Location:

Southern part of the island of Hawaii, in the districts of Kau and Puna.

Vital Stats:

Nearest airports: Hilo and Kona. From Hilo, the park is 30 miles southwest on Highway 11; from Kailua-Kona, 96 miles southeast on Highway 11.

Established: August 1, 1916.

Size: 333,086 acres.

Park website: http://www.nps.gov/havo/

Snapshot

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers a look at two of the world's most active volcanoes: 4,000-feet-and-growing Kilauea and the older and larger Mauna Loa (13,677 feet above sea level). This national park is one of the best places to view red-hot lava up close. In addition to the geological phenomena here, notable features include desert and rain forest landscapes, petroglyphs, sacred native Hawaiian sites, and endemic plant and animal species.

Did You Know?

With lava flowing at an average rate of 800-1,300 gallons per second from vents on the east rift zone of Kilauea, more than 500 acres of new land have been added to the island of Hawaii since Kilauea's eruption began on January 3, 1983.

Scenic Drive

The Crater Rim drive parallels the rim of the three-mile-wide, 400-foot-deep Kilauea Caldera for intermittent stretches, offering vantage points from which you can take in views of the vertical lava cliffs and rain forests. The route includes stops to hike through the Nahuku lava tube and along Devastation Trail as well as visits to the Kilauea Visitors Center and the small, volcano-focused Jaggar Museum. Note: Portions of this road have been closed since February 2008 due to sulfur fumes and explosive eruptions.

Chain of Craters Road is an 18-mile, one-way drive from Kilauea Visitor Center to a 2003 lava flow that cuts the road off abruptly. Along the way there are several scenic turnouts with views of craters, hardened lava flows, and petroglyphs carved into lava by native Hawaiians.