What travelers can expect from Hawaii's Kilauea eruption in 2024

The Kilauea volcano erupted Monday at the foot of Halemaumau Crater, drawing large crowds to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The eruption is currently contained within the crater and poses no immediate threat to the community.
Visitors are encouraged to view the eruption from designated viewing points along the Crater Rim Trail.

Hordes of visitors are already flocking to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii’s Big Island to witness the first day of Kilauea volcano’s recent eruption, which the park says has led to crowded viewing points, full parking lots and busy roads.

After increased earthquake activity, the volcano began erupting at the base of Halemaumau Crater around 2:20 a.m. Monday, with lava covering 500 hectares of the caldera floor, according to the United States Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. It is the sixth eruption in the past four years, the last occurring in a remote region of the park.

The eruption remains hidden within the crater as “fissures on the caldera floor produce lava fountains and feed lava flows,” the USGS said in an update at 10:59 a.m. local time. There are no immediate threats to the infrastructure or community.

In a livestream chat, USGS HVO senior scientist Ken Hon called the event “a really big, massive eruption.”

Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and a key feature of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses the entire national park, is considered one of the top tourist attractions on the island of Hawaii. When an eruption is visible, thousands more visitors flock to the park to witness the raw power of nature in action. The park is already seeing a huge increase in visitors, a park spokesman said Monday.

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Here’s what travelers should know if they want to see the recent Kilauea eruption.

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Where is the best place to observe the outbreak?

The eruption is visible from almost all open areas around the caldera, the park said in a Facebook post. Visitors can expect to see lava flowing across the crater floor, and depending on the time of visit, there is a “magnificent reddish-orange glow” in the sky.

The best viewpoints are along the Crater Rim Trail, including Uekahuna, Kilauea Overlook, Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), Kupinai Pali (Waldron Ledge), behind Volcano House, Keanakakoi and other viewpoints. For their safety, visitors should stay on marked trails and viewpoints and avoid cracks in the ground and rocky edges.

In Hawaiian culture, the volcanoes serve as a sacred landscape — called Wahi Kapu — and are considered the home of Pelehonuamea, a goddess who symbolizes creation and destruction, according to the park’s website. It is a place where cultural figures come to honor the goddess, and the park asks all visitors to be respectful and silent while viewing the natural wonder.

“While an eruption is an exciting experience, remember that you are observing a sacred event,” the park said on Facebook.

Travelers with heart or respiratory problems should also exercise caution and check air quality before their visit, as strong winds displace volcanic gas and particles.

When is the best time to avoid crowds and visit the park to admire the lava?

Unfortunately, the holidays are already a busy time for the park and this outbreak is only attracting more visitors. According to a press release, parking spaces at popular viewing points were full and the streets were already congested on Monday afternoon.

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What travelers can expect from Hawaii’s Kilauea eruption in 2024

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