I want to see the volcanic activity on the Big Island. Is it always happening or how do I know when the viewing will be best?

For many years, you could count on there being a pretty stable amount of activity at Kilauea Volcano. There was a large caldera filled with a bubbling lake of lava, and while the level of the lake ebbed and flowed, it was a pretty reliable guarantee of seeing some flow on any given day.

Since the recent eruption that occurred this year, that has changed drastically. At this time, there is no visible activity other than steam vents. The National Park Service is now allowing flyovers of the original caldera, which has grown to about 4 times the size of the pre-2018 eruption. We are now able to view the recent flow as well as the enlarged caldera by air, either in a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft, which by all reports is an exciting and exhilarating sight.

Hikes into the recent flow are starting back up since the Volcano Park has reopened, and as new areas of the park are opened, those tours will adjust to include everything that it is possible to see.
Bike tours have begun again, and will also continue to expand to include all the accessible areas as well.

Bus and van tours are all being re-formed and adjusted as the State of Hawaii and County of Hawaii work to create new areas for visitors to access this exciting island.
We suggest that you check for updates on the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Site as well as here at tombarefoot.com, we are updating our information daily as we receive word from our vendors.