Allow two or three hours for this drive, depending on how often you stop. There are no services along this road so make sure that you have sufficient gasoline in your tank and plenty of water to drink. (The closest gas station and general store are located in Volcano Village, one mile from the park entrance station on Highway 11 towards Hilo.)
Along the way are numerous places to stop and explore including a large area of ancient petroglyphs.
When you reach the end of the road, park along the side before the small ranger station. From here it's about a mile walk to the area where you can see the lava entering the ocean.
The lava flows change periodically, so the distance that you'll need to walk may vary from one visit to the next.
The walk is well worth it. If you're lucky you may see where hot lava is entering the ocean. You can tell by the huge amount of steam at the point of entry. If you visit at sundown, you may be able to see the red lava flowing down the side of the mountain.
A trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a visit to Hawaii's ancient volcanic past as well as a look at the present and future of the Big Island of Hawaii as it is given birth by Madame Pele.
