Crater Rim Road is an 11-mile loop drive and can take 1 to 3 hours to explore depending on frequency and length of your stops. It is located near the famous Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The first signs of volcanic activity you see are sulphur and steam vents along the road side. These areas can be dangerous to pregnant women, children, and people with respiratory problems due to the fumes released from the vents. You can tell a sulphur vent from a steam vent in two ways. At a sulphur vent the surrounding rocks are stained yellow and the air stinks like rotten eggs!

Along Crater Rim Road there is the very informative Jaggar Museum which explains how the volcanoes in the park are studied. The museum is located on the rim of Kilauea Caldera and offers an observatory that gives a breathing view of the entire crater rim. You are able to see steam rising from a crack in the crust in the mid-right portion of the photo. The crater seen in Kilauea Caldera is Halema'uma'u Crater. From 1823-1924 this crater held a bubbling lava lake. In 1924 the lake completely drained of molten lava when a rapid run off occurred into a subterranean network of lava tubes.

If you are visiting this area, we also recommend you visit the Chain of Craters Road.

Complete Guide to Crater Rim Road:

The Crater Rim Drive on the Big Island of Hawaii is an 11 mile drive that encircles a large portion of land near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Depending on your style of driving and stopping for attractions, it can take between 1 to 3 hours to explore. The first signs of volcanic activity you will see upon beginning the drive are the steam vents along the sides of the road. Further along the Crater Rim Drive you will come across the Jaggar Museum which explains how the volcanoes in the park are studied; it's a worthy stop if you have the time to make it part of your trip. The museum is located on the rim of Kilauea Caldera, with a amazing view of the crater rim, and it offers an interesting observatory as well.

Adjacent to the Crater Rim Drive is the 20-mile Chain of Craters Road that connects and provides visitor's access to a series of volcanic features including craters, active and dormant lava flows, and scenic views of tropical rain forests, mountains, wilderness areas, and seacoast areas.

Directions and Maps

The Park entrance station is just off Hwy 11, 95 miles south-east of Kona and 30 miles south-west of Hilo. Keep right onto Crater Rim Drive for Kilauea visitor center in 0.3 mile. They will be able to answer any questions you may have about the road/trials ahead.