End of the Road

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

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Sort of. The road ends where the lava says it ends, having consumed this coastal section of Chain of Craters Road repeatedly since 1969. Currently there is a small ranger shack, pit toilets and a small concession stand at the turnaround. Parking is limited to the shoulders as you approach; evening lava-hunters (and their vehicles) have disappeared since the lava stopped in 2018.

Sadly, the iconic pahoehoe (smooth flowing lava)–ensconced 'Road Closed' sign is gone. It was removed in 2014 so bulldozers could punch in a new $5.1 million gravel emergency access route to Kalapana – which was promptly buried again in 2016. Cyclists and pedestrians are welcome to carry on to Kalapana – 8 miles east.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Smoke plumes from the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.

    Kilauea

    14.01 MILES

    Kilauea volcano lies at the center of activity in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The unassuming bump on Mauna Loa's southeast flank would be easily…

  • Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

    Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

    12.14 MILES

    Even among Hawaii's many wonders, this national park stands out. Its two active volcanoes testify to the ongoing birth of the islands: quiet Mauna Loa (13…

  • Kilauea crater fumarole expelling fumes. 467882084 Cloudscape, Pele, Kilauea, Geology, Fumes, Exploding, Wide Angle, Big Island, Hawaii Islands, Day, Island, Volcanic Crater, Fumarole, Volcano, Earth, Cloud, Fog, hot spot, sulfide, Gas, Crater, Halemaʻumaʻu

    Halemaʻumaʻu Crater

    14.45 MILES

    The original Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook off Crater Rim Dr was closed in 2008 due to volcanic activity and the very real threat of death. For the next decade,…

  • Punaluu Black Sand Beach, a beach in the southeastern part of the Hawaiian coast of Kau 1738359710 beach, beautiful, big island, black sand, black sand coast, blue, coast, exotic, famous place, hawaii, hawaii volcanoes national park, holiday, island, island of hawaii, kilauea, landscape, lava, nature, ocean, outdoor, palm, paradise, punaluu, punaluu black sand coast, sand beach, sea, sky, southeastern kau coast, summer, sun, sunny, tourism, tourist attractions, travel, tree, tropical, vacation, volcano, water

    Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park

    28.75 MILES

    Beyond the nearly omnipresent green sea turtles basking in the sun, or the rare hawksbill turtles that lay their eggs here (be careful where you walk),…

  • Petroglyphs in lava rock at Pu'uloa along Chain of Craters road, in the Volcanoes National Park. 1200494920 ancient, archeology, art, artwork, carving, chain, civilization, craters, culture, draw, drawing, hawaii, hawaiian, heritage, hill, historic, history, icon, indigenous, island, landmark, lava, loa, long, message, national, native, old, outdoors, park, petroglyph, polynesian, pu'u, pu'uloa, puu, puuloa, road, rock, sacred, spiritual, states, stone, symbol, travel, tribal, tropical, united, usa, volcano, writing

    Puʻu Loa Petroglyphs

    1.56 MILES

    The gentle, 1.3-mile round-trip to Puʻu Loa (roughly, 'hill of long life') leads to one of Hawaiʻi's largest concentrations of ancient petroglyphs, some…

  • Liliuokalani Park, Hilo, East Coast.

    Liliʻuokalani Park

    29.66 MILES

    Arguably Hilo's most beautiful spot, these sprawling Japanese gardens are perfect for picnicking. Named for Hawaii's last queen (r 1891–93), the 30-acre…

  • This is a shot of the Kilauea Volcano from the Kilauea Overlook in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, this is a panoramic shot of the caldera of the large Volcano on the south side of The Big Island of Hawaii 1488714858

    Kilauea Iki Overlook

    12.57 MILES

    When 'Little Kilauea' burst open in a fiery inferno in November 1959, it filled the crater with a roiling lake of molten rock fed by a 1900ft fountain…

  • Kilauea Visitor Center & Museum

    Kilauea Visitor Center & Museum

    13.89 MILES

    Stop here first on your visit to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Extraordinarily helpful (and remarkably patient) rangers and volunteers can advise you…

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Nearby Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park attractions

1. Holei Sea Arch

0.05 MILES

Constantly brutalized by unrelenting surf, the coastal section of Chain of Craters Road has sharply eroded lava-rock pali (cliffs). Visible from near the…

2. Puʻu Loa Petroglyphs

1.56 MILES

The gentle, 1.3-mile round-trip to Puʻu Loa (roughly, 'hill of long life') leads to one of Hawaiʻi's largest concentrations of ancient petroglyphs, some…

3. Kealakomo

4.44 MILES

About halfway along Chain of Craters Road is this coastal lookout (elevation 2000ft), with picnic tables and commanding views. That inky black snake's…

4. Old Pulu Factory

6.32 MILES

Ancient Hawaiians used pulu, the golden, silky fibers found at the base of hapuʻu (tree fern) fiddleheads, to dress wounds and embalm the dead. In the…

5. Puʻu ʻOʻo

6.45 MILES

Puʻu ʻOʻo vent saw the longest-lasting and most voluminous of the Kilauea's eruptions, oozing an estimated 80 to 160 million gallons of lava per day, or…

6. Makaopuhi Crater

6.59 MILES

This jaw-dropping, mile-long crater is the largest in the East Rift Zone. Although once accessible by road, it's now 5 miles along the Napau Crater Trail,…

7. ʻAlae Lava Shield

8 MILES

The once-awesome ʻAlae crater did not go easily. The Mauna Ulu eruption had just filled the 1440ft-wide and 540ft-deep crater with a lake of molten lava…

8. Mauna Ulu

8.36 MILES

In 1969, eruptions from Kilauea's East Rift Zone began building a new lava shield, Mauna Ulu (Growing Mountain). By the time the flow stopped in 1974, it…