Chain of Craters Road

Chain of Craters Road drops you through a lunar landscape where sulfur stench fills the air and steam vents hiss from roadside cracks. This 19-mile paved descent cuts through multiple lava flows from different eruptions, passing the famous Holei Sea Arch before dead-ending where the 1990 lava flow consumed the original road. You’ll witness the raw power of Kilauea as hardened pahoehoe and chunky aa lava stretch to the horizon, with the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs marking ancient Hawaiian presence among the devastation.

Any vehicle can handle this paved road, but bring water and sun protection for the exposed descent. The route stays open year-round unless active lava threatens the roadway. Park entry fees apply, and rangers sometimes close sections during volcanic activity. No camping along the road itself, but Namakanipaio Campground sits at the park entrance. This drive delivers front-row seats to creation in progress—the kind of geological theater you can’t witness anywhere else on the planet.