Sightseeing at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The volcanoes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are sights to behold. Mauna Loa, which means "long mountain," rises 13,677 feet above the Pacific Ocean. It is second in height in Hawaii only to Mauna Kea, a quieter volcano. The visible elevation of Mauna Loa is topped by many mountains, but its actual size is astonishing. Measured from its base, which is 18,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific, Mauna Loa exceeds Mount Everest in height by 2,000 feet. The world's most massive single mountain, its bulk is about 100 times that of Mount Rainier. 

Atop Mauna Loa, a large caldera, called Mokuaweoweo, contains several summit craters that have erupted in the past, covering much of the caldera floor with lava twisted into nightmarish shapes, great pits, and cinder cones. Eruptions within the craters of both of the park's volcanoes are relatively harmless. The outbursts give fairly reliable advance notice, and because they are exciting to watch, an impending eruption typically draws thousands of people to the crater's rim. 

More dangerous eruptions break out through huge fissures in the flanks of the mountains as underground pressures mount, forcing lava from the openings. Flowing slowly like a great, hot tidal wave down the slopes, an advancing wall of lava can destroy crops and whole villages in its path.

A river of lava flows from Kilauea, releasing great billows of steam when it reaches the Pacific Ocean.
©2006 National Park Services
A river of lava flows from Kilauea, releasing great billows of steam when
it reaches the Pacific Ocean. The volcano has added
more than 300 acres to the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Photo Opportunities
It's fortunate that viewing the lava eruptions at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a relatively safe endeavor, because you wouldn't want to miss out on the great photo opportunities they present. Nevertheless, make sure to exercise caution at these scenic spots.

  • Kilauea: The more accessible of the park's two volcanoes, Kilauea erupts before your eyes. Call ahead to the visitor center to make sure you'll be able to view lava that day.
  • Halemaumau Crater: This smoldering volcanic crater in Kilauea's caldera emits showy sulfurous steam. The site is still used for native religious ceremonies.
  • Mauna Loa: This massive volcano is Hawaii's second largest. It's Pu'u O'o vent actively produces lava and steam. Hiking the Mauna Loa trail is challenging, but those who do it are rewarded with excellent vistas.

Visiting Kilauea Summit
Often called the "drive-in volcano" because its summit is so accessible, Kilauea has an awesome caldera two miles across and 2.5 miles long that is surrounded by ragged, barren cliffs hundreds of feet high. 

Inside this vast bowl, fantastic lava shapes cover miles of barren landscape that looks like a desert on another world. Most of the time, the caldera emits wisps of steam. In its southern end, there is a great fiery pit that is 3,000 feet across and more than 200 feet deep. This volcanic crater is called Halemaumau, or "fern house."

Up until 1924, the crater contained a lake of molten lava that bubbled constantly. More recently, the crater has been the scene of some of nature's most spectacular fireworks, as wild fountains of fire spray upwards, while lava flows from great fissures in the floor. According to legend, this is the home of Pele, the goddess of fire. Geologists confirm that this may be the earth's major opening for the upward flow of lava.

Keep reading to find out about how the lava machines at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park were formed over millions of years.