If the lava is flowing, there is a legal way to see it, and free through Volcanoes NP. It is well worth it, way better then you could imagine! I typed up a detail route for fellow adventurers, enjoy! http://tcroke.com/2012/03/hiking-to-the-puuoo-lava-flow-part-1/ More

Best time to see is at nite. Follow safe route. Do not go off on your own. Where good walking shoes!! Lots of walking to see the lava flow. More

Lava is to Hawaii Island as the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco. When the lava is flowing out to the ocean, this is a must do activity. Our many visitors have loved the opportunity to see the lava drip, cascade, and explode into the ocean. The view changes always. It is never the same. Not for very young... More

While all the travel books recommend this, we cannot. You call a supposed “county” number that gives regular recorded updates for lava conditions that then refers you to call another number that is answered live for up to minute updates. Books state $10 parking to county officials for road maintenance. We called and were told two days in a row... More

The trail at the end of why 130 goes for about a half mile and if it is very dark you MAY see a distant orange glow in the sky from this point. There is an End of Trail sign here, but off on the horizon you will see a faint flashing beacon (after dark) or a white marker. This... More

Lava viewing changes over time. From one day to the next, things change. For a long time, it was possible to enter Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and view lava at or near the end of the road. Then the direction changed, and the lava viewing area at the end of route 130 became the place to go. When there is... More

Can't see any active lava flow inside the park. Lava is just going into a crater and can only be seen by helicopter. More

Unfortunately, the night we visited the lava viewing area (mid-November 2010), the walking path was closed about 1 mile down. We parked in the lot and there was someone directing people to the various open parking spaces. It would have been nice if he would have at least mentioned that the path was closed part of the way down. I’m... More

I was really jazzed up to see the lava flow but the evening/night we went the flow was so far away. The hike in was interesting because of the houses that are so close in proximity to the lava but overall we felt like it was a wasted evening. I saw more bushes on fire than I did lava, but... More