Established
1916
Size
325,605 acres
Visitors / yr
1.4M
Entrance
$30
Best season
Year-round
Nearest airport
ITO Hilo International
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Why Hawaii Volcanoes is worth the trip
Hawaii · Established 1916
This is the only park where the main attraction is still under construction. Hawaii Volcanoes sits on Kilauea and Mauna Loa, two of the most active volcanoes on Earth, and when Kilauea is erupting you can stand at a crater rim after dark and watch the planet make new rock, the glow lighting the steam from below. Even between eruptions the ground steams, craters gape, and the air carries a whiff of sulfur to remind you who is in charge.
Walk through Nahuku, the Thurston Lava Tube, a tunnel a river of lava left behind, then drive Chain of Craters Road as it drops 3,700 feet through decades of hardened flows to the sea cliffs. Check the eruption status before you go. Nobody can promise you lava, and that uncertainty is part of the deal with a living volcano.
Start with our full Hawaii Volcanoes guide, then use the planning below.
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Top things to do in Hawaii Volcanoes
Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.
Start here
15 Things to Do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (2026 Guide)
Read the guide
01
Bookstore and Park Store · nps.gov
Park Bookstore
Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association operates the official park bookstores at the Welcome Center and the Kahuku Unit.
02
Hiking · nps.gov
Hōlei Sea Arch
Walk a short distance to a view of dramatic sea cliffs and a 90-foot high arch sculpted by the sea.
03
Hiking · nps.gov
Haʻakulamanu via Sulphur Banks Trail
See where volcanic gases have deposited colorful crystals.
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Hiking · nps.gov
Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge)
Walk along an old road damaged by an earthquake in 1983 and get panoramic views of Kaluapele
Bookstore and Park Store · nps.gov
Park Bookstore
Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association operates the official park bookstores at the Welcome Center and the Kahuku Unit.
02
Hiking · nps.gov
Hōlei Sea Arch
Walk a short distance to a view of dramatic sea cliffs and a 90-foot high arch sculpted by the sea.
03
Hiking · nps.gov
Haʻakulamanu via Sulphur Banks Trail
See where volcanic gases have deposited colorful crystals.
04
Hiking · nps.gov
Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge)
Walk along an old road damaged by an earthquake in 1983 and get panoramic views of Kaluapele
Before you go
Get the Hawaii Volcanoes heads-up
Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Hawaii Volcanoes guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.
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Plan your trip
Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Hawaii Volcanoes.
Where to stay
Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.
- Volcano, HIGateway town
- Hilo, HIGateway town
- Kailua-Kona, HIGateway town
- Nāmakanipaio 16 sites
- Kulanaokuaiki 9 sites
Maps & guides
Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.
Hawaii Volcanoes Trails Illustrated map
Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.
View on Amazon
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass
What to bring
Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.
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Sun HatFull-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
-
Water ShoesQuick-drying grip for shorelines, slot canyons, and river crossings. View on REI
-
Sun-Protective ShirtUPF 50+ fabric keeps you cool and blocks UV all day. View on REI
-
Water BottlesCarry at least 2 liters. More in desert heat. View on REI
Getting there
- ITO Hilo International 30 mi
- KOA Ellison Onizuka Kona International 96 mi
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.
Hawaii Volcanoes map
VC Visitor Center
CG Campground
Nearby Park
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Read our seasonal guide
When to go
Loading weather...
Month-by-Month Conditions
Tap any month for details
Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
69°
53°
Heavy
Open
Feb
69°
52°
Moderate
Open
Mar
69°
53°
Moderate
Open
Apr
70°
54°
Moderate
Open
May Best
72°
56°
Moderate
Open
Jun Best
74°
57°
Heavy
Open
Jul Best
76°
59°
Heavy
Open
Aug Best
77°
60°
Moderate
Open
Sep Best
77°
60°
Moderate
Open
Oct Best
75°
59°
Moderate
Open
Nov
72°
57°
Moderate
Open
Dec
70°
54°
Heavy
Open
Best months to visit
Crowd level (low to peak)
Watch our film
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park 8K
Weeks on the Big Island filming the most active volcano on earth. We caught it before some of the bigger eruptions reshaped the landscape, so a few of these shots are now a record of places that have changed. Watch for the lava.
Browse all our national park films05
More Hawaii Volcanoes guides
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Parks near Hawaii Volcanoes
Within reach if you are building a longer trip.
Worth protecting
Hawaii Volcanoes belongs to all of us
Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.
Stay in the Loop
Free dispatches on the parks and the policy fights around them, almost every day. Threats tracked, wins celebrated, no fluff.
Threatened Lands Map
Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.
View the Tracker