The Steam Vent walk is one our B&B hosts recommended and they were right! It's a short hike and is best done as soon as the sun rises. Once things warm up, the steam just isn't as spectacular.

Location:  Park at the Visitor's Center, towards the Art Center side. Cross Crater Rim Drive and take the trail that heads west, away from Volcano House. You'll descend some steps and cross a meadow, from where you can see steam rising from cracks in the caldera. Continuing on, the trail goes next to several steaming cracks. Try getting some shots of people in the steam with the sun in the background! At the trail intersectio, bear right towards Crater Rim Drive by taking the trail marked Sulphur Bank. This crosses the road, goes past some more areas of rising steam, to Sulphur Bank. This spot and Halema'uma'u have the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide...and is a place to avoid if you have breathing problems. Very cool with the bright yellow sulfur deposits and the rising steam! The trail continues on back to the Visitors Center.