Kilauea Iki is a must-see hike in Volcanoes National Park (VNP), offering a journey through Hawaii’s volcanic history. Traverse a lush rainforest, walk across a solidified lava lake, and feel the heat rising from volcanic vents, all in one moderate length hike. Coupled with views of Mauna Loa and the Kilauea Caldera in the distance, this trail reveals the raw, powerful forces of nature in a landscape like no other.
Trail Info
Know before you go
There are multiple parking options for this hike. The primary parking lot for the Kilauea Iki trailhead is located near Thurston Lava Tube, but it often fills up quickly. If it's full, consider parking at the nearby overlook lot as a backup. Alternatively, park at the Visitor Center or Devastation Trail, both of which connect to Kilauea Iki via the park’s trail system (but it will be a longer hike).
Be prepared for both chilly and hot conditions. Volcanoes National Park is situated around 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, which means it can be quite chilly in the mornings. However, the hike also includes stretches over sun-exposed lava rock, which can get very hot. Bring both sunscreen and layers to handle the changing conditions.
This area is an active volcanic zone. Kilauea Iki is part of an active volcanic region, closely monitored by the USGS. While there's generally ample advance notice if any hazards arise, you can check the USGS webpage on Kilauea for up-to-date information if you want to learn more.
Alternate routes
You can turn this hike into a longer combination hike, by adding on Byron Devastation Trail, which will make this ~6 miles (9.7 km) total.
You can also start from the Visitor Center (where there's more parking) and do this as a longer balloon hike--~5.3 mi (8.5 km) in total.
The Trail
Your starting point might vary depending on where you park, but mine was the Kilauea Iki Trailhead. The route can be done either clockwise or counterclockwise, with little difference between the two. Personally, I've hiked this trail a few times, always in the morning, and found clockwise to be ideal—keeping the sun at my back for better photos.
This first section was quite pleasant on a cool fall morning. It's till hard to believe I'm on an active volcano with all this lush foliage.
But in almost no time, you will reach that crater floor and be reminded that this is indeed a volcano. Nothing to do now but walk across the crater and soak it in.
The landscape really is something. There's fissures in the crater that look like this where you can literally see steam emitting from the boiling lava down below.
It's obvious where you have to go, but there are rock cairns guiding the way so you don't venture too far off course. Fun fact, this entire landscape was created from an eruption back in 1959 where lava shot 1,900 feet / 580 meters in the air. That is seriously wild stuff.
Once you reach the far side of the crater, the trail gets rockier. Just follow the natural beaten down path and rock piles.
You will then follow some switchbacks as you ascend back into the forest. Once out of the crater, there are a few junctions. They are very well marked, so just follow the signs back to wherever you parked.
The beauty of the trail doesn’t end once you’ve left the crater. The Kilauea Iki Trail merges into the Crater Rim Trail, where the trees give way to sweeping views of the park. Beyond the tree line, you’ll see the vast Kilauea Caldera and the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake below. In the distance, the towering Mauna Loa—Hawaii’s second-highest peak at 13,681 feet (4,170 meters)—dominates the horizon and is also hikeable for those seeking an even bigger adventure
One last view of the crater, forest, caldera, and mountain put together. See why this hike is a must-do?
SS Reflections
It's rare for me to repeat hikes, especially those off my home base of Oahu. But after a two-day trip into Volcanoes National Park’s backcountry, I found myself with some time to spare before heading down to Hilo to catch my flight. So, I thought—why not venture through this crater one more time?
The second round was just as awe-inspiring as the first. With each step across that volcanic surface, I was struck by the immense power of nature—how it can carve such a vast crater, only for that same space to become a hiking trail within decades. And it’s amazing how something as seemingly destructive as lava can foster a rainforest, so rich and vibrant. Volcanoes National Park remains one of those places that leaves me thinking, ‘Wow, nature is crazy."
Other helpful resources
VNP's official page about this trail