This 40-mile round-trip drive intersects with Crater Rim Drive, descends 3,700 feet to the coast, and dead ends where a 1995 lava flow crossed the road. Allow three or more hours depending on how often you stop. Note: there are no services along this road. Gasoline and general store are available in Volcano Village, one mile from the park entrance station on Highway 11 toward Hilo.

Kilauea's Pahoehoe Lava
Photo Credit: J. Kauahikaua, USGS

Chain of Craters Road follows a line of pit craters formed in prehistoric times. The Pauahi Crater, three miles from the intersection of Crater Rim Drive, has a wooden platform where visitors can view the inside of the crater and Mauna Ulu, a large lava mountain. Next, pull into parking lot at Mauna Ulu, which means"growing mountain." A short walk from here reveals the remnants of the old Chain of Craters Road, before it was covered by the 1969 - 1974 eruption.

The trailhead for Pu'u Huluhulu, a three-mile roundtrip hike is located at the Mauna Ulu parking lot. Take this two-hour walk to Pu'u Huluhulu, a 150-foot prehistoric cinder cone, walking over lava flows of 1973 and 1974. Pu'u Huluhulu provides views of Kilauea, Pu'u, 'O 'o, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Pacific Ocean.

Other points of interest include Lua Manu and Pauahi craters, Kealakomo Overlook and Ho1ei Sea Arch.

At 8.6 miles from the Park boundary is the Puuloa petroglyph field; see the trail to the right of the road. An easy, one-mile hike leads to these amazing rock carvings. For hundreds of years Hawaiians carved images and figures into the rock. The meanings of most of the carvings will probably never be deciphered.

Continue along Chain of Craters Road until it reaches the sea. It follows the coastline until it ends at a barrier staffed by Park rangers. Depending on the volcanic activity, you might find yourself witnessing lava pouring into the sea, with vegetation bursting into flames in its path.

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