Frommer’s EasyGuide to the Big Island of Hawaii. Jeanne Cooper

      Heading southeast from the visitor center, Crater Rim Drive passes by the smaller but still impressive Kilauea Iki Crater , which in 1959 was a roiling lava lake flinging lava 1,900 feet into the air. From here, it’s a short walk or drive to Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube) , a 500-year-old lava cave in a pit of giant tree ferns and partly illuminated for easier traversing of its damp, uneven floor. If it has reopened by the time of your visit, take a flashlight and wear sturdy shoes so you can explore the unlit area for another half-mile or so.

      Continuing on Crater Rim Drive leads to the Puu Puai Overlook of Kilauea Iki, where you find the upper trailhead of the aptly named half-mile Devastation Trail , an easy walk through a cinder field. Be aware both the overlook and upper trailhead may close to protect breeding nene. However, you can always pick up the lower trailhead where Crater Rim Drive meets Chain of Craters Road .

      Pedestrians and cyclists only can continue on Crater Rim Drive for the next .8 mile of road, closed to vehicular traffic since the 2008 eruption. The little-traveled pavement leads to Keanakakoi Crater , scene of several eruptions in the 19th and 20th centuries. It provides yet another dazzling perspective on the Kilauea Caldera; turn your gaze north for an impressive view of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, the world’s two highest mountains when measured from the sea floor.

      Chain of Craters Road

      It’s natural to drive slowly down the 19-mile Chain of Craters Road, which descends 3,700 feet to the sea and ends in a thick black mass of rock from a 2003 lava flow. You feel like you’re driving on the moon, if the lunar horizon were a brilliant blue sea. Pack food and water for the journey, since there are officially no concessions after you pass the Volcano House; the nearest fuel lies outside the park, in Volcano Village.

Please Brake for Nene

      Nene, the endangered native Hawaiian goose and state bird, are making a comeback in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and other high-altitude areas in the islands, where they feast on the cranberry-like ohelo berries that grow at upper elevations. Unfortunately, these uplands are often misty, and the birds’ feathers blend easily with the pavement, making it hard for inattentive drivers to see them. Drive carefully, and to discourage nene from approaching cars, don’t feed them.