Hawaii Eruption Information

Big Island Lava Flow

Locating the Lava Flows

Now, to answer the question of 'where.' Well, the answer to that question depends on the mood of Pele (the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess). And Madame Pele is very unpredictable.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day, so your chance to see glowing lava (from near or far) is pretty good when the volcano is actively erupting (it's periodically erupting only at the summit in Halemaumau currently), especially when it's dark. Just look for the red glow. As always, the Park Rangers at the entry station are your best guide to current conditions - we advise all visitors to check in with them before exploring the park. 

Ultimately, in our opinion, even if you don't get to see any flowing lava in person, which you might not at times, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Big Island are well worth the time. 

Kilauea Summit Eruption

What's Happening Now at Kilauea?

Periodic Kilauea Eruption; Volcano is not currently active

Kilauea volcano, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is NOT currently erupting at its summit. Current conditions are additionally included below.

Kilauea Eruption Timeline

The eruption that began at the Kilauea summit on September 10, 2023, has ended. Lava supply to the vents on the downdropped block in Kilauea's summit caldera ceased on September 16, 2023, based on visual and geophysical observations.

The last three eruptions which previously ended in June 2023, March 2023, and in early December 2022 respectively, were each similar to the preceding recent Kilauea eruption, which was also confined to Halema'uma'u crater and generated a lava lake; from December 2020 to May 2021.  More information and a timeline of Kilauea's historical events (including the current eruption, when applicable) are included below.

Hiking to Lava

Lava Viewing Guide

Hiking to Lava

Check THIS SITE for updates on lava flows and Kilauea activity. We've also included some maps below to generally help provide you an overview of the park and where the lava might be located during your visit. Just remember, this is an active living and breathing volcano and things regularly change, the maps are always out of date for that reason to some extent.

If the flows have recently been near the surface within the Park and IF it's safe to access (check with the Rangers), it's pretty easy to locate the lava yourself - so don't feel like you HAVE to join a tour to experience a lava flow. Before heading out, be sure you've prepared accordingly - dress appropriately with the right footwear for your adventure; be sure to keep water with you at all times, it can be easy to get dehydrated on the lava fields. Sunscreen is also your best friend on this part of the island.

As always, remember that lava flows outside the Park's boundary are on private property and you should not explore these locations without a guide who has permission to properly access the property.

Kilauea Volcano Tours

Our recommendation for Kilauea & lava tours is to contact Scott and Becky at The Volcano Van. They offer amazing tours of Kilauea, including several tours that depart from Kona.

View Lava from Above

Helicopter Volcano Tours

Another great option is to take a helicopter tour over Pu`u O`o for a look into the bowels of the earth. While that too could change tomorrow, as lava has a mind of its own - a helicopter tour is your BEST opportunity to see lava.

Our recommendation for helicopters tours is to fly with Safari Helicopters. They have some amazing tours over the volcano that are perfect for experiecing Kilauea from above.

Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption

Mauna Loa Eruption

Mauna Loa Eruption Updates

Last Activity: November 2022 - December 2022

After 38 years, Mauna Loa briefly erupted

• Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcano, which had been rumbling since mid-September 2022, erupted from late November until mid-December 2022.
• Check out some great USGS photos of the 2022 Mauna Loa Eruption
• View the USGS eruption map for a visualization of the eruption location
• See our 'What's Happening on Mauna Loa' section below for current information.

What happened?

The Mauna Loa volcano, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, recently erupted on Sunday - November 27, 2022. The eruption, which was the first in nearly 40 years, was relatively small and caused no damage to nearby communities or infrastructure. The eruption was preceded by several weeks of increasing seismic activity, as well as ground deformation and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions. The HVO had placed the volcano on "watch" status shortly before the eruption, indicating an eruption was likely. As of December 11, 2022, the eruption has concluded.

As noted above, the eruption was relatively small, and no evacuations were necessary. No major highways were damaged, though initial concerns were that Saddle Road (Daniel K. Inouye Highway) might be impacted. Fortunately, it never was impacted by the lava flows. The lava flow was not close enough to any populated areas or infrastructure to cause any damage.

The recent eruption is a reminder of the power and unpredictability of volcanoes. Mauna Loa is one of five active/dormant volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands and is the largest active volcano on Earth.

Latest Mauna Loa Developments

Updates provided by the USGS

Current daily updates on the status of the Mauna Loa Eruption can be found on the USGS website.

See the USGS eruption map to visualize the current eruption location, or view these incredible USGS photos of the recent Mauna Loa eruption.