Lava Tree State Park features unique natural formations called "lava trees" created when tree…read moretrunks are overtaken by lava. It is a smaller park with a paved walking trail and ample parking. We went on a Sunday on our way to the Maku'u Farmer's Market so the drive out was definitely worth it when you consolidate spots nearby.

Although, the park is a bit of a drive between the jungle and the aftermath of volcanic ash lies…read morethe famous lava trees formations after the hot lava scorched the land submerging with burned trees create these lava tree stumps. Over time the resilient jungle emerges from where the moisture collects. In the open parking lot are public restrooms and clearly market trail that loops around. The lush greenery reminds us how magical Mother Nature is.

We stumbled upon this park on our way to the "End of the Road" and really enjoyed our time here. We…read morehad planned on visiting a black sand beach and found this one serendipitously. Its like being at goth beach and I truly appreciated it. We took a ton of photos and when we got too close to the Wahi Kapu sign it started raining on us out of nowhere, so we took that as a sign to walk back to the car. That being said we would absolutely recommend coming here, its spectacular.

2025 is different from 2024, in between they tried to put in the boat launch which didn't work. The…read morehot ponds are still here and toasty. Some palms are growning, very little shade near the water.

We found out about this oceanside swimming pool (250 feet long)from the Big Island Revealed app…read more It's five feet deep in some spots. Bring your water shoes and snorkel gear! It's 2.7 miles north of the corner from Highway 132 and 137 (so, go North on Government Beach Road). This is a paved road. Around 2.7 miles, you'll come across a small hill, on the downside of the hill, you'll see a dirt road on your right through a hau bush (twisted looking trees that are entwined). If you hit Pakaka Road, you went too far. There is no parking lot. There is a small one-spot parking space that you can back into (perpendicular to the road). There are two roadside beams indicating this spot. You can also park along the road. From Government Beach Road, on the dirt road, it's 1500 feet to the shoreline. The pool is 100 yards to the left once you hit the shoreline. I do not recommend driving down the path to the shoreline because the branches are low and it's super muddy. It's an easy walk. Towards the shoreline, you'll see an abandoned turquoise minivan. It's obvious that someone was squatting in the van at some point. The engine has been torn out, windows broken, carry-out boxes everywhere, and the rainforest has started to entwine itself with the car. On the coast, there were more signs of squatters. The pool was beautiful. We went during high tide and the pools were super full and the waves were crashing hard against the rocks. The app said we should go during low tide...whoops. We didn't run into a single person. It was super secluded and beautiful. Although the walk was really neat through the hau bush and having an oceanside swimming pool to ourselves was cool...I would not do this again. Honestly, I didn't feel safe. We didn't see any squatters but the signs made me uneasy. There is no cellphone signal and your completely isolated. I recommend this for large groups of people only.

Right around the corner from where I stayed. It's clothing optional. Some folks enjoyed…read moresummersaults and tree climbing in there nothingness. The waves can be quite strong. It's pretty, and popular.

Beautiful beach. Ocean is rough, no lifeguards. The hike…read moredown to the beach is difficult. So be careful. There are 2 separate ways to get to the beach. It's very quiet, black sand beach. There was less than 25% of those in the nude during our few hours on the beach, no one seem to flaunt about. Just carefree individuals.

I drove here to take a picture of the sign…read more Mackenzie is my niece's name, my sisters name and my man's last name so it was only fitting that I get a photo of the sign. What a crazy drive to get here but worth it. I drove in and out of the park- very pretty. The drive is only that crazy due to the blockage from 2018/2019 volcano ruins.

I challenged the lava rock trail here and the lava rocks won. Just ask my scraped up knee, calf,…read morewrist, hands and wounded pride ;p. I blame the ghosts! That's right. It turns out this spot is known to be haunted! I didn't even know this until I looked up information on this area after our hike here. It's rumored that the souls of the prisoners who died repairing the trails in the 1800s are here, and it's also known generally as a place where wayward souls ('uhane) congregate. It's also rumored that the prisoners who died were also buried here in unmarked graves. It's safe to say you shouldn't camp here when the zombie apocalypse comes. There's also a history of some serious crimes committed here at night which is another reason to be wary if you stay here from dusk til' dawn (Unless you're with the brothers From Dusk Til' Dawn). This spot was actually closed for months due to the volcano but reopened just a month ago on Sept. 8. GPS "Fastest time" directions will not work here for the recommended route. The most direct path is closed due to the volcanic eruption so the roundabout detour route will feel like you are Lara Croft or Drake from Uncharted, driving through a lush green jungle of vegetation on narrow roads, dodging multiple mongoose (Mongooses? Mongeese?), and seeing native birds flit by. We certainly felt like we were in an adventure game driving on the detour route, especially when the torrential downpour of rain hit! We came here as a recommendation from the owner of the B&B we stayed at. I had wanted to see the lava flow but since a lot of the previous sites were now off limits due to the recent eruption our local expert mentioned that if you hike about an hour into the trail here, you can see the new lava formations. Note that this is not a trail for those with mobility problems or those that aren't used to hiking trails with minimal path markers. The trail itself consists of uneven lava rocks. Our local guide said "Make sure you stay on the trail!" quite emphatically. We got off the trail unintentionally a few times though and I see why he was so concerned. While the trail is rocky, a bit hazardous and requires some careful stepping to make sure you don't slip and fall, the rocks on it, while still craggy and rough, aren't sharp enough to do any major damage. Now the lava rocks that are off the trail are a different story. Those haven't been worn down by shoes and can splinter off quite easily. They are razor sharp. The rocks are also quite unstable. What you might think is a solid rock might actually be a lava rock "shell" or bubble that is hollow on the inside. Just imagine stepping on a rock like that when you think it's solid to have your foot sink down, getting various scrapes, bruises, and deep cuts along the way. Believe me, you don't want to be picking out lava rock splinters and dust from your wounds on vacation. The only trail markers are the white stones/coral and sprouting palm tree seeds scattered sporadically. It's like Hawaiian Hansel and Gretel made this trail. You will be walking on rough uneven surfaces so wear sturdy shoes. The experience of walking the trail here was a little freaky because you can feel the heat radiating from underneath the rocks in certain spots due to the volcanic activity. I hiked maybe 3/4 mi, passing by 2 beaches before I headed back. I later found out you have to hike about 5 miles to get to the lava flow. I'm not sure how the rest of the trail fared after the first mile but it did get rockier and harder to follow after reaching the first beach. I wasn't really expecting the trail to be this rugged. Had I known in advance I probably would have worn long pants since I tend to be accident prone. I did see most people walking the trail in shorts and even some wearing a dress and sandals. I also probably would have brought some gloves to make it easier to grip onto the lava rocks. Regardless of your gear, make sure you have plenty of water. It's very easy to overheat here. Equip yourself with a sense of adventure, some sturdy shoes and give it a shot!

Super fun, thoughtful crew; Nick, Avery and Myra!! Beautiful park and a great value. We learned…read moreabout some flora and fauna as well!

Hands down one of the best experiences we had on the Big Island. We got super lucky -- it ended up…read morebeing just me and my boyfriend on the tour, and it felt like a completely personalized adventure from start to finish. The entire team was unbelievably nice. Not just polite -- genuinely warm, fun, and so welcoming. They took the time to get to know us, made us laugh, hyped us up, and really made the whole experience memorable. You can tell they love what they do, and it shows in how they treat every guest. The ziplines were gorgeous, safe, and such a thrill, but the guides truly made it next level. It didn't feel rushed or routine at all. Instead, it felt like hanging out with friends who just happen to be amazing at their job. We loved it so much and would recommend this place in a heartbeat. If you're on the Big Island, this is absolutely a must-do.

The black sand beach that was formed by the 2018 eruption - the newest black sand beach! The sand…read moreitself is super black, and the waves at this beach are super strong - so I wouldn't recommend going in to swim. As time goes, the sand won't be as black anymore - so better visit soon! Also there is no cell phone signal around this area, so you better take note of how you came here.

Very cool new beach that formed post lava flow in the beach park. It may not be here for long and…read morehas a very odd energy being it is new land. I'd recommend taking a trip to check it out before it erodes away. Isn't that a crazy thing to think about.

Beautiful park close to the house so just a mild walk to get there and enjoy the quietness!!read more