Anne-Charlotte PasseraVisiting an active volcano was at the top of our list of things to do in Hawaii. You can do so on the largest island in Hawaii, called Big Island. The Volcanoes National Park should be on your list of things to visit in Hawaii along with Pearl Harbour on O’ahu.
How often will you and your kids be able to say that you walked on an active volcano or saw lava flow into the ocean? Not a whole lot if you don’t live in Hawaii, that’s for sure.
Before leaving for Hawaii, we went to check out the exhibition on Pompei in Montreal at the Museum of Fine Arts. I thought that it would be a great way to prepare Blondie Bear for our trip and learn more about volcanoes. For tips on how to prepare your children for a vacation to a foreign land, read HERE.
The Volcanoes National Park on Big Island is the #1 reason why people travel to this island. Yet, it isn’t the most visited island in Hawaii. The islands of O’ahu and Maui are the crowd-pleasers. Yet, having been to O’ahu, we much preferred Big Island.
If you ask people who decided to get off the beaten path to explore Big Island what they thought of it, they’d tell you the same thing as us. It is AMAZING, so diverse and peaceful. Sure there are resorts there, don’t you worry, but you’ll be much better off sleeping on an organic farm and really let the island’s laid-back vibe sink in.
How to get to the Volcanoes National Park
You’ll need to rent a car to visit this National Park . Guided tours for tourists are available but only beneficial if you are traveling solo. Otherwise, it’s best to rent a car, especially if you are traveling with young kids as you can visit according to your own schedule.
The Park is located closer to Hilo (45 minutes away) than Kona (2 hours).
We arrived relatively early to beat the bus load of tourists around 8:30 am. However, I suggest that you arrive even earlier than that as it gets really hot there during the day.
As we were staying in Pahoa, close to Hilo, we only had a 45 minutes drive from our tree house which wasn’t bad. The actual drive on Rte 11 was a very pleasant one. It rises in altitude and lowers in temperature until reaching the park. It’s highest altitude is 4 000ft!
We were a bit tired though since the rooster at our Airbnb woke us up at 2 am and the coqui frogs and birds talked all night!
At the time of our visit, the park fee was 20$/car and valid for 7 days which was a good deal. We spent the entire day there and we were not prepared for it. The park has a lot of interesting places of interest so you should plan to spend at least a day or two there.
What to bring when visiting an active volcano in Hawaii
Because of its altitude and the active volcano, you will feel the climate change a lot throughout your visit of the National Park.
By renting your own car, it gives you the freedom to pack as much as you want. It could be cold at the top and unbearably hot at the bottom.
Here is a list of what to bring:
- Portable water bottle and lots of water;
- Comfortable shoes;
- A light jacket;
- Pants that can turn into shorts;
- A hat;
- Sunscreen;
- Small backpack;
- Baby wrap carrier;
- Snacks, snacks, snacks;
- Did I mention water?
- Bring a cooler if you can and pack a lunch.
Places of interest at the Volcanoes National Park
Our day spent in the park was unexpected to say the least.
We didn’t just drive or walk, we hiked, at least 20km in mostly hot sun and no shade.
The morning was a breeze compared to what awaited us in the afternoon and we were unaware of it.
Things might have changed since our visit in 2016, so make sure you check the Volcanoes National Park’s website for road conditions and closures. Queen Pele got angry in 2018 and the volcano erupted, destroying 700 homes in its wrath.
Thurston Lava Tube
Our first stop in the park was the Thurston Lava Tube.
It’s interesting but not necessarily a must see. However, if it’s not swarming with tourist, I would recommend taking that stroll.
The Thurston Lava Tube is a 500 year old conduit that was left behind after a lava flow. Although the floor inside the tube is relatively flat, you still have to access it through a short hike through the lush rainforest.
You can leave your car at the lava tube parking lot and then go up to the Kilauea Iki Overlook and continue on to the Kilauea Iki Trail. We think it is probably easier to do it in that direction than the opposite for the hike back up, making you finish up your hike at the lava tube parking lot. From the overlook, you get a good glimpse of the active volcano and we could actually see it smoking.
Kilauea Iki Trail
The Kilauea Iki Trail which is a 6.4 km loop is quite interesting, not too hard and best done in the morning to beat the hot sun and the crowds.
It takes you down about 400ft through a forest and then cuts across the Kilauea Iki Crater where the Planet of the Apes was filmed (2001).
While walking across it, you need to follow the stone markers and not wander off unless you are with a guide as it could get dangerous.
We actually lost track of the markers and ended up where we should have not been (a bit scary for Blondie Bear and me, I admit it).
This is an out of this world lunar experience kind of sensation walking through a crater on lava. There is no shade there of course, so bring water especially if you hike it in the afternoon.
We were pretty happy at that point in our day and of our hike. Little did we know a longer one was awaiting us.
Chain of Craters Road
After visiting the lava tube and hiking the Kilauea Iki trail, it was time to rest in the car.
We proceeded down the Chain of Craters Road which is 20 miles long making every pit stops (lava fields, old craters, scenic view).
As you make your way down to the ocean, you’ll notice that it gets windier and hotter. It is recommended to bring a hat and put on some sunscreen. The temperature increased 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the time we got to the ocean where the road stops abruptly.
There is a ranger station down there along with organic bathrooms and a small concession stand, thats about it. It’s best to pack your lunch if you plan to drive down that road. If you make all the pit stops and decide to go on a hike, it could take you a good 4 hours just to go down.
At the ranger station, we met a ranger who suggested that we go see the lava flow as only 3 days prior the lava had started flowing. Of course we were thrilled at the idea of seeing lava as it was the one thing we really wanted to see on Big Island.
The only slight bump in his suggestion was that we had to walk 13.5 km roundtrip in the hot sun to see it. No cars are allowed passed the ranger’s station.
I clearly asked him: is it really worth it ? Yes YES…said the man….So we went for it! We bought an extra bottle of water, ate our chips and peanuts as we had not packed a lunch (idiots) and that is all we had.
The lava walk
We set out on the gravel road amiss never ending lava fields and hills under a hot afternoon sun, with no shade (NONE AT ALL). There was barely anyone around as not everyone is either as adventurous as us and/or stupid. Also, I have to point out that we had a French 8 year Blondie Bear (nationality is important to mention here) and no markers indicating how much longer we will have to suffer.
Roundtrip, this little side adventure took us 3 1/2 hours. To get there, Blondie Bear complained a good bit and wanted to quit (such a French thing…the complaining that is haha) and drink all the time. However, we had to be careful with the water to make sure to have enough to get back.
We did encounter some people on their way back from seeing the lava. I should have known that the grim look on their faces wasn’t from exhaustion but from disappointment. A warning would have been good. Ok, it is a little exaggerated. But here I was picturing to see the lava actually flowing, you know like in the photographs, not just catching a glimpse of it through the cracks. The lava flowed over the road splitting it in half.
Our experience
Of course, we were on the wrong side of it, the other side giving a much much better view. You can access it from Kalapana, near Uncle’s which we mention in our article on Big Island. Oddly enough, we were there the night before.
Anyhow, we didn’t hang out long as the heat from the lava was unbearable and we couldn’t breathe. It was hard taking pictures because it was too hot and we couldn’t get close enough because of all of the above. It was still cool but not sure it was worth all the effort.
We spoke with a ranger on our way back while sipping our Sprite which was our special treat for Blondie Bear and I. It was our reward so to speak…SUGAR…. Which kept him from complaining on the way back. It gave him something to look forward to as he rarely gets to drink soda.
The ranger told us that it is probably easier to see the lava at dusk or dawn. This way is more scenic and more bearable because of the fumes than the road from Kalapana.
I’m not sure what he meant by scenic as it all looked the same to us. As soon as we would pass a hill top another one awaited.
I don’t think I would have attempted this walk in the dark with a flashlight and with Blondie Bear in tow. However, we can still brag and tell the story on how we saw lava and what we endured to go and check it out.
Visitor Center
We finished the day by stopping by the steam vents and the Jaggar Museum where we could get a closer look at the active volcano.
The Jaggar Museum overlooks the entire Kilauea Caldera volcano and is located close to the visitor centre. We didn’t hang out there too long as we were completely exhausted from all the walking and hiking through the heat.
By the end of the day, all we wanted was to head back to our avocado tree house and just crash.
Visiting an active volcano whether it is in Hawaii or not is a once in a lifetime experience, one that shouldn’t be overlooked or passed up.
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