The drive from Kailua-Kona to the Mauna Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is 96 miles; the drive takes about 2 hours. Given the distance, we made only one trip to the main portion of the Park. Next time we would spend a lot more time and stay closer to the Park in Hilo or Pahoa, on the east side of the Island.
These are the highlights of our visit.
We hiked the Sulphur Banks Trail and Crater Rim Trail to an overlook into the Kilauea Caldera. Along the way we passed sulfur vents, huge tree ferns, and other interesting plants.
The Kilauea Visitor's Center is small, but the staff will guide you to the best trails, and the interpretive information is quite good. Given our limited time, we then drove down the 38-mile round-trip Chain of Craters Road. This is a must not miss part of your visit. There are several stops along the way and we had time for only a few: Lua Manu Crater and 1974 lava flow, Kealakomo Overlook, and the Holei Sea Arch at the end of the road.
The following photos were take at the Lua Manu Crater stop along the Chain of Craters Road. I could wander about these lava flows for hours and take hundreds of pictures of the plants -- ferns, shrubs, and trees -- that are the first to take hold.
The Kealakomo Overlook offers a stunning sweeping panorama of the 1969-1974 lava flows down to the southern coastline.
At the end of the drivable part of the Chain of Craters Road is a parking lot, small concession stand, and bathrooms. A short hike leads to Holei Sea Arch. The road continues beyond a gate so you can walk a few more miles on this road, although we did not have time.
Our final stop in Hawai'i National Park, before driving back to Kona was a quick hike on the Kipukapuaulu Trail. This site is accessible off the Moana Loa Road, which is a short distance west of the main park entrance on Route 11. On older maps it was called Bird Park, a nod to the potential for seeing several endemic birds. It was raining and we were short of time, so we walked the 1.2 mile loop trail, very quickly. We heard a few native birds, saw several non-native kalij pheasants, witnessed some of the habitat restoration (removal of invasive plants). This site is worth a visit; buy the trail guide for $2, available at the trailhead.
These are the highlights of our visit.
We hiked the Sulphur Banks Trail and Crater Rim Trail to an overlook into the Kilauea Caldera. Along the way we passed sulfur vents, huge tree ferns, and other interesting plants.
Sulfur gases waft up from these vents along the Sulphur Banks and Crater Rim Trail.
Beautiful, tall, arching tree ferns line the trail.
I believe this is Cibotium sp. (also called Hapu'u)
A view into the Halema'uma'u Crater in the Kilauea Caldera.
The trails along the Kilauea Caldera are flat, accessible, well-signed,
and pass through beautiful forest and near sulfur vents.
The Kilauea Visitor's Center is small, but the staff will guide you to the best trails, and the interpretive information is quite good. Given our limited time, we then drove down the 38-mile round-trip Chain of Craters Road. This is a must not miss part of your visit. There are several stops along the way and we had time for only a few: Lua Manu Crater and 1974 lava flow, Kealakomo Overlook, and the Holei Sea Arch at the end of the road.
The following photos were take at the Lua Manu Crater stop along the Chain of Craters Road. I could wander about these lava flows for hours and take hundreds of pictures of the plants -- ferns, shrubs, and trees -- that are the first to take hold.
The Kealakomo Overlook offers a stunning sweeping panorama of the 1969-1974 lava flows down to the southern coastline.
Holei Sea Arch
Sixty-foot cliffs where we saw nesting black noddys
Stunning lava formations created over thousands of years.
Our final stop in Hawai'i National Park, before driving back to Kona was a quick hike on the Kipukapuaulu Trail. This site is accessible off the Moana Loa Road, which is a short distance west of the main park entrance on Route 11. On older maps it was called Bird Park, a nod to the potential for seeing several endemic birds. It was raining and we were short of time, so we walked the 1.2 mile loop trail, very quickly. We heard a few native birds, saw several non-native kalij pheasants, witnessed some of the habitat restoration (removal of invasive plants). This site is worth a visit; buy the trail guide for $2, available at the trailhead.
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