About
Length3.3 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain400 ft up
Typical time1 hr 45 min
TrailheadKilauea Iki Overlook or Nahuku parking area
SurfaceRainforest path then hardened lava lake
Best seasonYear round. The summit area is cool and wet; the coastal and Kau Desert sections are hot and exposed.
DogsNot allowed
AccessibilityModerate to challenging trail. Steep and rocky with a 400' descent and ascent.
What you'll see 🌄 Big views🕳️ Cave or arch🌲 Old growth

The trail drops 400 feet through fern and ohia rainforest to the floor of Kilauea Iki, then crosses a mile of hardened lava. The 1959 eruption filled this crater with a lake of molten rock that fountained 1,900 feet into the air; steam still rises from cracks in the crust you are walking on.

Tips
Walk it anticlockwise so the climb out is on the shaded side. Cairns mark the crater floor route - stay on them, the crust is thin in places and steam vents are hot. Combine with the Nahuku lava tube from the same car park.
Location

Kilauea Iki Overlook or Nahuku parking area

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Trail data: USGS National Map / PAD-US, the National Park Service, state agencies, and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Access and conditions change — check with the managing agency before you go.