<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dream7:
While I was there, I learned that you can really get up close and personal with the lava if you take the long (one hour or so each way) hike - straight out from the end of the road. However, this hike is listed as NOT RECOMMENDED by the Park Service, as you are returning over unmarked terrain at night.</font>
The hikes required to get up close to the lava changes day-to-day, depending on which part of the flow is active. When I was there, the surface flows were active very close to the parking area at the end of the road, accessible via a well-marked path over older flows. For ANY of these hikes, you really do need a good flashlight for every person, extra batteries, and water to drink. Bring the flashlights no matter what time of day you go because you might just stay longer than you think. We were there for five hours one day and could easily have stayed for 5 more.