Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has reopened the Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), which has been closed since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The trail now offers a newly signed one-way trail intended to keep everyone safe while the Coronavirus remains prevalent.  The half-mile loop trail goes counter-clockwise through the native rainforest, into the lava tube and back out through the rainforest.

The park closed the lava tube following the 2018 eruption and summit collapse of Kīlauea, reopened it in February 2020, then the pandemic struck and it closed again.

“We are excited to again share the incredible experience of walking through native rainforest into a lava tube that was formed during a Kīlauea eruption more than 500 years ago,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh in a press release. “The one-way flow reduces social distancing conflicts in the cave and on the trail, and we are relying on visitors and our community to recreate responsibly. Please wear a mask when physical distancing cannot be achieved,” Loh said.

Nāhuku is open 24 hours and is lit from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Restrooms near the lava tube are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.