---
template: byway.jade
id: "13751"
name: Chain of Craters Road
distance: "20"
duration: Two hours
description: "Located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, this byway provides access to a series of volcanic features including craters, active and dormant lava flows, and scenic views of tropical rain forests, mountains, wilderness areas, and the seacoast."
contact: "**Hawaii Volcanoes Interpretation**  \r\n 808-985-6000  \r\n [Send E-mail](mailto:Norrie_Judd@nps.gov )  \r\n\r\n"
path: "ibmuBhzqr\\pBOzADzCnATB`WEvBOtBg@fVqIjAm@bCuAdO{KvDeErAkA`CkApC_A~CaBf{A{iAbAeAnAqBb@mAPoAl@i]FgB^aBh@{@zB{AjIuCfBwAbH}J`AgAvAiAvDi@xC@bB`@b]dM|@VrCD~Co@lEmDtA_ApAm@`HwApAa@jAs@jB{BbDsGhB{A|Bq@rGk@jAWrBs@zBgBjAiBb@_Ad@oCdAgLh@cBr@uA`BgBn@a@~Ao@lLoCzBaB|BgDvByDvBeCnEsB~Ai@tAy@r@w@nAsB^}AvAoK^qAh@kAtAkBxAgAlKgDxB}@bBwAhAmBf@aBb@_EfAmNrAkDbB_CdAy@`JmFlAeA`AeAdAkCZiBWaFaFyMa@uCBmBT_C`@cBtBcDzB_BhKeG|AqA|@eAp@uA^gBfA_KRo@t@{A|A{AhBy@~FaBx@c@tAwAXg@bBuGfBqDzA{Gj@oBnBqC`AmBvBaH^sBLqAA{AUwA\\kAeGiMY_BCuBR{AxC}GbDeP`EyJtAsHhBgET{@NwAH{Ev@cGByD|AoKRsBVkGjAkHJeBWkFVmHKiEgDoWsAuWyAaLk@}HJyBRs@p@y@lAi@t@O`BD~@`@f@`@~@bBbBtOrAdFn@|AxBjEzEzGv@|Ad@jBbArLfAhEtA|CxDpFh@fAj@jBRpA?vCOhAqArFO~BHlBd@xBRh@nB~CjKpOhB~DfBjFb@z@rA`BfC|A`Dv@zADjBKlAU`Bm@zBcBtAyB^eA`B}H\\kA`AoBbCwBp@]lIiCrCqA|AoAhAaB|@}C`AwPlAyFbB_GHy@?aD_AgJCgBHyBHcA|E{UpAsFxA{E|BeGxXwg@xHeOn@cBh@eCN}B@sBU}C{@iEkBoDgKgMwCqEeMoXiFgKiWwa@yCyF_DaJsDiM{CcJgCmGaDwGkFqJy[ke@"
websites: 
  - url: "http://www.volcanogallery.com/"
    name: Aloha Volcano Gallery and Volcanoes Visitor Information
  - url: "http://www.nps.gov/havo/"
    name: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
designations: 
  - Parkway
states: 
  - HI
ll: 
  - -155.25300599999994
  - 19.405331000000047
bounds: 
  - - -155.253372
    - 19.28273999999999
  - - -155.08313000000004
    - 19.405331000000047

---

The Chain of Craters Road is a 20-mile, paved road located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. It connects and provides visitor access to a series of volcanic features including craters, active and dormant lava flows, and scenic views of tropical rain forests, mountains, wilderness areas, and seacoast areas.

Adjacent to the road is the 10-mile paved, Crater Rim Drive around Kilauea Caldera, and the half-mile, paved road to Mauna Ulu, site of the 1969-1974 eruption that covered and closed the Chain of Craters Road.

Most of the park's 2.5 million annual visitors use the Chain of Craters Road or Crater Rim Drive. The road is a key element in carrying out the purpose of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:

<blockquote>To protect and preserve the volcanic landscapes and the associated cultural and natural resources of the park, and to facilitate visitor use and access to active volcanism, scenic vistas, diverse geographic settings, and wilderness by providing a
safe and functional infrastructure and neded visitor
services.</blockquote>