Hawaiʻi Volcanoes

Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, has been in an episodic eruption since December 23, 2024, with lava fountaining episodes in Halemaʻumaʻu crater separated by pauses that can last anywhere from hours to several weeks. As of this writing the eruption has passed its fiftieth episode, and forecasters use summit inflation data to predict roughly when the next one will begin, though the timing always carries real uncertainty. Whether you'll see active lava fountains during your visit depends entirely on where the eruption sits in its cycle on the day you arrive.

Even without an active episode underway, the park delivers: Crater Rim Drive circles the summit past steam vents, sulfur banks, and the Nāhuku lava tube, a walkable tunnel formed by an actual flowing lava river centuries ago. The Kīlauea Iki Trail descends into a crater that was a churning lava lake in 1959, now a solidified black floor you can walk directly across.

Come and check the current eruption status before you go, since it genuinely changes what kind of visit this will be. Read the story, follow the safety guidance around tephra and volcanic gas, and when you leave, collect the stamp.