7 Things You Need to Do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

And so after almost a week island hopping, we finally made it to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, ready to hit some crater and jungle trails and walk through ancient lava tunnels. 

Last updated: February 11, 2025

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | Roads and Destinations
Things you actually want to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Mauna Loa and Kīlauea.

Making headlines in 2018 for spilling tons of boiling hot lava and shaking the Big Island of Hawaii with tens of thousands of earthquakes, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been a center of attention and a playground for outdoor adventurers for decades, even centuries. 

The truth is the park had aroused curiosity well before the infamous months-long eruption. Native islanders regard this otherworldly terrain a sacred place. Ancient Hawaiians would bring their gifts and perform ceremonial sacrifices in the shadows of two major volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kīlauea.  

The massive volcanoes that comprise half of the Big Island of Hawaii are still very active today, protruding their lava tongues and quaking the area in and near Volcanoes National Park every few years. 

Visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Nestled in the southeastern corner of the Big Island, roughly 29 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the largest state-protected area on the island. It spans more than 550 square miles, including a wide range of terrains into its domain. 

How Much Time Do You Need for a Visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?

Normally, you need at least one full day to see some of the largest and hidden landmarks of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If time is an issue, travel along Crater Rim Drive. The road loops around the Kīlauea Crater and features several viewpoints and hiking trails. 

Heading to Hilo that same day and then further north the next afternoon as part of our self-guided grand circle trip, we didn’t have the entire day to spend in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I had built our itinerary, then cut it in almost half. One more revision of the now new travel list followed shortly after. 

In the end, we had just enough places to see, a few trails to hike, and one lava tube to explore during our less-than-a-day excursion to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. On thing, “to see a red-orange trail of molten lava as it flows through the park and spills into the ocean”, sat at the very top of our itinerary. Considering that the volcanoes disturb the peace of the Big Island of Hawaii every 2-3 years, it wasn’t a lot to ask for. 

Sadly or luckily, as one of the gift store associates at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park confirmed the day before our visit, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was “sleeping” during our Oahu – Big Island trip. No new lava flow was registered at that time. 

Nevertheless, even without the borderless lava river, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park showcases the magnitude and unpredictability of natural forces that reign the Big Island. With that said, whether you have one day or a few hours for your adventures in Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park, check out some of these areas and pack in a few of these hikes. 

The Big Island of Hawaii | Roads and Destinations
Heading inside a lava tube in Hawaii Volcanoes

THINGS TO DO IN HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK: ONE DAY (OR LESS) ITINERARY

1. Ha’akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) Trail

A volcano puffing its hot breath in the form of hot vapor released from underground vents wasn’t something new to us. The dense steams with a distinctive rotten egg odor brought up memories from our trips to Yellowstone National Park and the most recent ones from Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Yet since the trail was easy, practically flat, and relatively short, we jumped on it first thing upon arrival at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Dylan had to see and smell volcanic gases oozing out of the ground in person. 

  • Distance: 1.3 miles, round trip
  • Elevation gain: 90 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Time: 30-40 minutes

2. Kipuka Puaulu Trail

The Kipuka Pauaulu Trail is another easy hike you can do with kids. The trail loops around the base of Mauna Loa and runs through a tropical forest, providing completely different views and smells compared to those along the Sulphur Banks Trail. 

  • Distance: 1.2-mile loop
  • Elevation gain: 165 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Time: 30-40 minutes
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | Roads and Destinations
Ha’akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) Trail

3. Halema’uma’u Trail

The Halema’uma’u Trail opens some of the best views of the Kīlauea Caldera. The path starts behind the Volcano House off Crater Rim Drive, descends 425 feet through a rain forest, and takes you to scenic vistas of Kīlauea.

  • Distance: 1.6 miles, round trip (from the trailhead to the floor of the Kīlauea Caldera); 2.6 miles, round trip (from the trailhead to the top Byron Ledge (Uēaloha))
  • Elevation gain: 425 – 555 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Time: 1 hour – 1 hour 30 minutes

4. Nāhuku (Thurston) Lava Tube

One of the shortest trails in Volcanoes National Park, the Nāhuku Lava Tube Trail sits along Crater Rim Drive. They say the tunnel was named after lava drippings that once hang from the ceilings. (Nāhuku in the Hawaiian language means “protuberance”.) None of these eerie spires adorn the Nāhuku Lava Tube today. They all were gone as souvenirs in the early days of the official excursions through the tunnel. 

One of the most visited underground trails in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the 500-year old Nāhuku Lava Tube was discovered relatively recently, in 1913. The tunnel spans 600 feet and reaches the height of more then 20 feet in certain areas. 

TIP: Nāhuku Lava Tube parking lot has a limited number of spaces that fill up quickly. Since the trail is the shortest from this point, the parking spaces open up periodically. If you are extremely lucky, you can pull over and claim one right away at any time of the day. If relying on luck is not your cup of tea, park at the Kīlauea Iki Overlook, which leads us to the next favorite thing to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 

  • Distance: 0.5 mile loop from the Nāhuku parking area; 1.5-mile, round trip, from the Kīlauea Iki Overlook
  • Elevation gain: 60 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Time: 15-40 mintes 
Nahuku Lava Tube | Roads and Destinations
Nāhuku (Thurston) Lava Tube

5. Kīlauea Iki Trail

If you parked at the Kīlauea Iki parking lot, don’t miss out on another epic overlook and trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hiking becomes more difficult as the trail descends into the crater abruptly and runs across the hardened lava lake that was created after the 1959 eruption. 

  • Distance: 3.3-mile loop
  • Elevation gain: 740 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
  • Time: 2-3 hours

6. Maunaulu – Pu’u Huluhulu Trail

The Pu’u Huluhulu Trail is located off Saddle Road. Some regard it as one of the most beautiful hikes in the entire Volcanoes National Park. The trail passes by lava tree molds and climbs to the top of Pu’u Huluhulu, a hill dotted with some trees and lush vegetation.

The sights become even more irresistible when you ascend the hill from where on a clear day you can see Mauna Kea, the world’s tallest sea mountain, and Mauna Loa, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world that has shaped the terrain of Volcanoes National Park.

  • Distance: 2.6 miles, round trip
  • Elevation gain: Steep incline up Pu’u Huluhulu.
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

7. Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Trail

As the name suggests, the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Trail gives you a sneak peek into the history of ancient Hawaiian. The hike starts near Kalapana, off Chain of Craters Road. 

  • Distance: 1.2 mile, round-trip trail
  • Elevation gain: Easy
  • Difficulty: 75 feet
  • Time: 20-30 minutes
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | Roads and Destinations
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park one-day itinerary

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