If certain travel brochures are to be believed, red-hot streams and scarlet fountains of lava pour forth nonstop on the island of Hawaii. While it's true that Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983 — including new above-ground action from the Pu'u 'O'o vent that started last week — the fireworks aren't always that obvious, or accessible. That's why those brochures are usually selling a pricey helicopter ride or a boat tour promising up-close adventures with molten rock and steam.
But if your budget — or nerves — can't take that kind of heat, consider one of these less expensive ways to experience the power of Pele. Like lava itself, they can leave a lasting impression, whether or not it's flowing.
Get the latest: The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issues daily updates for Kilauea activity, including areas in and outside of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which also frequently updates its home page when new eruptions occur. While the USGS website has a trove of Web cams, time-lapse movies and images allowing for vicarious thrills, the national park site provides the most detail on exactly what visitors can see within its borders — and on any road or area closures for safety reasons.
The park service reports that with the new Pu'o 'O'o eruption, nighttime observers have been able to view "rosy clouds of gas and ash" looking up from the bottom of Chain of Craters Road, while hikers with flashlights and sturdy shoes able to make the 2.5-mile round-trip to Pu'u Huluhulu have seen "a deep orange glow" from the advancing Pu'u 'O'o flows and a "reddish glow" from Kilauea's summit eruption. During the day, visitors throughout the park can marvel at the white smoky plume that's been rising from Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater since 2008; more recently, evening spectators at the Jaggar Museum have been treated to a "steady glow" within the crater as well as the new activity at Pu'u 'O'o.
The county of Hawaii also operates a lava viewing area at the end of Highway 130 in Puna District, where the oozing molten rock makes its way to the sea. To avoid the disappointment of a long drive and possibly strenuous walk for naught, call the lava hotline at (808) 961-8093, updated daily, for current conditions.
Get steamy: While sudden spikes in the amount of sulfur dioxide and smoke can cause rangers to close the park for safety reasons, in smaller doses they can provide some of the most intriguing sights (and smells) of the volcanic region, beyond the flashier flowing lava. At the park's Steam Vents and Steaming Bluff areas, groundwater seeps onto broiling rocks and turns into billowing steam, close to another photo-worthy perspective of the Halema'uma'u plume and less than a mile from the Kilauea Visitor Center.
Across the road from the parking area is the more colorful (literally) Ha'akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) area, where a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and paved path leads past rocks covered in yellow and white sulfur crystals, red and brown clay formed by sulfuric acid on lava rock, and stunted 'ohi'a lehua trees with feathery red blossoms among their soft green foliage. The steam puffing out of the ground includes the distinctive aroma of rotten eggs — hydrogen sulfide, which park visitor Mark Twain quipped was "not unpleasant to sinners."
But if your budget — or nerves — can't take that kind of heat, consider one of these less expensive ways to experience the power of Pele. Like lava itself, they can leave a lasting impression, whether or not it's flowing.
Get the latest: The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issues daily updates for Kilauea activity, including areas in and outside of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which also frequently updates its home page when new eruptions occur. While the USGS website has a trove of Web cams, time-lapse movies and images allowing for vicarious thrills, the national park site provides the most detail on exactly what visitors can see within its borders — and on any road or area closures for safety reasons.
The park service reports that with the new Pu'o 'O'o eruption, nighttime observers have been able to view "rosy clouds of gas and ash" looking up from the bottom of Chain of Craters Road, while hikers with flashlights and sturdy shoes able to make the 2.5-mile round-trip to Pu'u Huluhulu have seen "a deep orange glow" from the advancing Pu'u 'O'o flows and a "reddish glow" from Kilauea's summit eruption. During the day, visitors throughout the park can marvel at the white smoky plume that's been rising from Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater since 2008; more recently, evening spectators at the Jaggar Museum have been treated to a "steady glow" within the crater as well as the new activity at Pu'u 'O'o.
The county of Hawaii also operates a lava viewing area at the end of Highway 130 in Puna District, where the oozing molten rock makes its way to the sea. To avoid the disappointment of a long drive and possibly strenuous walk for naught, call the lava hotline at (808) 961-8093, updated daily, for current conditions.
Get steamy: While sudden spikes in the amount of sulfur dioxide and smoke can cause rangers to close the park for safety reasons, in smaller doses they can provide some of the most intriguing sights (and smells) of the volcanic region, beyond the flashier flowing lava. At the park's Steam Vents and Steaming Bluff areas, groundwater seeps onto broiling rocks and turns into billowing steam, close to another photo-worthy perspective of the Halema'uma'u plume and less than a mile from the Kilauea Visitor Center.
Across the road from the parking area is the more colorful (literally) Ha'akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) area, where a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and paved path leads past rocks covered in yellow and white sulfur crystals, red and brown clay formed by sulfuric acid on lava rock, and stunted 'ohi'a lehua trees with feathery red blossoms among their soft green foliage. The steam puffing out of the ground includes the distinctive aroma of rotten eggs — hydrogen sulfide, which park visitor Mark Twain quipped was "not unpleasant to sinners."
Get wet: The geothermally heated tidepools and oceanfront ponds near Kapoho provide a safer way for total volcanic immersion. With the exception of the oceanfront Champagne Pond, the pools in the gated Kapoho Beach Lots are off limits to those not staying in adjacent homes; many rentals are available (just prepare yourself for the cheeping of coqui frogs all night long.)
You'll find easier public access in the area known as Kapoho Vacationland, near the protected marine reserve of the tidepools of Wai'opae, and at Ahalanui Park, a volcanically heated, natural swimming pool with recently renovated facilities, including a lifeguard tower, picnic tables, restrooms and parking. The pond is about a half-acre in size and relatively shallow, with stairs for entry; although it's not a snorkeler's delight, it's worth wearing goggles to inspect the tiny shells and sea creatures who also enjoy a nice warm bath.
Get down: If you'd prefer to stay dry and cool, a walk through a lava tube is a tangible lesson in the power of swiftly flowing lava. Found throughout the islands, the most famous example is in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Nahuku, more widely known as the Thurston Lava Tube, was created some 500 years ago by an underground torrent and discovered by Lorrin Thurston in 1913. Up to 13 feet high — watch out for lower parts — and 600 feet long, the cavelike structure now has a paved and illuminated segment at the beginning, followed by a 50-yard, rocky stretch through darkness. The latter provides good spooky fun if you have a well-lit cell phone or flashlight and tread carefully.
Another lava tube in the park, Pua Po'o, is open to the public via guided ranger tours on Wednesdays; contact the visitors center for reservations (808-985-6000.) Due to the sensitive ecology and potential hazards, all other caves and tubes in the park are closed to visitors.
Outside the park, several tour companies, including Kilauea Caverns of Fire and Hawaii Forest & Trail also provides good options for Kona-side visitors who'd rather leave the 5 hours of round-trip driving to someone else — a someone who knows a lot more than you do. Neither tour operator is cheap — expect to pay between $100 and $200 for adults, depending on length of the tour and location of pickup/dropoff (highest for Kona visitors) — but they can ensure a priceless experience, whether or not you spot any liquid lava that day.
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