪧Park Entrance & Fees$30 · ATB honored▾

Entry Fees · 7-day pass

Vehicle$30

Motorcycle$25

Individual / Bicycle$15

Hawaiʻi Tri-Park Annual$55

Cashless park · ages 15 & under free · America the Beautiful pass honored

⚠️Hazards & SafetyUnstable crater edges▾

⚠️ NPS: "Stay away from cliffs, cracks, and steam vents — these features are unstable and may collapse or be slippery." "Keep a safe distance from earth cracks, cliff edges, vents, fumaroles, and lava flows." Never enter closed areas — established overlooks exist for safe eruption viewing, and entering closed areas "can cause serious injury or death." Lava fields are shadeless and hot; carry at least 2 quarts of water per person. Vog (volcanic smog) can be hazardous to those with heart or respiratory conditions, infants, children, and pregnant visitors — check the air quality alert before visiting. NPS safety info ↗

🛣️Chain of Craters Road18.8 mi one-way▾

🌊 The road runs 18.8 miles one-way from the summit down to the coast. At the end, Hōlei Sea Arch — a ~90-ft lava sea arch — is viewed from an overlook about 1,000 feet past the road's end gate. Given ongoing eruptive activity, road and trail status can change quickly — always check current NPS conditions before driving down. NPS Chain of Craters info ↗

🥾Things to Do4 categories▾

Hiking Trails5 trails▾

Kīlauea Iki TrailMod.–Challenging

Descends through lush rainforest to cross the solidified lava lake on the floor of Kīlauea Iki crater

3.3–6.0 mi RT · 400 ft

Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)Moderate

Rainforest walk into a roughly 500-year-old lava tube where molten lava once flowed

1.5–6.0 mi RT

Devastation TrailEasy

Paved, wheelchair- and stroller-accessible walk across a landscape reshaped by cinder from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption

1 mi RT · Accessible

Crater Rim TrailEasy

Traces the edge of Kīlauea's summit caldera from Uēkahuna past steam vents, 2018-eruption aftermath, and rainforest

Puʻuloa PetroglyphsModerate

Coastal trail across a 500–550-year-old lava field to one of Hawaiʻi's most extensive petroglyph fields (~23,000 images)

1.4 mi RT

Biking3 areas▾

Crater Rim Drive & Chain of Craters RoadPaved

All paved roads open to vehicles in the Kīlauea District are open to bikes and e-bikes

Old Crater Rim Drive & Chain of Craters–Kalapana RoadGravel · Experienced

Gravel routes for experienced riders; ride single file on the right and yield to vehicles

Kahuku UnitThu–Sun, 8 AM–4 PM

Kahuku Road, Palm Trail & the Old Māmalahoa Highway spur are open to bikes; unit open Thursday–Sunday

Stargazing & Night SkyNot certified▾

⏳

Loading…

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes is not currently a certified Dark Sky Park, though NPS has described its skies as "one of the darkest places on the face of the Earth." Note that vog (volcanic smog) can reduce visibility and air quality for stargazing during active eruption periods. NPS current conditions ↗

Bird WatchingTop 5 species▾

'Io

Hawaiian Hawk, endemic to the Big Island

Nēnē

Hawai'i's state bird

'I'iwi

Scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper

'Apapane

Common in ohia forest canopy

Hawai'i 'Elepaio

Endemic forest flycatcher

📷Live Camera Feed — USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Refreshing in 60s

🏕Campground AvailabilityFirst-come, first-served▾

⛺ NPS: "Campgrounds are first come, first served. No reservations." Neither campground uses Recreation.gov.

Nāmakanipaio$15/tent site▾

Sites16 tent sites, all first-come-first-served

CabinsSeparate reservation required — hawaiivolcanohouse.com / (844) 569-8849

NPS camping info ↗

Kulanaokuaiki$10/site▾

Sites9 walk-in sites, first-come-first-served

AmenitiesNo water, no campfires (stoves only), no pets

NPS camping info ↗

📍Landmarks3 stops▾

Key Locations3 stops▾

Halemaʻumaʻu

Active vent within Kīlauea's summit caldera, site of ongoing episodic eruptions

Volcano House

Historic crater-rim hotel, still operating today

Hōlei Sea Arch

~90-ft lava sea arch at the end of Chain of Craters Road

Park Contact Information

📞 Phone: (808) 985-6011 (not staffed regularly) · Mailing Address: PO Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718 · Official NPS contact page ↗