Chain of Craters Road

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The Chain of Craters Road, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is a 20-mile, paved road that is located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It 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.

Complete Guide to Crater Rim Road:

OR view the Chain of Craters Road Guide Here

Adjacent to the Chain of Craters Road is the 11-mile paved, Crater Rim Drive that circles around Kilauea Caldera, and the half-mile, paved road to Mauna Ulu, site of the 1969-1974 eruption that covered and closed the Chain of Craters Road.

The majority of the park's 2.5 million annual visitors use the Chain of Craters Road or Crater Rim Drive, or both. The roads are a key element in carrying out the purpose of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:

To protect and preserve the volcanic landscapes and the associated cultural and natural resources of the park, and to facilitate visitor use and access to active volcanism, scenic vistas, diverse geographic settings, and wilderness by providing a safe and functional infrastructure and neded visitor services.

Source: America's Byways

There is no gas or water along the byway.

The road is 22 feet wide and paved. It is used by passenger vehicles, and small, 20-passenger buses.

Open to the public year-round. Rare and temporary closures are caused by heavy rainfall, fog, tsunami waves, seismic damage, and extreme fire danger. Lava flows have historically closed sections of the road on a long-term basis.

The National Park is usually busy at a constant rate, but increased tourism during the summer months (May-August) does make the area a little busier.

To reach the northern end of the byway from Hilo: drive 28 miles west on Hawaii Route 11, from Hilo, Hawaii, to the entrance of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Chain of Craters Road.

To drive the byway: Chain of Craters Road begins with the junction with Crater Rim Drive and proceeds generally south until it ends abruptly in the Pu`u O`o lava flows across the road at the coast (may be temporary.)