Kilauea is the world's largest active volcanic mass, located southeastern Hawaii Island. The central feature of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an elongated dome built of lava eruptions from a central crater and from lines of craters extending along east and southwest riffs or fissures.

Kilauea is bordered by the volcano of Mauna Loa to the west and north, the Kau Desert to the southwest, Ainahou Ranch to the south and a tropical fern jungle to the north-northeast.

Kipuka Puaula, also called Bird Park, is located to the northwest, a grassy meadow dotted with clumps of koa, ohia, soapberry, kolea and mamani trees, has a nature trail leading to an open forest with many varieties of native trees.