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Volcano National Park

Volcano, Hawaii, United States

Inside one of the visitor center museums

Volcano National Park is a national park located in the city of Volcano (how fitting) on the big island of Hawaii. As the name implies, this is currently the site of volcanic activity. Conditions can change quickly, but this park contains one of the worlds most active volcanoes.

When we visited, the lava flowing into the ocean was located outside the park, so the local county had set up a viewing area, and wouldn't allow people to go near it. One of the park rangers told us that if the lava was flowing inside the park, visitors would be permitted to get right up to it.

Even if the lava isn't flowing, the park still offers a number of neat and interesting things to see. There are two museum centers in the park, and they both offer some neat museum-type exhibits. One particularly memorable exhibit shows the seismic activity from different areas. When we were there, we noticed there was a lot of activity on one of the measuring devices. The next day, we read the daily bulletin, and sure enough, a small earthquake was detected in the area! The museums also display samples of lava, discuss the history of the park (and the island), and provide information on volcanoes and lava. Additionally, park rangers give scheduled talks at certain times throughout the day, and are always available to answer any questions.

The Vent at Halema‘uma‘u Crater

The vent at halema‘uma‘u during the day

When we visited the park, there was a new vent in the Halema‘uma‘u Crater. It was spewing out 600+ tons of sulfur dioxide each day. For this reason, part of the Crater Rim Drive (that encircles the crater) was closed. However, the park rangers gave fun and interesting talks about the vent, and it was quite neat to see. The sulfur dioxide coming out of the vent was so hot that it caused the surrounding rocks to visibly glow at night. It was definitely very neat to see!

Visitors should note that water and snacks can be purchased at a hotel inside the park (for fairly reasonable prices). If you go on any hikes, you should definitely bring some water along.

Driving the Crater Rim Road

One of the overlooks from Crater Rim Drive

Besides checking out the museums and visitors center, visitors can also drive along Crater Rim Drive to see some neat formations and attractions in the park. Some of the fun attractions include:

• Steam Vents
• Scenic Overlooks
• Thurston Lava Tube - a great lava tube (bring a flashlight!)
• The End Of The Road - See where lava ruined a road
• Lava Flowing Into The Ocean In Hawaii - Lava flowing into the ocean (outside the park)

The scenery at some of these different attractions is simply amazing. It's really impressive to look at huge stretches of black, hardened lava. It really gives you a sense of the strength of these volcanoes when you see the huge fields of lava.

Dress

A lava field with a view of the ocean in the background

The weather in Volcano is often a bit cooler than down by the ocean. Often, shorts and a t-shirt is fine (especially if you're doing some hiking and exerting yourself). However, depending on when you visit, it may be slightly cooler at the park. You may want to have pants or a long-sleeved shirt available.

Cost

The sulfur dioxide vent at night

Each vehicle pays an entrance fee of $10 to enter the park. The entrance fee is valid for 7 consecutive days (although you probably won't want to visit that many days).

Estimated Visiting Time

I would recommend spending at least half a day visiting the different sites in the park. If you go on some of the longer hiking trails (such as the trail across an old crater) you'll probably need a full day. Some of the sites available at the park can only be seen here. As long as you're in the area, visiting the nearby sites is well worth your time.