Kalapana Side Lava Flow Hike in Question and old Flow Pictures

*** just a note, a man was recently rescued after being lost on the lava for two days after hiking in from the east side - this is not a risk-free or recommended adventure, especially with kids, imo.

My wife and two kids and I are coming next month and are looking forward to a hike to the lava. I was there 2 years ago and hiked from the park side. How does the hike from the East compare (i.e. is the distance and technical nature of it comparable to accessing the lava from the west? I recognize that the flow could be significantly different by the time we get there in late march). I'm concerned about whether my family can endure it. Do lots of people hike from the Kaplapana side? It would be nice to have some company for safety's sake. We plan to stay in Kapoho for a few nights and would like to avoid having to drive all the way to the end of Chain of craters road. Any suggestions on a nice two bedroom place for 3-4 nights in the Puna area?

The hike from the east side is similar in nature to the hike from the west side, however, I tend to think the distance from the end of the road would be more like *four* miles these days, as opposed to 2 miles or so from the other side. (as you know, this could all change in a month).

I haven't ever actually hiked from the east side. We used to drive it. There has always been a kind of beat-down road that a four-wheel drive could easily traverse and for a while there, the county maintained a bulldozed road to the flow when it was on the Kalapana side. So, it actually, I guess, could be a bit easier than the other side - instead of walking on raw pahoehoe (ropy, smooth) or aa (chunky, jagged) lava you could follow the road as far as it goes - and that would be like walking on gravel sometimes, or closely-packed, broken-up lava rocks, and even on actual highway for 3 short stretches. I don't think the road goes in any farther than a mile to a mile and a half - so that could leave a half mile to two and a half miles on raw, unprocessed lava.

This http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/hvostatus.php update from yesterday says

Lava continues to flow through the PKK and Campout lava tubes down to the coast. The PKK tube feeds the East Lae`apuki entry and the Campout tube feeds the East Ka`ili`ili and Kamokuna entries; all are within the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

If you look at the map you can see that absolute east-most poing of the national park boundary is at least two miles in. I estimate (from the map) the E. Kailiili entry at almost four miles. Not many people these days hike in from the Kalapana side - some probably do but not many. I don't 'hear' anyone talking about it and I live in the area.

I would also be concerned about your children and the hike - and if one of them fell down bad you might have to carry them out. Your cell may or may not work in the area. Suggestion, if you do it, bring something bright to signal distress to wave at overflying tour helicopters and planes just to be safe.

I found this with some searching - from last month. This doesnt' say exactly where they started from or found that breakout flow, but 8.5 miles seems daunting :) and another - they say it was 2 hours each way if I am reading it right.

See the pictures below - two of them show the road we drove on in 2001. I have not been since then. (I had a baby in early 2003 and my lava days are curtailed for a while.)

In regards to where to stay, we enjoyed this place, and really, just about anywhere in Kapoho Beach Lots is gonna be a winner.