One Day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was our tenth National Park and it did not disappoint. I fell in love with the Hawaiian Islands when we lived in Washington since it was just one non-stop six hour plane ride away. It is possible to do Hawaii Volcanoes in one day, and here is a sample itinerary with the “must do’s” of the park below. Be warned, you will be starting your day EARLY!

Hawaii Volcanoes is pretty far out from the cities. You are looking at about an hour from Hilo and two hours from Kona. I highly suggest staying close by the night before you plan to visit the park, and the next night, so you don’t have to make a long drive back to the town after a day of hiking. We personally stayed at the Kilauea Military Camp (KMC) Hotel. You can only book this hotel if you are military affiliated. If you are not military affiliated, there are some other lodges in the park, and some options in Volcano Village, a small town just outside the park.
Read my full blog post about our stay at the KMC HERE.
Visit the KMC website HERE.
View more lodging options inside the park HERE.

lava flow Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Keanakako’i Overlook Trail
2.1 Miles, Easy
Yes, when I said early, I meant literally midnight. This is the best time to watch the incredible lava flow. Most people go at 9/10pm but we were told it is so crowded that you can barely see. So, we opted for midnight and there were maybe ten other people we passed throughout the trail. We had the entire overlook to ourselves for viewing. Also keep in mind it is pretty chilly at night, so bring a jacket or blanket with you on the trail. There are no lights on the trail, so it will be pitch black. You will need flashlights, or your iPhone will work just fine. I have never done a trail in the dark so it was definitely an experience. The trail is very easy because you are actually walking on a road. You use to be able to drive to the overlook but the road has since been damaged and shut down to vehicles. Seeing the glowing lava spurt and gurgle was our absolute favorite part of the entire park. It was an amazing sight and definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
View this trail on All Trails HERE.

lava flow at Hawaii volcanoes national park

After your walk to view the lava, go back to your hotel room (if you are staying in the National Park) or go back to sleep in your car for a while. You won’t want to do any of the other trails until it is daylight outside.

lava erupting at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea Overlook
This is not a trail, just an overlook of the massive Kilauea Caldera and what’s left from eruptions many years ago. Steam still spurts from the ground. This will be a quick 5-10 minute stop.
View more info on All Trails HERE.

Kukamahuakea Steam Vents Overlook
If you have been to Yellowstone National Park, you could totally skip this stop. These are two small steam vents, which are cool if you have never seen steam vents. These are just very minimal if you’ve seen steam vents like those at Yellowstone National Park. Be advised, they are stinky! If you stop, this will only take five minutes or less.

steam vents Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea Iki & Crater Rim Trail
3.2 Miles, Moderate
This trail takes you around the crater and through the middle of the crater. This trail is one of the most popular in the park so get started early before it gets hot and crowded. Kilauea erupted here in 1959 so what you currently see is the aftermath and what’s left. Grab a trail guide book at the beginning of the trail and you can read the history and facts as you walk the trail. You will begin and end the trail walking through a lush forest. There were some beautiful flowers, lots of birds, and plenty of shade.

flowers in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — Himalayan Ginger

It’s crazy how much the scenery changes once you get down into the crater. Lava rock, everywhere you look. Plus, no shade, so be warned it gets HOT.

The volcanic rock can be quite sharp, so I highly suggest staying on the trail where it is mostly flat. If you look closely at the volcanic rocks some of them have metallic colors and really interesting formations. Some of the rocks and holes in them are even big enough to climb in.

View more info about this trail on All Trails HERE.

Kilauea Visitor’s Center
9am – 5pm
At 9am we headed over to the Visitor’s Center to grab a Junior Ranger book for Aurora and get our National Park journals stamped. There is a lot of info on the history of eruptions in the park and local wildlife in the exhibits. I’ve also linked some National Park journals below.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park visitor center

The Junior Ranger Program is a Free program for any age to participate in. You can pick up a booklet from any visitor’s center and fill out the pages then return to receive a badge. I also participate and put my badges in a frame to display in our home. Aurora puts her badges on her vest.

junior ranger book Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Mauna Ulu Eruption Trail
0.6 Mile, Easy
Grab a trail guide at the beginning of the trail to read history about this eruption area. This trail is nothing but volcanic rock. It is hard to tell where the trail is so keep an eye out for these rock stacks to stay on the trail. There is no clear end to this trail, so walk as far as you’d like before turning around.
View more info on All Trails HERE.

lava rock Hawaii volcanoes national park

Next we drove Chain of Craters Road South about 45 minutes to the Holei Sea Arch. The drive is beautiful and it will take you down to the coast and the southernmost tip of the National Park. Lava rock as far as you can see for miles.

Sea arch hawaii volcanoes — Holei Sea Arch

They are actually predicting that the Sea Arch won’t last more than fifty more years, due to erosion, so see it while you can.
Read more about the Sea Arch HERE.

While driving through the park we spotted the Nene, which is an endangered species of Geese native to the Hawaiian Islands. All over the park you will see signs that say “slow down for nene”.