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Chain of Craters Road
To reach Chain of Craters Road from the entrance to the park take a left onto Crater Rim Drive just after you pass the gate. Follow Crater Rim Drive for three miles until you reach Devastation Trail. Chain of Craters Road will be on the left directly across from the Devastation Trail parking lot. It is important that you reset your car odometer as all the mile markers in our guide are based on the true mileage and not the park mile markers which can sometimes be inaccurate.
If your ultimate goal is night time lava watching, you may want to start out on Chain of Craters several hours before sunset in order to reach the end of the road with enough time to get out to the lava before dark. Add extra time if you plan on doing any of the hikes along the road.
Mile Marker .02 1974 Lava Tree and Keanakakoi Crater Hike
Mile Marker 0.4 Lua Manu Crater
The first of several marked craters along this road, Lua Manu will be on your right. Lua Manu is a pit crater which is formed when magma below the earth’s surface drains, causing the earth to collapse. The 1974 flow sent lava pouring into Lua Manu’s basin which is 109 yards in diameter. Further down the road at 0.9 you will see a small pullout on the left which leads to another pit crater, Puhimau Crater.
Mile Marker 1.3 Thermal Hotspot
Mile Marker 1.5 Ko’oko’olau Crater
Ko’oko’olau is different from the other pit craters we have seen on this road because it has not seen lava in over 200 years. Now, ohia and koa trees and other vegetation have filled the area.
If your ultimate goal is night time lava watching, you may want to start out on Chain of Craters several hours before sunset in order to reach the end of the road with enough time to get out to the lava before dark. Add extra time if you plan on doing any of the hikes along the road.
Mile Marker .02 1974 Lava Tree and Keanakakoi Crater Hike
Mile Marker 0.4 Lua Manu Crater
The first of several marked craters along this road, Lua Manu will be on your right. Lua Manu is a pit crater which is formed when magma below the earth’s surface drains, causing the earth to collapse. The 1974 flow sent lava pouring into Lua Manu’s basin which is 109 yards in diameter. Further down the road at 0.9 you will see a small pullout on the left which leads to another pit crater, Puhimau Crater.
Mile Marker 1.3 Thermal Hotspot
Mile Marker 1.5 Ko’oko’olau Crater
Ko’oko’olau is different from the other pit craters we have seen on this road because it has not seen lava in over 200 years. Now, ohia and koa trees and other vegetation have filled the area.
Location: Chain of Craters Road is located in the Volcano Region
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