Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park protects two different volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The park is a popular spot on Big Island tours that also include stops at sights such as Rainbow Falls and the Hamakua Coast. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park tours from Oahu are a great way to visit the park and generally include round-trip airfare. Other tour options include Kilauea volcano bike tours and helicopter rides.

Once at the park, you can stop in at the park's Jaggar Museum to learn about earthquakes, geology, and seismology, or ask your tour guide for more details. You can also learn about why lava from active volcanoes still flows to the sea and occasionally covers roads and hear the storyof Pele, Hawaii's volcano goddess.

• Eruptive activity changes daily, so no two trips are the same.

• You can buy Hawaii Volcanoes National Park tickets online or when you arrive. There are no entrance fees on select national holidays and interagency pass–holders visit for free.

• Volcano tours get you close to the action, visiting popular sites such as Halemaumau Crater, the Kilauea Iki crater, and Devastation Trail.

• Bring a warm jacket for the brisk air at the 4,000-foot (1,200-meter) Kilauea summit. Pack a rain jacket for the lush environment around the Thurston Lava Tube.

• Some guided hiking tours go through rugged terrain, and aren’t suitable for wheelchairs or travelers with limited mobility.

• It's important to hike the area around Kilauea safely; consider traveling with a professional tour guide.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a 45-minute drive south of Hilo and a 2.5-hour drive from Kona. The most popular ways to experience the park are as part of a Hawaii volcano tour or on a self-guided driving tour of Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road.

Because volcanic activity is tough to predict, it's almost impossible to plan your trip around lava flow. Weather at the park can range from 45°F (7°C) with rain and wind at the summit of Kilauea to 85°F (29°C) by the shoreline; travel with multiple layers that are suitable for all conditions.

Kilauea has destroyed nearly 200 structures during its most recent eruption. Lava covered the entire village of Kalapana, and over 500 acres of new land have appeared since 1983. As you'll learn on guided tours, parts of the ground are still very brittle due to the surface being so young.

From lava tubes to rain forest, there’s so much to see in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that you need at least one full day. To take advantage of the many hiking opportunities (there are more than 150 miles of trails) plan for two or three days and spend a night in, or close to, the park.

Check the forecast and dress accordingly but expect changing weather. Make sure you have sun protection and, ideally, a waterproof layer in case of unexpected rain showers. Closed-toe shoes are a must. Sneakers should be fine if you’re only doing easy hikes but for longer walks on more rugged trails, wear boots.

Spring is the best time to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The winter crowds will have gone; the summer crowds won’t have arrived yet, and the weather is pleasantly cool (though often wet), making for ideal hiking conditions. However, you should avoid American spring break and Japanese Golden Week (end of April).

No, hiking boots are not necessary to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, but you should wear closed-toe shoes. If you stick to easy trails, you should be fine with trail running shoes but if you’re planning anything more adventurous, such as scrambling over lava, opt for a pair of hiking boots.