About
Length (round trip)2 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain100 ft up
Typical time1 hr
TrailheadDevastation trailhead, Crater Rim Drive
SurfaceClosed section of old Crater Rim Drive
Best seasonYear round. The summit area is cool and wet; the coastal and Kau Desert sections are hot and exposed.
DogsNot allowed
What you'll see 🌄 Big views🕳️ Cave or arch🚲 Bikes

Keanakakoi, meaning "cave of the adzes", likely formed during the 1400s, during the great summit collapses of Kilauea. Until 1877, Hawaiian kahuna kakoi (carving experts) sought the crater's superior and rare basaltic rock for making koi, or adze heads. Bound to a sturdy au koi (wooden handle), this valuable tool was used to carve vital objects like canoes and houses. But the famous adze quarry was covered by lava, first in 1877, and again during the fissure eruption in July 1974. Today, the crater floor is 115 feet deep. The park closed portions of Crater Rim Drive for public safety after Halemaumau began to erupt in March 2008. During the summit collapses of 2018, the road was damaged further. A portion of Old Crater Rim Drive is now open to foot and bicycle traffic to a point just beyond Keanakakoi. To hike the portion of Old Crater Rim Drive to Keanakakoi Crater: Difficulty: Easy Distance and hiking time: 1 mile (1.6 km) one way, 2 miles (3.2 km) roundtrip. Estimated time is 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Trailhead: Park at the Devastation Trailhead parking lot. Trail begins near the parking lot exit on Crater Rim Drive. Bring: Water, hat, sun protection & raingear. Be prepared for hot, dry, wet, and windy weather conditions.

Tips
The best place in the park to see any active glow after dark, because the walk is flat and the road surface is easy in the dark. Take a torch and check the eruption status before you go.
Location

Devastation trailhead, Crater Rim Drive

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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.