The Kīlauea summit area in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is temporarily closed due to dangerous amounts of tephra falling. Highway 11 is closed between mile markers 24 and 40 due to dangerous road conditions. Kīlauea began erupting again at 9:17 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10. Lava fountains reached as high as 1,300 feet, producing large amounts of volcanic rock, ash and glass particles. Light […]
*This story was originally published on Feb. 4, 2021, and updated in January 2026. Romance and Hawaiʻi seem to go hand-in-hand. If you happen to be in the Islands for Valentine’s Day—lucky you!—here are some of the most romantic beaches, lookouts and places in Hawaiʻi. 1. Watch the Sunrise at Lanikai Beach Imagine watching the
*This story was updated on Dec. 24, 2025. A year ago on Dec. 23, 2024, one of the world’s most active volcanoes awoke. That morning, lava fountains spewed from a line of fissures at the base of the summit caldera. Declared episode one, the event was only a prelude to a series of dramatic eruptions at Kīlauea in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Prior to that, the
Hawaiʻi Island is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, rightly earning its nickname, the Big Island. I’m always impressed not only by the sheer size of the island, but also its unique terrain, from lush tropical forests in Hilo to otherworldly lava fields in Kona and the snow-capped summit of Mauna Kea
The Hawaiʻi National Park Service announced this week that the Uēkahuna observation deck in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopened to the public. Located at the summit of Kīlauea, park visitors can look across the caldera to see Halemaʻumaʻu crater and also gaze up at Mauna Loa. For generations, Uēkahuna has been revered by Native Hawaiians
At least we weren’t the only ones. Like many of you, we had been captivated by the fountains of lava from Kīlauea, shooting up over 1,000 feet above Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The recent eruption—now exiting its Episode 16—has lured volcano enthusiasts from around the world to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to witness this extraordinary sight. It
Kīlauea’s recent eruption, which began on Dec. 23, 2024, has been sporadic to say the least. This morning—nine days after the eruption paused on Jan. 6—lava starting flowing again in the summit caldera at Kīlauea, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey said this is the fourth eruptive episode of
It’s no surprise: Kīlauea’s latest eruption is drawing crowds to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. In the early hours of Dec. 23, Kīlauea—one of the world’s most active volcanoes—started erupting in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater with spectacular lava fountains. Since then, though, the eruption has fluctuated in its intensity and can stop at anytime. Though Kīlauea has erupted
After a three-month pause, Kīlauea on Hawaiʻi Island is erupting again. The eruption started Monday morning following increased earthquake activity beneath its summit, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It started around 2:30 a.m. HST within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Webcam imagery shows flowing lava and a line of fissures spewing lava
Updated 7:03 p.m., Sept. 18 Chain of Craters Road is now open as eruption hazards ease in Kīlauea volcano’s middle East Rift Zone, according to the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Hilina Pali Road and Kulanaokuaiki Campground are now open to traffic. With the exception of Nāpau, backcountry sites have reopened as well. Maunaulu Trail and
The 19-mile Chain of Craters Road that winds through Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island remains closed after Kīlauea briefly erupted late Sunday night. #Kilauea erupted briefly last night in a remote area west of Nāpau Crater on the middle East Rift Zone in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Lava eruption started between 9:00-10:00 pm
Kīlauea may not be erupting, but increased earthquake activity over the weekend has promoted Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to increase alert levels and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closing certain areas in the park. HVO raised the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from an “advisory” to a “watch.” The aviation color code was also raised from
