This One Day Volcano National Park Itinerary is Perfect for Your Summer Vacation
Catherine Xu
Looking to make the most of your day trip to Volcano National Park?
Well, here’s a nice and jam-packed one day in Volcano National Park itinerary inspired by the route I took during my one month trip to Hawaii. Literally three days before the volcano erupted!
Even though I had to stay in a mandatory pandemic hotel for a whole week, once I got out, we went all out to make the most of our time on the Big Island. Thankfully, Volcano National Park is totally enough to see in one day.
However, let’s make the most of your day with a packed schedule, kicking off with a drive through the Kilauea Caldera, a hike through the Thurston Lava Tube, and a sunset the cliffs at the end of Chain of Craters Road. I’ll also throw in some other awesome places to check out and a quick travel guide on how to visit.
Sample One Day in Volcano National Park Itinerary
So you have everything in one scroll, here’s a sample suggested itinerary that goes into much more detail below.
Travel Tip! If you couldn’t tell from the name of the park, there are volcanoes! And guess what? They’re active, which means they still erupt. So, always check for any closures or if you need to evacuate at any time.
Morning: Crater Rim Drive
- Begin your day here at the Kīlauea Visitor Center.
- Drive on Crater Rim Drive to the end at Uēkahuna for views of Kīlauea caldera and Halema’uma’u crater.
- Hike the geothermal phenomena, Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks)
- Watch the Steam Vents caused by rainwater being heated by the volcano.
Midday: Chain of Craters Road
- Walk through the dark tunnel Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)
- Drive past devasted areas, craters, and old flows on Coast on Chain of Craters Road (Luamanu and July 1974 Flow, Puhimau Crater, Pauahi Crater, Mau Loa o Maunaulu, Muliwai a Pele)
- Optional: Detour to the Hilina Pali Overlook before Pauahi Crater
- Stop at Kealakomo Overlook for the coastline and lava fields
Afternoon: The Coast
- Hike to Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs for ancient rock carvings made by the native Hawaiian people.
- Hike along the coastline and watch the waves crashing on the Hōlei Sea Arch for sunset.
Evening: Evening Activities
- As darkness falls, stay for the Night Glow from Kīlauea Volcano.
- Stargazing at the top of Mauna Loa.
Recommended lodging options for the night: Volcano Village or Hilo
- Volcano House: Only lodging inside the park
- Kulanaokuaiki Campground: First-come, first-served, $10/night.
- The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls in Hilo: Waterfall view from the most common starting city
Quick Facts to Visiting Volcano
Occupying 323,431 acres on Hawaii, Volcano National Park showcases some of the world’s most active volcanoes. Kīlauea and Mauna Loa stretch from sea level to a height of 13,680 feet.
With its hardened lava flows, ancient eruption sites, and tropical ecosystems, this park is a hotbed for strange, otherworldly landscapes where you can clearly see where the lava ends and the grass begins.
Know Before You Go!
- Volcanic Activity: You’re visiting one of the world’s most active volcanic sites. I went three days before a giant eruption. Stay ready for any changes in park access because of volcanic activity.
| Quick Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Entrance Fee | $30 per vehicle (valid for 7 days) or $80 for the America the Beautiful Annual National Park Pass |
| Operating Hours | Open 24 hours a day |
| Visitor Centers | Kīlauea Visitor Center |
| Park Entrances | Highway 11 entrance, Mauna Loa Road entrance |
| Main Activities | Hiking, bird watching, stargazing, scenic drive |
| Number of Campgrounds | Two (Nāmakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki) |
| Hotels | Volcano House |
| Best Time to Visit | Consistent Year-round, unless erupting |
| Nearest Cities | Hilo (45 min drive), Kailua-Kona (2.5 hours drive) |
| Nearest Airports | Hilo International Airport (45 min drive), Kona International Airport (2.5 hours drive) |
What to Do in Volcano in One Day
Now that we’ve got the general plan down, let’s dive into each activity of your one day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in more detail.
Volcano National Park is pretty easy to navigate, as it really just has four main roads:
- Crater Rim Drive
- Chain of Craters Road
- Mauna Loa Road
- Hilina Pali Road
Morning: Crater Rim Road
Start your journey through Volcano National Park at the Kīlauea Visitor Center to grab some maps, learn about the park, and chat with rangers to see if there are any closures. This also happens to be where my National Park postcard collection started. Then let’s hit the Crater Rim Drive first.
Crater Rim Drive is an 11 mile scenic route that partially encircles Kīlauea Caldera, with views of the impressive Halema’uma’u crater and Kīlauea’s steaming vents. Along the way, you’ll drive past geothermal activities, including the sulfur banks and steam vents.
You can stop on the way, or I’d recommend driving until the road ends since you’ll need to loop back to the visitor center anyway.
Travel Trip! The road is partially closed due to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. Jagger Museum and Halema’uma’u Overlook are closed.
Kīlauea Iki Overlook and Trailhead
This marks the end of the Crater Rim Road, mainly because lava has destroyed the rest. You’ll get a fantastic view of the very active Kīlauea Iki Crater at the overlook.
During the day, you can see smoke coming out of the crater, and if the volcano is erupting, this is the place to catch a glimpse of the lava glow at night.
Kilauea Volcano & Lava Viewing Update 2023! Currently, no lava flows are present outside the crater or at the ocean entry point. So, no glow or lava.
If you’re up for a more rigorous hike, you can take the 4-mile Kīlauea Iki Trail that descends 400 feet through the rainforest, into the lava lake bed of the crater, and then climbs back out again.
Trail Info
- Distance: Approximately 4 miles round-trip
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
Sulphur Banks (Ha’akulamanu)
Once you’ve doubled back, Sulphur Banks is your next major stop. It’s a relaxed stroll on a paved trail through volcanic gases and mineral deposits, on a vibrant and colorful landscape.
Don’t be surprised if you get a whiff of rotten eggs – that’s just the smell of Sulphur dioxide gas! Your shoes also may not make it out squeaky clean.
Trail Info
- Distance: Approximately 1.2 miles round-trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 1 hour
Technically, you can also start from the visitor center, as this is a loop trail, or follow this itinerary and go to the steam vents afterward.
Steam Vents (Wahinekapu)
Am I the only one that read the Hawaiian name as “Winnie the Pooh”?
On the opposite side of the road from the Sulphur Banks, you’ll find the Steam Vents. Feel that warm, moist air on your face? That’s rainwater seeping into the ground, meeting the hot volcanic rock below, and then returning to the surface as steam.
Trail Info
- Distance: Approximately 0.5 miles round-trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Midday: Chain of Craters Road
After exploring the Kīlauea section of the park, it’s time to head towards the coast on the Chain of Craters Road. This 20 mile round-trip drive takes you down to where lava once flowed across the road past pretty devasted areas.
Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)
There are few places you can walk through a tunnel formed by flowing lava, and Thurston Lava Tube is the safest and most accessible in all of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This is one of my favorite spots in the park, especially the view of the stairs entering the darkness surrounded by rainforest.
Lava tubes are formed when the outer layer of a lava flow cools and hardens, but the inside continues to flow, eventually leaving a hollow tube once the lava has fully drained out. So, basically, it’s a cave.
As you step inside, you enter a passage where molten rock once flowed. The tube is well-lit, and the path is smooth. You’ll be amazed by the size of this underground cavern.
Travel Tip! The lava tube is lit from 8am to 8 pm. Otherwise, you can still go, but you’ll need a flashlight.
Trail Info
- Distance: 0.3 miles round-trip (if you get a parking spot)
- Elevation Gain: Minimal
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Coast on Chain of Craters Road Various Stops
There are a lot of stops on the scenic drive, and below, I’ll shout out a few that are especially worth visiting. Many of these are just an easy walk from a pull-out.
- Luamanu and July 1974 Flow: Luamanu is a pit crater, a result of an eruption in 1974 and now a solidified lava flow
- Puhimau Crater: This pit crater is a geothermal area with warm ground temperatures.
- Pauahi Crater: Another impressive pit crater at the park, with sheer size and a stark landscape surrounding it.
- Mau Loa o Mauna Ulu: A vast lava field formed by the Mauna Ulu eruption in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Muliwai a Pele: A site where a lava channel transformed into a lush, green area.
- Kealakomo Overlook: A spectacular panorama of the coast, where the stark black lava meets the deep blue ocean
Optional Detour: Hilina Pali Overlook
If you’ve got some spare time, take a little detour and drive Hilina Pali Road to the Hilina Pali Overlook. It’s a narrow, one-lane road, 9 miles off of Chain of Craters Road, and is narrow an
Here, you’ll see the Pali (cliff in Hawaiian) drop a dramatic 2,000 feet to the coast. The most recent volcanic eruption in this vicinity happened about 650 years ago.
Afternoon: Hawaii Volcano National Park Coastline
Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs
Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs is home to Hawaii’s largest collection of petroglyphs, with over 23,000 rock carvings etched into the hardened lava.
Trail Info
- Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 1 hour
The trail to Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs is a flat, easy walk traversing an ancient lava field. At the end of the path, you’ll find a wooden boardwalk that will lead you around the petroglyphs.
The carvings vary from circles and dots to human-like figures and canoes. These are thought to mark significant events, like births.
Sunset at Hōlei Sea Arch
As the perfect end to your adventurous day, catch the golden glow of sunset at Hōlei Sea Arch. Formed by the relentless forces of the sea, this sky behind the natural archway turns golden as the sun sinks into the Pacific Ocean beyond.
To get to Hōlei Sea Arch is a breeze, with a short walk from the parking area. As you go along the path, the arch gradually comes into view with waves crashing into the formation.
Evening: Night time Lava Viewing and Stargazing
After a long day of exploring the coast, make your way back towards the visitor center. If it’s still early, go out for a fantastic poke dinner, then come back for the night activities in the park.
Night Glow from Kīlauea Volcano
Kilauea Volcano & Lava Viewing Update 2023! Currently, no lava flows are present outside the crater or at the ocean entry point. So, no glow or lava.
As the sky darkens, you can watch the red glow from Kīlauea Volcano or watch as molten lava flows and bubbles within Halema’uma’u Crater. These only occur when the volcanoes are actively erupting.
If nothing is happening, it’s just a dark mountain. But when it erupts, many guided and boat tours can take you close to the flow for an even more impressive view.
Stargazing at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
The summit of Mauna Loa at 13,678 feet is the perfect spot to stargaze due to its low light pollution and high altitude. Needless to say, this is only good on clear nights.
For the stargazing experience, the journey begins at the Mauna Loa Observatory Road, where visitors can drive to a certain point before starting the hike. You don’t need to go far before finding a nice spot to sit and gaze up.
Some people also choose to hike all the way, but the hike to the summit of Mauna Loa is challenging and only recommended for experienced hikers.
Travel Tip! You’d think because it’s Hawaii, it will be warm, but bring layered clothing as temperatures can drop significantly after sunset and at that elevation.
Where to Stay
You can stay near Volcano Village or inside Volcano National Park for the shortest distance. Alternatively, Hilo town, while slightly further from the park, is one of the most popular places to stay on the Big Island, with easy access to restaurants, shopping centers, and local attractions.
Best Hotels Near Volcano National Park
| Hotel Option | Budget Category | Why You’ll Love It |
|---|---|---|
| Volcano House | Luxury | – Views of the Kīlauea’s Halema‘uma‘u crater – Only lodging inside the park – On-site restaurant and gift shop |
| Volcano Eco Cabin & Eco Lodge | Mid-range | – Short drive to the national park – Located in a section of volcanic rainforest – Eco-friendly with unique touches |
| Goose Country | Budget-friendly | – Right outside Volcano National Park – Breakfast was great – Charming comfortable rooms with garden view |
Best Hotels in Hilo, Hawaii
| Hotel | Budget | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls | Luxury | – Luxurious accommodations – Breathtaking views of the falls and access to private trails – Peaceful retreat away from the city |
| SCP Hilo Hotel | Mid-range | – Eco-friendly mission – Modern, sustainable rooms with minimalistic design – Wellness-oriented amenities like a yoga studio and locally-sourced food |
| Big Island Hostel | Budget | – Conveniently located near downtown Hilo – Clean, good value rooms |
Campgrounds in Volcano National Park
There are only two official campgrounds inside Volcano National Park.
| Campground Name | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Nāmakanipaio | – Direct access to park attractions – Higher elevation offers cooler temperatures – Amenities like restrooms and picnic tables – A great base for hiking and exploring |
| Kulanaokuaiki | – Easy access to attractions – More secluded – Access to hiking trails and stunning views |
Places to Visit with More Time
Other Attractions Within Volcano
- Kīpukapuaulu: Dubbed as the “Bird Park,” this is a perfect hike for bird watchers.
- Kīlauea Iki Trail: This trail takes you across a solidified lava lake, gaining an up-close view of the volcanic features.
- Devastation Trail: This short, paved path offers a stark picture of volcanoes’ destructive power, passing through an area devastated by Kīlauea’s 1959 eruption.
Day Trips Near Volcano
You can drive the entire Big Island on a very long day trip, but here are some of the popular spots within a short driving distance from Volcano National Park:
- Rainbow Falls: Just outside Hilo, this 80 foot waterfall flows in front of a lava cave on the way to the national park,
- Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach: This beautiful black sand beach is known for its resident sea turtles and is just an hour’s drive from Volcano.
- Akaka Falls State Park: This state park has two stunning waterfalls, including the 442-foot Akaka Falls.
- Mauna Kea Summit: The summit of Mauna Kea is known for its clear night skies and stargazing views above the clouds. My friends made it here while I was stuck in my mandatory pandemic hotel. They raved about the twinkling stars at the summit. But also getting stuck in a pothole from the bad roads and how it was really cold.
- Waipio Valley: Often called the “Valley of the Kings,” these very steep cliffs may be a bit far but I think this place is a poster child of Hawaii.
- Hilo: About 45 minutes away, Hilo is known for its local food scene and lush botanical gardens. I stayed here for about two weeks.
Is 1 Day Enough for Volcano
If you want to check off the major highlights, such as the Kīlauea Volcano, Mauna Loa, and the coast, then a full day, starting early and planned well, might be enough. The park is not that big, that you would have covered most of the attractions.
With additional days, you can take more hikes like the Devastation Trail and not have to rush around.
Best Time To Visit
Unlike many national parks where there is a clear winner in season, visitation to Volcano National Park is pretty steady year-round. With that note, Spring (March – May) and Fall (September – November) are the best times to visit Volcano National Park. The weather is just right, not too hot or cold, and the island isn’t as swamped with tourists.
Summer is undeniably beautiful with sunny skies and warm temperatures, but it’s also peak season. Winter is the rainy season, but any day there can be showers.
How to Get There
By Air & Car
The nearest city to the park is Hilo, about 30 miles away, and the second closest is Kailua-Kona, roughly 96 miles away. The only two cities on the island. Both cities have airports that host domestic flights, with KOA also receiving limited international flights.
From the Hilo International Airport, it’s a 45-minute drive to the park. Car rental services are available at the airport. Kona International Airport is approximately a 2.5-hour drive from the park. Shuttle services are available, but renting a car makes things so much easier.
Public Transportation
The Hele On Bus operates a public bus service with limited routes, but it doesn’t actually help you to get around within the park.
| City | Distance (Miles) | Approximate Driving Time |
|---|---|---|
| Volcano Village | 4 | 3 minutes |
| Hilo | 25 | 30-40 minutes |
| Captain Cook | 41 | ~1 hour |
| Kailua Kona | 49 | ~1.5 hours |
Final Thoughts: Day Trip to Volcano
I promise you’ll have a blase (pun intended) on this Volcano National Park itinerary, from seeing the weird lava fields to the beautiful tropical coastline. I want to go back again next time there’s a lava glow, something I have yet to cross off my bucket list.
And if you’re in a rush because you’re going to another destination in Hawaii, check out my other posts about the state.
Before you Close That Tab…Where to Next in Hawaii?
Hawaii may have been the site of a family vacation when I was twelve, but having gone back for a month as an adult is even better. If you’re looking for other places in Hawaii too, check out these other posts I have on the archipelago.
- Perfect One Day In Volcano National Park Itinerary
- Perfect Day Trip to Big Island Itinerary: Hawaii Guide
- Epic Day Trip to Maui Itinerary for the Adventurous
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