Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a great way to experience the stunning natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. Visitors can explore the park on foot, by bike, or even in a vehicle.
The most popular way to explore the park is on foot. Hiking trails traverse through both active and dormant volcanoes, as well as lush forests and meadows. The 11-mile Crater Rim Drive takes visitors along the rim of Kilauea’s summit caldera and provides access to many overlooks with stunning views of Halemaumau crater, Pu’u Pua’i cinder cone, and Mauna Ulu lava flow. Other trails provide access to spectacular waterfalls, coastal views from sea cliffs, and ancient petroglyphs carved into lava rocks by native Hawaiians centuries ago.
Visitors looking for more adventure can explore the park by bicycle or vehicle. Bicyclists can take advantage of miles of paved roads that offer breathtaking views of craters, valleys and other geological features throughout the park. For those who want an up close look at these sites but don’t feel like getting too far off-road there are scenic drives such as Chain Of Craters Road which winds its way down Kilauea’s east rift zone over 20 miles with numerous stops offering opportunities for exploration along the route.