(Volcano, Hawai`i)

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawai`i has long been popular with both residents and visitors. From the early 1900's, and even before that, visitors from far and wide made the difficult trek up to the 4000-ft. elevation area of the park. On horse and mule back via wilderness trails, and later in horse-drawn wagons and carriages on bumpy, rutted roads, and later still in open touring cars and assorted jalopies, visitors have been drawn to the park for its pristine natural beauty and spectacular volcanic eruptions and colorful lava flows. And today with modern highways, automobiles and even helicopter and airplane tours, visitors still flock to the park to take in all of nature\rquote s beauty. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is easily one of the most popular attractions on the Big Island and even in the state.

Most park visitors come to see the eruption activity and lava flows. Visitors can drive down the Chain of Craters Road to the park's southeast coast where the recent ongoing activity has centered. The road ends where lava flows have covered the road.

Visitors park at the road's end and hike on designated safe trails across the old lava flows to sites where the lava can be seen entering the ocean or to view a surface breakout. As the molten lava meets the sea, it explodes into fine pumice and cinders. Volcanic fumes and gases, vog as it's called, lingers in the area and breathing can be difficult.

Trails to the lava flow sites are rocky and very hazardous, so be sure to have proper footwear and attire, water, sunscreen, hat, and flash lights for night walking, etc. Visitors can expect to hike anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more one way in order to see the lava flows. Conditions and eruption activity change daily and viewing lava flows cannot be guaranteed. Check with the onsite rangers at road\rquote s end for the latest trail and safety information. Spectacular views of the eruption activity are easily seen with an airplane or helicopter tour as well.

The national park's entrance and headquarters, visitor center, volcano observatory and museum, campgrounds, the Volcano House Hotel, and related attractions are all centrally located near Kilauea Caldera and close to Volcano Village.

From Hilo, the national park is a distance of thirty-five miles south and southwest on Hawai`i Belt Road #11. Driving time is about forty-five minutes from Hilo to the national park. For visitors traveling from the Kailua-Kona area, it is a distance of ninety-six miles south and then northeast via Hawai`i Belt Road Highway #11. This drive from Kailua-Kona is a long one, passing through some desolate open stretches of lava lands, dry scrub land, steep slopes of Mauna Loa, some ranch country, and the Ka`u desert.

Because of the distance from Kailua-Kona, even further from Kohala Coast resorts, it'd be wise to plan on a full day's trip to the national park area. Plan on a driving time of two and a half to three hours, one way. And get an early start. Better yet, stay overnight in the park or Volcano Village area.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is home to Kilauea, the world\rquote s most active and most visitor-friendly volcano. With its multiple attractions, the park is a big draw for both visitors and residents alike. The park's visitor center features a natural history museum detailing the ecology, environment, vulcanology and cultural significance of the national park. There is also a free twenty-minute volcano eruption documentary video shown several times daily. Park rangers are on duty to provide all the details and information you need for a safe and fun visit to the national park.

The Volcano Art Center, 808-967-8222, Web: http://www.volcanoartcenter.com, is located adjacent to the park visitor center and is free. The center occupies the historic 1877 building that served as the original Volcano House Hotel. Constructed of local ohia lehua logs, the building has been restored to its original rustic look and charm including its warm and inviting fireplace. The art center's galleries and display rooms feature many beautiful arts and crafts produced by local artisans in varied art media forms from paintings to pottery and fine photography and much more.

Anyway you look at Kilauea Caldera, it is impressive. Ringed on three sides by towering cliffs, the bowl-shaped caldera, or crater, opens to the south and the vast Ka`u Desert. The caldera is some three miles wide with the enclosing cliffs towering several hundred feet high. Perched on the north side cliffs above the caldera rim is the venerable Volcano House Hotel. A series of trails follow the crater rim while others go down into and across the caldera itself. The caldera floor consists of various lava flows from the last several years, the most recent being from 1982. Vents and cracks still steam and hiss, indications that activity is still underfoot. Crater Rim Drive encircles the caldera allowing visitors to drive completely around it.

Halema`uma`u Crater is on the south side of Kilauea Caldera's floor. This is a three-thousand ft. diameter, thirteen hundred ft. deep lava vent. The vent's last eruption was in 1974, but cracks continue to emit steam. There is a parking lot for Halema`uma`u Crater just off Crater Rim Drive. The short quarter-mile trail allows visitors to view the crater from an overlook.

Kilauea Volcano is, of course, the traditional home of the Hawaiian fire goddess, Pele `ai-honua (Pele who eats the land). Madame Pele is recognized as both a creator and destroyer. Many native Hawaiians hold Pele in high respect and honor her with traditional ceremonial offerings cast into Halema`uma`u fire pit while chants, songs, and dances are performed in her honor.

Kilauea Iki, on Kilauea's east side, is a huge cinder cone vent that erupted in 1959. Visitors can reach Kilauea Iki via Devastation Trail which passes through the portion of forest behind the cinder cone. The forest was burned and covered by pumice and cinders from the Kilauea Iki eruption. What remains is a stark surreal landscape of bare twisted tree stumps reaching up to the sky through piles of cinders.

Trails lead down and across Kilauea Iki for a fantastic nature walk across a still steaming crater. The Kilauea Iki Overlook, also along Crater Rim Drive, provides a super wide-angle view of Kilauea Iki Crater.

Trailheads are located at various points along the Crater Rim Drive which circles Kilauea Caldera and Chain of Craters Road. Hikers have a choice of trails offering everything from close up views of volcanic craters, to steaming lava vents and colorful sulfur banks, sweeping vistas of Kilauea's lava flows, sloping flanks and stark desert landscapes, or a cool quiet forest trail leading through a rare bird sanctuary.

Thurston Lava Tube Trail is an easy twenty-minute loop walk through a pleasantly cool fern forest. The nearly 1,500-ft. long lava tube, with a 20-ft. high ceiling, is big enough for a subway train, except for a couple of places where the ceiling hangs low. The tube was formed by fast flowing lava which hardened on the outside shell. The inside kept flowing, eventually drained away, and left the long hollow tube.

Several miles down the Chain of Craters Road, almost to the coast, look for the sign marking the Pu`u Loa Petroglyph Trail. This easy half-mile, twenty-minute walk over old lava flows leads to a large petroglyph field with numerous old Hawaiian rock etchings and carvings done by early Hawaiians.

At the Jaggar Volcano Observatory and Museum, volcanologists study the latest seismograph readings and instrument data to monitor the volcanic activity. Visitors will enjoy the museum's varied natural history and vulcanology displays. From the museum overlook into Kilauea Caldera, visitors view the crater and see the forces of nature at work with the steam vents hissing and sulfur banks smoking. The observatory and museum are named after Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, 1871-1953, a distinguished scientist who studied the volcanoes for some forty years.

The historic Volcano House Hotel (808-967-7321) is the national park's premier lodging place and is located directly across from the visitor center near the main entrance. The venerable Volcano House dates far back into the early 1800's as a simple inn for visitors who traveled on horseback all the way from Hilo to see the wonders of the volcano.

The evenings do get chilly at the 4,000-ft Volcano elevation (especially in winter), so the hotel's heated rooms (a rarity among Hawai`i hotels) are much welcomed. One Volcano House tradition is its lobby fireplace which has had a kiawe log fire burning continuously for more years than anyone can remember.

The Volcano House has a rustic lodge atmosphere with its lobby fireplace, early American furnishings, and Hawaiian koa wood paneling. The Ka Ohelo Dining Room is the hotel's popular restaurant, serving breakfast, a bountiful lunch buffet, and an ala carte menu for dinner. The views of Kilauea Caldera are included at no extra charge. The Volcano House is the only lodging in Hawai`i, and probably the world, sitting on the edge of an active volcano.

Travel Tips-Information

To get the most from a visit to the national park, get a copy of the Volcano Heritage Corridor Driver's Guide. The free pamphlet map guide notes the historic sites, villages and places of the Kea`au to Volcano area plus the Puna Coast. It's available at the Hilo and Kona airport information booths. Or, contact the Hawai`i Island Economic Development Board in Hilo at 808-966-5416.

Entry fees into the national park are: $10 per car with the pass good for a week; $20 for a yearly pass; $5 for walk-in visitors or on bicycle, moped, etc. For additional information, contact: Superintendent, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Volcano, HI 96718, 808-985-6010; Web: http://www.nps.gov/havo