“It was like gazing at the sun at noon-day, except that the glare was not quite so white. At unequal distances all around the shores of the lake were nearly white-hot chimneys or hollow drums of lava, four or five feet high, and up through them were bursting gorgeous sprays of lava-gouts and gem spangles, some white, some red and some golden—a ceaseless bombardment, and one that fascinated the eye with its unapproachable splendor. The mere distant jets, sparkling up through an intervening gossamer veil of vapor, seemed miles away; and the further the curving ranks of fiery fountains receded, the more fairy-like and beautiful they appeared.”
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Flowing Lava from 2017
Founded in 1916, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is among the crown jewels of the National Parks Service. It is both a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park is over 500 square miles large – almost half the size of Rhode Island – and over half of that is further protected as the Hawai’i Volcanoes Wilderness Area. There are hundreds of miles of trails through this constantly changing and unique environment.
Kīlauea volcano erupted constantly from 1983 to 2018. All volcanic activity has ceased as of summer 2018. However, the only real constant on Kīlauea is change. No one knows what the future holds. Read about the Recovery Effort.
Links:
News Releases (National Park)
Interactive Park Map (National Park)
Park Map (National Park)
Camping (National Park)
Gas Advisory (USGS)
Earthquake Update(USGS)
Kīlauea Update (USGS)
Halema'uma'u Webcam (USGS)
Hawai'i Volcano Observatory (USGS)
USGS Webcams (USGS)
Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (non-profit)
Fees:
$25.00 per private non-commercial vehicle (capacity 15 or less) - 7 days
$12.00 per pedestrian or bicycle - 7 days
$20.00 per motorcycle - 7 days
$50.00 Hawai‘i Tri-park Annual Pass
View Lava Photography from the past 20 years.
