Panorama taken next to the Jaggar Museum in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii Island. This picture shows a view over the Kilauea Caldera and the various steam vents within it.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Hawaii Island visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Hawaii Volcanoes National Park' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Hawaii.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lies on the souther end of Hawaii Island. It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important tourist attraction on the island. The park covers parts of Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes, both shield volcanoes, and is full of volcanic landscapes and unusual ecosystems.

Kīlauea volcano is still active, visitors are advised to check the park website for the latest road and weather conditions, which can change quickly. The summit of Kilauea, and the entrance to the park is at about 1200m, and it is often 12 to 15° cooler here than at sea level, so dress accordingly. All the terrain is uneven, wear good walking shoes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has numerous sights and attractions of interest for visitors, with suggestions depending on the length of stay. Some of the top attractions include:

• Volcanoes Park Visitor Center - near to the park entrance with informative displays about the various aspects of visiting, geology and natural history.
• Crater Rim Drive - good for a 3 hour visit, this 11mile road encircles Kilauea Caldera, passing by steam vents, sulphur vents over lava flows and through continuously changing terrain with viewpoints and short walks.
• Jaggar Museum - contains exhibitions on different types of lava, exploring volcanoes and working seismographs.
• Thurston Lava Tube - ancient lava tube discovered in 1913 by Lorrin Thurston, a section is open to the public to walk through.
• Steam Vents, Steaming Bluff, and Sulphur Banks - on Crater Rim Drive, a series of thermal steam vents and other formations overlooking Kilauea Caldera.
• Chain of Craters Scenic Drive - 11 mile drive down from the caldera to the sea, passing various pit craters and over lava flows with lookouts to the point where lava buried the road.
• Lava Entering the Sea - walk from the end of Chain of Craters road over fresh lava to the point where lava flows into the sea.
Walks and trails - the park has various trails of different lengths to cones and craters.
• Camping - camping in the park is free, reservations are not required. There are two sites, Namakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki.
• Mauna Loa Sumit Road - a road ascending north up the flanks of Mauna Loa, followed by a trail to a cabin at the summit (4168m).

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
P.O. Box 52
Hawai'i National Park,
Hawaii Island
HI 96718-0052

Bus: Limited, weekday service on the Hele On Bus.
Car: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is on Highway 11, 30 miles southwest of Hilo (45 minute drive) and 96 miles from Kailua-Kona (2 to 2 1/2 hour drive).