Can we see hot lava from the top of Haleakala?

Feb 24, 2022 | General Information

Can we see hot lava from the top of Haleakala? The following question was answered by Joy.

Question:

We are interested in looking into the Haleakala Volcano and want to know if hot lava is visible from the crater’s rim?

Answer:

Haleakala is a dormant volcano. Views into Haleakala crater are spectacular and include a variety of colored cinder cones but no hot lava. Haleakala has produced many eruptions including some in the last 500 years. This volcanic activity has been along two rift zones, the southwest and east. Until recently, Haleakala volcano was thought to have last erupted around 1790, based largely on comparisons of maps made during the voyages of La Perouse and George Vancouver. Recent advanced dating tests, however, have shown that the last eruption was more likely to have been in the 17th century.