This place is super exciting! The downfall is that it's far from Kona, so my family and I were really tired when we got back to our hotel room. It's best to come here at night to really see the lava flow, but be up for the long drive back to Kona if that's where you're staying. read more

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A difficulty arises in writing a review for a natural phenomenon - these things can be so subjective and even temperamental based on the time of year, weather, personal opinion, et cetera - but Kalapana Lava Flow is undoubtedly one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders I've ever experienced. And it's definitely something you experience rather than just see - you see the juicy yellow and orange glow of the molten lava, you feel the heat radiating on your face from several yards away, and you hear the cracks and pops as it slowly settles and oozes onto the land beneath it. You feel as though you are witnessing the last remnants of Creation, the sixth day has yet to finish, and the primordial energy of eons past is still in the throes of its final breaths. You and your fellow observers will likely feel the need to whisper and speak in hushed tones, as if it is holy ground or the embodiment of some celestial force. Anyway, if you can see the flow at night, this'll undoubtedly be one of the most profoundly majestic experiences you can imagine. The lava ebbs and flows even within the spans of minutes and hours, so don't be discouraged if you see only a bit of oozing rather than a true flow once you arrive. It's dynamic and moves slowly but stealthily, and a new eruption site can arise on the periphery that wasn't there just ten minutes prior. As a reference, we arrived at the bike rental area (from Hilo, drive the 130 through Pahoa and completely to the south end of the 130, at which point it will force you onto a smaller road in a southwestern direction that will eventually dead end in a parking area), around 5pm, paid $20 a person for a high quality mountain bike, biked the first mile or two in, and then started our journey north over the rocks around 5:20. This leg took at least an hour or so, and we loitered around the different lava sites for at least an hour before making the trek back in the dark. All in all, allow for at least four hours of time from start to finish - we were driving away back to our condo at nearly 9pm exactly. Tips: - bring STRONG flashlights or headlamps for the trek back over the lava. The cheaper and dimmer the light, the more difficult. Also bring the basics such as cash, snacks, water, your [charged] camera and phone, and sunscreen for the trek in. - wear hiking boots; any sturdy tennis shoe will do but the igneous ground, often simultaneously rough, grainy, and hot, will do a number on any flimsy sneakers. Don't wear any stylish or fancy tennis shoes either, or even hardy sandals - I guarantee you will regret it. - if you wear contacts, bring back up glasses. - don't park at the first parking area or get your bike from the vendors; shop around smart. Many vendors are obnoxiously hawkish. - on a similar note, do indeed get a bike to go the first mile or so! The first leg of the walk is pretty but dry and dusty and pales in comparison to the actual destination. All the bike companies look like they throw in extra lights, water, and snack bars. You'll really appreciate the bike for the last leg back as well - best $20 spent so far. My husband and I both finished up the trip in complete agreement that seeing the lava up close in person was one of the most spectacular moments of our lives thus far! read more

The best way to see the lava up close and personal is to see it at night. After consulting some maps and some friends, we determined it was going to be about an hour and a half hike to the lava. You can call the hotline (808-961-8093) and they'll tell you if lava is viewable or not before you head out there. Also, check this page, which gives you the most up to date information on where the lava is/what is going on: http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm If you go, a couple of things to keep in mind: 1.) The signs (including the one spray painted on the ground that suggests you'll get towed) are there for a reason: You're not technically supposed to go out there after the lava viewing area is closed. (Open from 2:00 to 10:00 officially). It's dangerous or something. At the end of Chain of Craters road, you'll see a metal gate and a crappy paved road that continues on. Keep going to the end of that road, past all the foreboding signs. Park and . . . .start hiking. 2.) Bring a ridiculous amount of water. Bring some snacks. 3.) Bring extra batteries for your flashlight and your cell phone. Unless you have an excellent internal sense of direction or you're on a tour, you'll probably get lost. It's loads of fun when your flashlight dies. 4.) Gloves. Yeah, seems like overkill, right? I thought so too. I was wrong though! Those pretty black lava rocks are basically like razors and picking them up, let alone grabbing them to keep your balance, will leave your hands pretty cut up. As long as the lava isn't hitting the ocean, it's pretty safe to get close (it releases sulfuric acid into the air). Viewing the lava up close was one of the coolest things I've done in Hawaii (or anywhere, honestly) and it was completely free. If you're a tourist, you can do it without a guide, but you should get one if you're on a schedule and you don't want to risk getting lost. If you've lived in Hawaii but never made it out there, you should. Grab your friends, some flashlights, and preemptively call out of work. It's something you can't see anywhere else in the world and it's right in your backyard! read more

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This was awesome! Watching lava flow into the pacific and all of the steam as it hits the water??? SUPER COOL. AND, it's free!!!We heard about this site from a tourist information center near our hotel in Waikoloa. We drove over and were amazed. There are a bunch of warning signs saying enter at your own risk...I can see why. You definitely need a flashlight, mosquito spray (more on that), good shoes and water. It is about a 3/4 mile hike over lava rocks and the lava fields. There are no smooth surfaces, so anyone with weak ankles should not go. We bought a flashlight there for $5 and couldn't have done it without the light. Go before sunset so you can maneuver your way down to the site. Get a good spot and have your camera ready. Unfortunately with the hot rocks, lots of crevices and cracks and dampness, it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. I sprayed myself, but those pesky buggers bit me through my clothes! I must have looked like a maniac spraying myself and trying to spray under my clothes. Anyway, the site in itself is well worth my bites. It's pretty amazing to see this island grow each day as lava flows out. Highly worth the trip... read more

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My #1 goal for our recent trip to the Big Island was to see a fresh lava flow up close and personal. Thanks to the Kalapana lava flow, mission accomplished! My wife and I parked our jeep in the parking lot at the end of the 130, then caught a ride on the back of a truck which took us to the first set of locked gates. This made our walk to the flow much faster/easier. We first checked out the flow into the ocean -- TONS of steam and explosions as the hot lava hit the water, but could only occasionally pick out the actual lava stream. Next we walked over the lava field north of the emergency road and within about 10 minutes found several live lava flows burbling right along. Thank you Madame Pele, my life is now complete. read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - Kalapana lava flow - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

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I love a good adventure, especially the kind that doesn't happen every day. The key to every good trip is great weather. Our wishes aligned perfectly when a girlfriend and I planned our ultimate goal to see Pele's great molten lava. I'm grateful to have made this trip with someone I know. Should one go on a solo adventure to hike Kalapana's lava flow, be ready to hike a while through a lengthy terrain field of dried lava. The hard work is worth it in the end. Things to Bring: Compass, loads of water, hat, sunscreen (if hiking during midday), hiking shoes with thick soles, head lamps (with extra batteries), first aid kit. Drive to the end of Route 130 into Volcano National Park in Kalapana. At the end of the road, you will be greeted with rental bike vendors, shuttles and tour vendors. From all the choices we knew we wanted to hike inland and not see the ocean entry. We saved ourselves a few bucks on a tour we did by ourselves. Upon choosing from a number of bicycle vendors, we decided on a vendor that provided light weight frame and good quality mountain bikes. We wanted the baskets to put our belongings and a roundtrip shuttle with our package. This package is provided by a fanny pack filled with first aid kits, water bottles, bicycle locks and headlamps. All in all we paid about $35 per person. The service was unbelievably exceptional and the shuttle drivers were friendly upon dropping us off at the first gate to the trail. We would need to return the bikes by 8:30pm or we would be charged another $30. Depending on the hiker, unlike myself I needed to save all my energy for the hiking. The bike ride is on dirt road and about 2 miles to get into the national park. You enter upon the first gate into the park with several portable bathrooms. About another half mile in, all bikes are to be chained into a post securely near or next to the Volcano's National Park Sign. We went a little before sunset in the middle of December and not a single drop of rain fell from the sky. Although it was cloudy, the 4 miles of hike into terrain after terrain of old lava was treacherous and cool temperature (about 60's). A lot of uphill and downhill and cracks makes the hiking a lot challenging. The steam clouds and smoke coming from the ground were unbelievable and a rare experience. We followed groups of hikers in until we found our spots for our photography feed. Be aware where you're stepping into. Bring a telephoto lens and binoculars to get a good view of the lava flow. Be aware, if you're hiking at dusk, the 4 miles hike back is extremely difficult if you don't have headlamps. Bring loads of batteries for your lamps or phone, and follow other hikers heading back to the dirt road. The hike is difficult during pitch black and the lava is sharp and can crack in certain places unexpectedly. We've seen people with bloody knees from a hard fall. There are no lights and the beacon is a small orange light on the bike area, which could be mixed with other lights on the horizon. Hikers were kind to help one another. The hike is about 2 to 3 hours back and feels even longer at night. My friend and I are 5 feet tall; compare our strides to everyone else. If you're hiking during daylight, again, I'd recommend wearing sunscreen and bringing plenty of water. Otherwise, this is a rare treat that I would probably do again and again. read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ON YOUR OWN! My boyfriend and i decided it would be cool to see the lava flows up close, so we decided to come here in spite of conflicting statements from locals (some would say lava was flowing, others would say there wasn't)-this was our first mistake. I am more careful and err on the side of caution, so I wanted to go with a tour, but for some reason none answered my calls...so we decided to do this gruesome, tiring and long hike on our own because one of the locals that rents out his private space for parking said that just passing a forest seen from a distance, there was a huge lava pool and that was the reason a lot of helicopters were on the area - mistake #2 Do not be fooled by what they tell you, it is very easy to get lost and the deeper you go into the lava flows the more brittle (colorful and beautiful) the petrified lava gets. You definitely need gloves (which we didnt have) or your hands will be trashed afterwards because there's also lots of cracks on the terrain, you also need LOTS of water, we took 1.5 lt per person and we ran out halfway through, and guess what? We didnt find any lava...to me that is just not worth it and coming back it was dark and much more difficult to find your way back...i actually freaked out and cried at some point. We did see some flashlights in the distance, i guess more people were out there but we didnt see any lava and i ahve no idea if they did. We have very nice pictures, just because the lava gets more beautiful the closer you get to the crater, but in my opinion it's just not worth the 10 hour hike back and forth (we both are very fit people, so I can't imagine how out of shape people pull this off) After our nightmarish experience, i decided to dig online deeper and sure enough, some people have gotten lost, died or suffered severe injuries (one guy fell and lost his leg). We headed out at 10:30am (we wanted to come back before dark) and came back at 8:45pm (it was dark). If you feel lucky and still insist on doing this on your own i would take 2x the water you think you will drink, lots of snacks, great hiking shoes, a flashlight (regardless if you think you would need it or not) and good gloves. It is not only a difficult, long hike even for the fittest of people (we both work out at least 3x per week and i complete the insanity program once per year) but it is also dangerous and scary if it gets dark. I would probably attempt this if i am assured i will see lava and i would definitely pay for a tour to do this next time. read more

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2 of the best Light Shows on Earth are located at the end of Route 130 in the Puna District, right beside the Volcanoes National Park They are: The Billions & Billions of Stars shining down from the nighttime sky & the active Lava Flow coming down from Kilaeau into the sea Everyday from 2 - 10 PM, the County has people setup to help guide you the spectacular sight to behold. Marked safe passage over the dried, cracked & crumbly lava fields to the shore will have you sitting about 1 mile away from an active Lava Flow - see real, true-to-life LAVA flowing into the sea See the crimson reds, the firey yellows & the white heat of the Molten Hot MAGMA explode as it hits the cool oceanic waters.....just can't believe that this is a REAL volcano & I'm sitting here watching it! Be sure to bring your flashlight as it gets dark as the devil out there & you don't want to try walking 20 min over cracked lava fields w/out some help Totally worth it & best part of all - it's FREE read more

It's pretty amazing and awe inspiring. There you are, standing on a field of black lava stretching as far as the eye can see. Everything that once stood here, erased, yet the forest and beaches on either side were spared. Far off in the distance we could see the plume of white steam rising from the sea as fresh lava joined with it. This spot, also known as the end of the old road, is open from 3-10pm with the last cars admitted at 8pm. It's a self guided hike, about a half mile round trip and a clear path to follow. Closed toe shoes, sunblock, hats, and water are recommended. There are park guides at both the entrance and at the end of the hike. Conditions change from day to day so it is recommended that you check the website for updates: http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm We had started out our day at the Volcanoes National Park and opted to drive out to this spot instead of the long hike at the park. Grandma was grateful for the decision. ;) Sadly, the sulfur alert that day was high and when we arrived at the entrance, the guides turned us away, that they were closed for the day. Luckily we were staying in Pahoa and is was an easy drive back the next day when conditions were much clearer. We didn't get to see any actual lava, though the guide we talked story with at the end of the hike was very nice and informative. He did say that there are many local guides and tours that will take you across the rest of the way for a fee of course. I'm okay not walking right up to the fresh lava if you kwim. It is incredible to see people rebuilding their homes on top of this lava plain. we finished our day with a drive through Kapoho which was beautiful with lush tropical vegetation and scenic coastline, out to the Waiopae tide pools to watch the sunset. read more

This is a once in a lifetime experience, especially if you go on a moonless night. From the stars that fill evey spot in the sky to the extraterrestrial lava rocks and of course to the brilliant merging of lava and ocean--this doesn't compare to any other sight in the world. A couple things to prepare before you go: bring a face mask or a bandana, wear light clothes and keep the backpack light or leave it in the car. There is a bit of dust when a security car passes by, where the mask will save you from breathing in any of the dust. We left at 8pm in late June and it was still humid and warm. Shorts and t shirts were fine. The rental bike places will give you a complementary bottle of water, so no need to bring your own. If you're walking bring a snack, might need it, might not. The bike ride is about 30 minutes one way, and another 10 or so minutes through ~0.2 miles of navigating through rocky terrain. The bike ride is hilly in a couple parts but totally doable. Saw that a few people walked their bikes if it got too steep. The road itself is gravel and rough but if you rent a bike near the parking area with proper mountain bike tires and headlights/helmet for about $20 you'll be fine. You should go as far as you can into the viewing area. Grab a seat on the black lava rocks, turn those lights off and take in the beauty of mother nature. read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - Lava meets sea. - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

When we arrived at the Coconut Cottage B & B in Pahoa, we found some detailed information on what to do in the area. One of the first suggestions, and one of the main reasons we headed here, was to see the active lava flow into the ocean! During our stay, the Lava Viewing area was open from 5pm-10pm, though signs stated it was only open till 8pm. Actually, the last car was allowed in at 8:00pm but those there could remain until 10pm. Everything promptly closes at 10 though, and there are strict warnings everywhere to be out by then, so make sure you do. Warnings are something like "You will be left here to die if you aren't out by 10pm" but a little more subtle. You can get to the Lava Viewing Area by following Route 130 until it ends. During the drive, you can see the plume of smoke rising into the air in the distance. Eerie. Make sure you bring water, sneakers (no flip flops!), and of course your camera. Rain gear is also good as we had a few showers during our trips there. There is a large parking area, and some vendors at the front to buy pictures of the Lava (much better pictures than what you will get), jewelry, coffee, and t-shirts. To get to the viewing area, you walk over lots of lava rocks. The path has white and yellow paint markings to follow, which helps, but you really do need a flashlight at night or you will likely fall quite a few times as the ground is very uneven and filled with cracks. I would recommend getting out there early, before the sun goes down. The viewing is still good, and that way you only need to make one trip in the dark. The best view we found was as close to the ocean as you could get. The area is fenced off, so you can't go any further, but from that spot, we could see lava falling into the ocean, sprays of lava into the area, lots of smoke, etc. You could also see other spots where there is lava flow further down the coast. To get a better view, try the helicopter tours or boat tours. I wanted to try both (or either) but was too sick to risk adding motion sickness to the list of things wrong with me. read more

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Most of the active lava flows are around this area. We did not see any active lava during our visit, but there has been a lot of low since then. CAUTION: make sure you are aware of what is happening as lava flows could close routes to some portions of the island. Do not attempt to get close to the flow unless you are with an experienced guide. DIRECTIONS: the location marker in Yelp is way off. So here is how you get to the viewing area: - From Keaau, take 130 south, southeast, staying to the right as you pass the town of Pahoa. Stay on 130 until you have reached the end of the road. There is a small parking area and usually a guard shack. You will have to go on foot past the shack since only residents are allowed in vehicles beyond that point. The guards also can offer advice on what to see and where to look. Bottom Line: If you want to see recent lava flows, this is the place. You can see all the differences in color and all the variations in the structure of the flows over time. However, I wouldn't plan on spending more than 30 minutes here. You can only look at lava rocks for so long before the kids want to leave. ************ UPDATE: the viewing area is "permanently closed" due to recent activity. That doesn't mean you can't find a guide to take you there, but you might not be able to go there on your own. Please do some research before you go. The town of Pahoa recently got hit by the flow, so the roads may be impassable. read more

Okay, so i'm a little biased because I came out here a few years ago and there was no one to stop you from getting as close to the lava as your shoes could handle (mine melted). BUT nowadays they make sure to keep you a 1/2 mile away because "purportedly" rocks can be "blasted" up to a 1/4 mile. Blah blah blah i want to poke some lava with a goddamn stick, so lemme at it! There's a lot of smoke and some glow after nightfall, but even with binocs you can't really see too much action. There's a hill in the way so I didn't actually get to see any real lava hitting the real ocean, just the effects thereof. Rumor has it that you can go out there on your own before 4:30pm or after the rangers leave, i.e. 10:30 or so. But be careful because if they catch you, they will arrest you, fine you $500, and throw your shoes into the lava. Believe you me, its a long, sharp walk home barefoot. read more

NOTE: There is no "lava" flowing visibly right now - you have to take a boat ride out to the location (from near Kapoho) to see lava. Lava flow movement changes constantly - check with the kind Civilian Defense (CD) people patrolling the entry to the path - they will give you up-to-date info on where lava is. There are also websites you can check to see where the lava is currently flowing. If you hike down to the black sand beach north of where the lava hits the ocean, you will see signs telling you to not go any further - CD workers patrol the area and will make you turn back if you're not in a tour group. The walking tours run about $55-75 per person & take about 3-4 hours. Boat tours run $150 per person - didn't go this time, but definitely will next time we visit. We saw many disappointed faces as we hiked to the barricaded area - I assume people thought they were going to see actual lava. Since lava is dangerous and creates treacherous conditions (like huge cantilevers of flow which seem like stable ground, but can fall into the ocean at any time), the area is enforced rigorously. Also - much of the land surrounded the flow location is private property and the locals do not look kindly upon trespassers. Regardless of the above, the location is amazing - just to see this once-lush land covered by black lava rocks is a thing to behold. The stars are a whole other story...wow! read more

We stopped by on 4/17 after our quick trip through Volcano National Park. We saw some steam in the distance but not much else. There are guards at the front parking area, and another at the end of the street that you hike down to after you park your car. The 2nd guard station is the furthest you're allowed to go. Two people decided their freedoms were greater than everyone else's, and decided to walk past the 2nd guard and ignore the warnings. The guard told them that their car would be towed, but the two kept saying that they were Hawaiians and they were free to hike on public land as they wished. Kind of funny hearing that come out of caucasians who really aren't Hawaiian, and aren't even on public land. Anyway, we missed out on the black sand beach that's near here. We'll have to come again to check that out, but probably wouldn't come here just for the "lava flow" since you're too far away to see anything but steam in the distance. read more

A long shady path (0.7 mi) in the Lava Flow Park leads you to several lava trees - where lava enveloped living trees and left a hard column of lava. Unique and fascinating park! read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - Some lava trees! - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

This review is partly for Stretch at Finish Line Bicycles, 206-218-7795. He only charged us half what the other bike people were charging, and no paperwork or anything, no deadline, just really cool. So, now for the lava flow. For us, in pretty good condition, it was a three or four mile bike ride each way and then an hour and a half walk each way on the lava! Some people we saw were trying to walk across the lava in the dark without flashlights, but this is NOT RECOMMENDED! Bring your own backup superbright flashlight, you won't regret it, and spare batteries. Maybe even some spare AAAs for the rental headlamps if they go out. Bring water, because it gets REALLY HOT in full sun on black lava, and when you get over to the glowing hot kind. Also a jacket, because it can get cool, windy, and rainy in the dark on the way back. Enough of the bad stuff, this was one of the coolest things we did in Hawaii. Walking on the hot rocks with red-hot lava underneath freaked out my daughter, but we talked to a park ranger later and he assured us that they get a lot of cases of people with twisted ankles and scrapes, but basically no burns. I guess you could trip and fall in, but it would be difficult. The rock you're walking on gets too hot to touch in places, and one girl said her shoes were melting. read more

We rented bikes for ten dollars each from one of the venders closest to the entrance. We arrived around seven and biked about thirty minutes to where the lava enters the water. You are about a mile away and to be honest it's not that exciting. What is amazing is the 4 mile round trip hike you can do to see flowing lava. You can walk up as close as you want to the lava. The lava flow is obviously constantly changing but right now (mid June 2017) it can be found by walking directly to the right where the lava enters the ocean. Follow the glow you see on the hill side. Beware lava is further than it appears! Follow the flashing beacon home to return to where you started. Be careful on the lava rock my boyfriend sprained his ankle on it, very easy to do. We went out the night before full moon. Definitely recommend going when the moon is full it adds a lot of light in order to navigate over the lava rock. read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - Lava at night was spectacular! - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

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There hasn't been a Yelp review for over a year on this, so I'll attempt to do it justice from a tourist's perspective. This lava viewing is hands-down the #1 experience of my life at this point. Big statement, right? First, a little history as I was able to gather it from locals. The Kīlauea Volcano is actively erupting from the summit, as well as an additional flow coming from the Puu Ōō vent. In late 2014, this lava flow appeared to be heading towards Pahoa, and had the potential to cut off this town and section of Hawai'i from the rest of the island. Because of this, the Chain of Craters Road was re-opened (closed from previous years' flow) as a single-lane gravel road to be used in case of emergency evacuation. During the summer of 2015, the flow stopped its egress towards Pahoa and began moving south towards the ocean. Fast forward to July 27 of this year where the lava reached the ocean, cutting off the emergency road once again as it made its journey. The county opened the emergency road to visitors, allowing foot traffic along Chain of Craters Rd, 4 miles out to the flow. So, how to get there & what to do: DIRECTIONS: Yelp's location is way off here. To get to the parking area, take 130 south from Keaau, veering right after passing through Pahoa. Stay on this until the road ends and park here. BEST TIME TO GO: Dark, for two reasons. First, you'll see brilliant stars as you make the trek. In fact, the sky is so absolutely clear that we were able to see the Milky Way! Second, pitch black darkness is the best way to view lava, IMHO. The road is open from 3-9pm, with the last car allowed to park at 8:30pm. Once you're in, though, you can stay as long as you'd like. We arrived just before 8:30. OPTIONS FOR THE HIKE: You have two choices-- hike the 4 miles out & back, or rent a bike from a handful of entrepreneurs and ride the 30 minute journey. If you decide to walk it, they estimate 1.5 hours out and 1.5 hours back. Be sure to bring water and a flashlight! (and extra batteries for said light) Some locals do have water/gatorade/beverage stations set up at a couple of points along the hike, but I wouldn't count on that. We chose to bike, and met a guy renting bikes from his van called Lava Bikes. Actually, this guy was the one who came up with the idea to rent bikes and got permission from the county to do so. After he set up, a few more people followed in his footsteps. I will say that Lava Bikes rents high quality mountain bikes (Trek, Specialized) and provides flashlights and backup batteries as part of your rental. He's the real deal. The others that followed him bought a bunch of cheap bikes from Walmart, and while the 30 minute ride may not sound like much, know that the last 2 miles is over course, loose gravel where a real mountain bike comes in quite handy. THE TREK: Biking out on this flat, gravel road in the absolute darkness is an experience in and of itself. You have to bike somewhat cautiously, as the only way to identify hikers or other bikers is by their lights. Some walkers chose not to hike with a light, which is actually pretty dangerous. The ride out is peaceful and beautiful as the stars guide you. You'll pass through 3 barricades as you go, reminding you that you are approaching an active lava flow and to proceed with caution. The ominous nature of the flashing orange caution lights added to the excitement and anticipation of what was ahead. We reached the true "end of the road" (as evidenced by signage and a rope preventing you from going further), and laid our bikes down off to the side, and began the short hike out to the ocean. You hike out onto the lava field, which is, as a general rule, fairly flat but you absolutely need to watch each step as you go. Again, your light is a total necessity here. Follow the rope out, and you'll soon see the lava and smoke. We sat on the edge for over an hour, completely mesmerized by this awesome sight. As the lava flows into the ocean, it immediately explodes and turns into black sand, so you had the visual of the red molten lava flowing/dripping/oozing into the water, the sounds of the soft explosions, and the sight of the smoke pluming. As the wind changed directions and strength, we were presented with varying views of this majestic event. Plan your entire trip to the Big Island around this extremely rare opportunity; I promise you won't regret it! read more

if you're going by land, you can't see the lava just by looking from the national park service viewpoint. you have to take the tour ($40-50) to see the lava. from there, you cross private land (the owners do the tours) i thought the $50 was originally a bit steep, but it was worth it. we arrived at 5pm, as our b&b hosts told us they typically try to get there by 4.30pm. however, the tour didn't actually leave until closer to 6pm. that said, it's probably good to get there a bit earlier. my sense is that they try to wait to get as many people as they can before leaving. in our case, that would be 24 people. the hike out was about 1 hour, 15 min. towards the end, it was across 6-month old lava. we got back ~9.30 the guides themselves are mixed. they all clearly knew their way around. however, the "lead guide" actually didn't tell us much about the area (despite the promises when we purchased the tour). (though, we didn't care, either ... the lava itself was the most interesting thing!) the "helper guides" definitely knew their stuff, and they were super helpful. very conscientious about safety, and watching out for everyone. and also knew a lot of info, that they were willing to share. i lagged behind a few times, so i can definitely speak to this. once we got out to the viewing point, they then took us in groups of six to get even closer. from the viewing point, we could see lava oozing into the ocean. when they took us closer, we could see the lava oozing out onto the ground. it looked like a muffin top rising, and then it oozed down the slope a bit. then a huge wave came in and the lava instantly turned dark (it was red). and then the next muffin top lava oozing started again. they gave us walking sticks, water, flashlights, ponchos and sandwiches at the end. we had brought large maglights, but the small flashlights they have are just fine. also, probably easier to carry for the 2.5 - 3hr hike, than a giant maglite. do bring your own poncho or water resistant gear if you can - it rains / mists quite a bit there! for shoes, they recommend hiking shoes. however, lots of people went in sneakers. i wore my "sneaker-like" eccos, which are really just casual canvas shoes. it was all i had, but they were just fine. they also had shoes there for people who want to borrow them. the lava we crossed wasn't slippery (in contrast to the other reviewer's experience), but some was slightly unstable. consider wearing jeans, since if you do slip, jeans protect you a bit. (i've had lava just slice right through my jeans) i would recommend staying in hilo, as it's just easier to take that drive back. super cool. if you're going all that way (esp from out of state), i'd pay the $50. first, you're otherwise trespassing on private property. and second, if only so you have the guidance of someone more familiar with the area and can be assured you are walking on lava that's more stable. that said, we saw some other folks wandering out there on their own. read more

Kalapana Lava Flow - lava flow after walking ~1 hr out from the natl park service viewing point. nov 10, 2010 - Parks Near Me - Kalapana, Hawaii

This post is about SEEING LAVA! Flowing from pu'u O'o. As of 08JAN2018. Lava is not flowing into the ocean but there are lava flows if you are willing to hike from highway 130. Shortest route is not from Volcanoes Park side but from Kanapala side. Drive in from highway 130 through Kanapala. Go to the furthest end of road allowed to drive on. There will be parking, shuttle rides and bike rentals. Shuttle takes you to 2nd gate. Bikes are 15 to 25 usd. Take bike or walk on dirt road highway 130 until 3rd gate. At 3rd gate lock bike and start walking toward Pu'u O'o. Walk inland. If during the day walk toward below the steam vent. If at night walk toward the glow. At this time, as you get close it is best to approach from the right, then turn in. 1st lava is far down the hill. You can walk further up and see more. You will feel the heat before you are able to see molten rock. Keep walking. If worried there are usually plenty of other people that will press on and go first especially the guided tours. Don't turn back. Wait for them. If dark, follow their lights. Make sure you take good shoes, tennis shoes are ok not sandles, head lamps or flashlight with good batteries. Take enough water, your endurance and patience. You will be walking on rough black lava that careful footing is required at all times. There is not a marked trail but some white chalk has been poured on the lava but is basically everywhere. Does not matter where one walks, there does not seem to be a good or bad way. With bike takes 1 1/2 hours in and 1 3/4 or 2 hours back in dark plus 30 minutes or longer viewing this amazing phenomenon. Definitely worth it! read more

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Once in a lifetime. Rent a bicycle from Stretch at Finish Line bike rentals on the right. Give him a tip and he might even drive you the first 3 miles. Honest and friendly. Not your typical money hungry guy. We came back twice in one week because it was such an amazing sight to behold. read more

The bike ride was great! I've done it both ways, on a bike and by foot. By foot it was pretty lame, my feet hated me the following day. Do it on a bike!!! read more

I grew up in Hawaii and went to many field trips here. If it is your first time visiting Hawaii please go here and explore. It's a beautiful place and so much history. The caves are also cool and wet and if you feel adventurous you can climb down some weird places. read more

We got here at 5pm, and although it opens at 5pm, there were already a bunch of cars already there. We brought water, snacks, and flashlights and hiked 3/4 mi from the parking lot to the lava viewing site across lava beds. We found a seat on a lava slab and waited from 5-7 for sunset. Finally, at dusk, we began seeing more than the smoke we were watching for 2 hours and some glowing lava. It was really far away from the lava viewing and virtually impossible to get pictures of with a typical Canon camera. Finally, at 8p, we walked back to the parking lot, utilizing our flashlights. Without them, we would've definitely fallen down because there is no other lighting. read more

This hike was amazing! Definitely go with the tour group. The tour is located where the road ends at 130. They know the area well, and it's much safer than trying to venture out on your own. The hike is a total of 5 miles so definitely wear sneakers. It gets HOT when you are closer to the lava so dress appropriately. This experience was amazing and I recommend it to everyone! And yes, we did see lava..lots of it!! Very cool. read more

I think that the enjoyment of this place greatly depends on where the lava is flowing on that day. When we visited in November the lava was so far down the road from where the security stopped us. We couldn't see anything except for a few trees going up in flames. The walk to the security point is pretty eerie though and if you are nearby, that alone is worth the trip. We went at sunset which was good because we got to see all the lone houses built right by the flow. and the little dot of glowing lava in the distance. Like some of the other reviewers said, check before hand or you might be disappointed. read more

You cannot see Lava Flow from the Volcano National Park; all you can see is a glow (and it is pretty amazing). If you want to see the lava flow and cannot walk upto it (8 mi tough walk, see it from air or take a boat trip), this is the next best thing you can do. It is a drive; but try and get to the place just before sunset. Take torches and a very powerful binoculars if you want to see the flow. Once you get the place, there will be people who will let you park and it is a 10 min easy walk to the site. No special shoes needed. read more

This was a good time. We left a bit too quickly, and I wish we stopped for pictures. Still, this was interesting.

Really cool to see. Kid friendly. Long drive but worth it, many stops along the way. Really windy, saw nene! I would def do it and look up the history of the town and what happened, makes it more amazing. read more

I'm writing to give rave reviews to Shane W whose review is excellent! I won't repeat it. I live 6 miles from the lava flow, that is, the parking lot where you can pick up your bicycle. Do shop with vendors to determine what they offer: bike lock for when you are taking pics, water, first aid. Visited the Halemaumau crater in the National Park yesterday. The ranger there recommended the Kalapana "End of Road" entry because bicycles are available and prevailing trade winds blow steam and gases away from visitors. Have fun! (It's a long, often hot, trip for kids.) read more

The lava is absolutely spectacular! Even from the perspective of a local, this is a once in a lifetime experience. Definitely worth going. Just wear good sturdy shoes that you're not afraid of destroying, lots of water, and at least two flashlights! If you go at night, I think it's even more amazing! Just be careful - its lava after all and in certain places the ground can melt your shoes. read more

when we were here there was no lava....no smoke.... just rock all around, but still we had a wonderfull time getting here and talking to locals!!!!!!! read more

It was really fun but I'm so disappointed that we couldn't get closer. I am totally willing to risk my life to see some of that flowing lava up close and personal! Regardless, it was pretty interesting walking all over that hardened pahoehoe and chilling under the stars, watching some lava hit the waves. Don't forget your flashlight! read more