A paved path through an area covered in rust-colored cinders and sparse vegetation

The Devastation Trail stretches from the parking lot at the Devastation Trailhead to Puʻupuaʻi Overlook,<a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_devastation.htm">via a one-mile (1.6 km) round-trip walk on a paved path</a>. The area was blanketed in cinders from the 1,900-foot tall lava fountains during <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/kilauea-iki.htm">the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Iki</a>. The trail provides views of the new cinder cone, Puʻupuaʻi, that developed during the five-week eruption. Stay on the paved trail. Do not climb the cinder cone. Endangered nēnē (Hawaiian geese) frequent this area. Please use caution when parking. Don't feed the nēnē.

A man and woman walking on a paved path through a barren landscape covered by cinders

Devastation Trail

The Devastation Trail meanders gently through a landscaped covered in cinders from the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Iki

1959 Eruption of Kīlauea Iki

A brick shelter containing exhibits and a glass case covering earth imprinted with the marks of human footprints.

In 1790, a dramatic explosion occured at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption involved a torrent of hot gas, ash, and sand that rained down on the Kaʻū Desert. Caught in the middle of this deadly, suffocating storm were groups of Native Hawaiians travelling through the region on long-used trails. In the newly fallen layer of ash, these groups left behind footprints that we can still see today— a reminder that Hawaiians have beared witness to the geological drama of this island for centuries. A shelter with an exhibit about these footprints is accessible <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/footprints.htm">via an easy walk </a>about .8 miles (1.3 km) from the Kaʻū Desert Trailhead on Highway 11. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/footprints.htm">Read more about the story of the Footprints area</a>

Two hikers along a path in a desert-like environment

Kaʻū Desert Trail

See exhibits and a shelter preserving footprints left by Native Hawaiians long ago

Location

Footprints Shelter

A stone shelter located on the Hilina Pali overlooking the pacific ocean

Hilina = struck (as by wind) Pali = cliff Hilina Pali = "windy cliff" Hilina Pali Road was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1933 to 1942. The drive to Hilina Pali Overlook is 9 miles (14.5 km) off of Chain of Craters Road and is a narrow, one-lane road. Please drive with caution. The overlook is approximately 2,282 ft (695.6 m) in elevation and over 12 miles (19.3 km) long. The last lava flow in this area was about 650 years ago. On the drive down the Hilina Pali Road, you will see native ‘ōhi‘a trees and native under brush. On the left side, between .9- 3.5 miles (1.4- 5.6 km) down, you will view the Koaʻe Fault, which lies between the east and southwest rift zones of Kīlauea Volcano. The fault extension was created by the slippage of the ground between the northern and southern parts of Kīlauea. It is separating about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) –3.0 inches (76.2 mm) per year.

A stone shelter on a hillside overlooking the ocean

Hilina Pali Overlook

This CCC-era stone shelter sits on the southern flank of Kīlauea with dramatic, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and coast below.

A pit crater surrounded by cinders and small trees, along a paved road and across the road from the large caldera of Kīlauea volcano.

Keanakākoʻi Crater is accessible via <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/keanakakoi.htm">a short day hike</a> along Old Crater Rim Drive, beginning at the Devastation Trailhead parking lot. Meaning "cave of the adzes", this pit crater lays on the boundary fault that encircles the summit of Kīlauea. Keanakākoʻi was born during a period of great upheaval and summit collapses of Kīlauea during the 1500's to 1700's.  In 1877, A lava flow covered the crater floor, reportedly burying a rock quarry that may have been a source for the hard, superior stone used to make tools such as the adze (an axe) by Hawaiians.  The eruption of Kīlauea Iki in 1959 draped the area surrounding Keanakākoʻi in cinders from massive lava fountains. Then in 1974, the crater was covered with an additional 20 feet of lava, raising the floor by nearly two stories and bringing it to its current depth of about 115 feet (35m).   The walk to the crater passes by many cracks and fissures that opened up during the thousands of earthquakes that rocked the area during the summit collapse of 2018. On a clear day this is an excellent vantage point for viewing the 13,677 foot summit of Mauna Loa and 13,796 foot summit of Mauna Kea.

A volcanic pit crater surrounded by cinders and small trees.

Keanakākoʻi Crater

Along a section of Old Crater Rim Drive, Keanakākoʻi is a pit crater that has been witness to dramatic geologic events over the centuries.

ROD Quarantine gate sits in the middle of road. Trailhead to upper paddocks of Kahuku.

A day hike on the Kona Trail takes you through scenic pasturelands scattered with large ʻōhiʻa trees and other vegetation. The trail also traverses the 1887 lava flow from Mauna Loa where lava flows reached the ocean in less than a day. Relics of Kahuku’s ranching era, pasture land and the 1887 lava flow define this trek. Kahuku Road above Upper Palm Trail to the ROD Quarantine Gate is not recommended for low-clearance vehicles.  Hikers must decontaminate at the ROD quarantine gate.

Hikers on a scenic trail surrounded by ʻōhia trees.

Kona Trail

Relics of Kahuku’s ranching era, pasture land and the 1887 lava flow define this trek.

A volcanic crater with a large cinder cone on the left-hand side and a large volcano beyond.

Kīlauea Iki crater looks fairly tranquil these days. But, in 1959 it was a seething lava lake, with lava fountains up to 1,900 feet (580m) high. Puʻupuaʻi, the large cinder cone on the left-hand side of the crater, formed as cinders fell from these towering fountains. From this overlook, it is difficult to comprehend the scale of Kīlauea Iki. The crater is a mile long, 3,000 feet (414m) across, and the floor is 400 feet (122m) below. Mauna Loa looms beyond. Kīlauea Iki Overlook is also the start of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_kilauea-iki.htm">Kīlauea Iki Trail</a>, one of the most popular in the park. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/kilauea-iki.htm">Read more about the stunning 1959 eruption.</a>

A volcanic crater at sunrise with trees in the foreground

Kīlauea Iki Overlook

The Kīlauea Iki Overlook peers into the volcanic crater that hosted the jawdropping lava fountains and lava lake in 1959.

A large volcanic caldera with a deep, collapsed crater near the center

Kīlauea Overlook provides the most dramatic views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which underwent a massive collapse during the history-making eruption of 2018. From here, visitors can hike along <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_craterrim.htm">Crater Rim Trail,</a> which traverses the summit caldera of Kīlauea. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/2018-eruption.htm">Read more about the eruption of 2018</a>

A deep crater within a volcanic caldera with a tree in the foreground

Kīlauea Overlook

Kīlauea Overlook provides the most dramatic views of Kīlauea caldera and Halemaʻumaʻu crater

A narrow dirt path through dense Hawaiian forest of koa and ʻōhiʻa trees, featuring many birds

Home to a treasure trove of native Hawaiian species, Kīpukapuaulu is sometimes referred to by locals as "bird park". A 1.2-mile (1.9 km) loop hike will take you through a "kīpuka", an area of older vegetation surrounded by a more recent lava flow from Mauna Loa. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_kipukapuaulu.htm">Take the day hike through Kīpukapuaulu</a> <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/kipuka.htm">Learn more about the phenomenon of kīpuka.</a>

Kīpukapuaulu

An "island within an island", this kīpuka is home to treasured and endangered native species and features a short hiking trail.

An expansive, open field of dark brown pāhoehoe lava, with a large lava shield visible in the distance in one direction, and the Pacific Ocean visible in the other.

Mau = continuous Loa = long O = of Mauna Ulu = growing mountain Mau Loa O Maunaulu = "The long continuous growing mountain" or "forever growing mountain" At this pullout on Chain of Craters Road you will have an expansive view of the Maunaulu lava flows that repeatedly crossed the road between 1969 and 1974. Mau Loa O Maunaulu is also the start of the Keauhou Trail to coastal backcountry camping sites. On the mauka (uphill) side of the road is a distant view of the Maunaulu lava shield that extruded this massive field of lava. You may also notice the shiny glaze of the pāhoehoe flows. This reflection off of the lava is created from the outer layer of silica, surface glass. Vegetation in this area is sparse due to the incredibly harsh winds and the hard, intractable lava.

A lava field with a distant lava shield at sunset

Mau Loa o Maunaulu

Witness the dramatic expanse of the lava flows of Maunaulu that blanketed the landscape from 1969 to 1974 at this pullout on Chain of Craters Road

1969-1974 Eruption of Maunaulu

A parking lot featuring a handicapped accessible restroom and an octagonal stone overlook shelter looking out down the slopes of a mountain toward a distant volcanic caldera and the ocean.

At the end of the narrow, one-lane Mauna Loa Road is Mauna Loa Lookout. Perched at 6,662 feet (2,031 m), the lookout provides a view of Kīlauea volcano, old lava flows, and the distant ocean on clear days. The surrounding subalpine woodland includes koa, māmane and ‘ōhi‘a trees, and endemic bird species, including ‘i‘iwi. The octagonal shelter at the lookout was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937, and is an excellent example of the National Park Service rustic architectural style. There is also a short trail to an exclosure featuring the endangered Mauna Loa silversword plants. For avid backcountry hikers, the rugged Mauna Loa Trail begins here. (Note: all overnight trips require a backcountry permit).

A person looks out from a clearing in trees looking down the slopes of a mountain toward the ocean

Mauna Loa Lookout

A scenic overlook atop the narrow, winding Mauna Loa Road. It also marks the start of the Mauna Loa Trail and provides a short trail to a silversword plant exclosure.

High-elevation gravel parking lot surrounded by lava fields with white buildings behind the gate.

Located off of Highway 200 (Saddle Road), the Mauna Loa Observatory Trailhead provides access to the remote and rugged summit of Mauna Loa. The trailhead is approximately a two hour drive from Kīlauea Visitor Center.  Mauna Loa Observatory Road is a narrow, paved, one-lane road. Drive with caution. Hikers must be physically fit and properly equipped for this arduous hike. Hiking on flow fields can be hazardous due to deep earth cracks, uneven and unstable terrain, and razor-sharp lava.You must be fully prepared for rough terrain, high-elevation, and changing weather conditions. Altitude sickness and hypothermia are significant dangers. Contact the Backcountry Office for more information at (808) 985-6178. All overnight hikers must register. The weather observatory is not open to the public.

Black lava fields with a distant mountain obscured by clouds.

Mauna Loa Summit

This remote and difficult trail through jagged lava fields leads to the summit of Mauna Loa.

Mauna Loa Observatory Trailhead

A large lava tube lit by electric light, surrounded by rainforest

Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), one of many such tubes on the island, was created by a river of molten lava. When a lava tube is active, lava travels along its floor at temperatures that exceed 2,000º F (1090º C). When the supply of lava stops at the end of an eruption, or if it gets diverted elsewhere, it leaves behind an empty cave. When this lava tube was discovered in 1913, the roof of the tube was covered with lava drippings. Unfortunately, those soon disappeared due to souvenir collectors. Help protect this incredible resource by not touching the walls or delicate tree root systems hanging down. Use only your eyes to experience the lava tube. The lava tube can be <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/day-hike-nahuku.htm">accessed by a short day hike</a>. Alternate parking for Nāhuku is at Kīlauea Iki Overlook, a half-mile distance. Please park in designated spaces only, do not walk on or along the road, and plan to come back later if the parking spaces near the lava tube are full. Want to avoid the crowds? Start your lava tube adventure before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. The lava tube is lit 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Flashlights are recommended outside of those hours. Listen for the birds! The hike into the lava tube from Crater Rim Drive is through a section of Hawaiian rainforest rich with native species and is a great spot for birdwatching. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/lava-tubes.htm">Read more about lava tubes and how they were formed</a>

Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)

A 500-year old cave where a river of lava once flowed.

Boardwalk around a field of petroglyphs carved into gray lava rock with patches of tall grass scattered throughout. A cliff and the ocean loom in the distance.

Pu‘u = hill Loa = long Pu‘uloa = "Long Hill" Underlying meaning or kaona (hidden meaning) = "Hill of Long Life" Puʻuloa is a very sacred and religious place for many of the people of Hawaiʻi and has been used ritually for over 500 years. It is the largest petroglyph field in the state. There are more then 23,000 petroglyph images, mostly poho (cupules, or depressions) in which a portion of the umbilical cord of a newborn was placed to ensure a long life. Motifs of circles, other geometric designs, as well as cryptic designs of human representations known as anthropomorphisms, canoe sails, and even feathered cape motifs can all be found in this dense concentration. The petroglyphs are accessible via a<a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_puuloa.htm"> day hike of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip</a> that begins at the Puʻuloa Petroglyphs trailhead. Pu‘uloa is a "volcanic pressure dome" that was formed during the eruption of Kāne Nui O Hamo about 550 years ago. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/puuloa.htm">Learn more about the meaning and history of Pu‘uloa Petroglyphs</a>

Petroglyph in gray rock of a human figure

Puʻuloa Petroglyphs

A sacred site and the largest grouping of petroglyphs in Hawaiʻi.

Pu'uloa Petroglyphs

An overlook next to a large cinder cone and looking into a deep volcanic crater

Meaning "gushing hill" in Hawaiian, Puʻupuaʻi is a gigantic cinder cone that formed as a result of the towering 1,900 foot lava fountains during the eruption of Kīlauea Iki in 1959. As lava from these fountains cooled in the air, it fell back to earth as cinders and built up into the large mound that exists today.  From this overlook, look into Kīlauea Iki crater and begin the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_devastation.htm">Devastation Trail </a>or even continue and hike to Byron Ledge (Uēaloha), Kīlauea Iki, and Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube).

Overlook into a volcanic crater with trees in the foreground

Puʻu Puaʻi Overlook

Look into Kīlauea Iki crater from a perch next to the massive cinder cone created by lava fountains in 1959

Puʻupuaʻi Overlook

<h4>You have entered the Wao Akua— the realm of the gods.</h4> Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park contains many of Hawai‘i’s most precious resources. For native Hawaiians, the park also envelops many of their wahi la‘a (sacred sites), their ‘āina hānau (birth lands) and ‘āina waiwai (subsistence lands. These areas incorporate not just the physical landscape and its inhabitants, but also the spiritual entities that are believed to comprise and surround them—the akua (gods) and the ‘aumakua (guardian ancestors). Early Hawaiians utilized two primary land boundary systems—one, which partitioned an island into zones of spiritual signifcance and the other, which divided it and its resources geographically amongst the chiefs and commoners. Crafted generations ago, these two systems acted as a means of balancing an island’s spiritual, natural, and human resources in perpetuity. Since subsistence resources were plentiful in some areas while limited in others, it was the kuleana (responsibility) of the residents to maintain them. As long as they were cared for, life was sustained. The ahuapua‘a (land division) boundary system divides an island into vertical land sections that stretch from mauka (mountains) to makai (oceans). Visible landmarks, like mountain peaks, ridges, or ahu (rock cairns), are most often used to delineate the boundaries. Kīpukapuaulu resides in the ‘āina ʻili (smaller land parcel) of Keauhou within the ahupua‘a of Kapāpala. The treasured habitat of Kīpukapuaulu is also enveloped within the Wao Akua, the sacred realm of the gods. It is just one of seven (Kuahiwi, Kualono, Wao ma‘ukele, Wao Akua, Wao kanaka, Kula, Kahakai) such spiritually signifcant zones that horizontally divides an island. The Wao Akua region is revered for its ancient trees and wealthy seed sources. Where the akua and ‘aumakua reside, life fourishes—life that will, inturn, permeate much of the surrounding lands. Kīpukapuaulu is that wellspring of life supported by the akua and ‘aumakua that embody it.

Wao Akua a residence of godly existences

Stop 1- Kīpukapuaulu

Parking lot area next to Chain of Craters Road. A trail through rugged lava flow fields marked with cairns.

<h4>Think about a cherished family heirloom that may not seem valuable to someone else. What is it that makes it valuable?  </h4> This rugged volcanic landscape is in the ahupuaʻa (divisional land system) of Pānau Nui. Ahead is a volcanic pressure dome called Puʻuloa (Long Hill). Centuries ago, this place was once part of a thriving Hawaiian community. Rock-carved  images known as petroglyphs cover this area. Petroglyphs were made using pōhaku (rock). Native Hawaiians used a sharp stone to peck or incise impressions into the lava surface. The archaeological site of Puʻuloa contains over 23,000 petroglyph images making this the largest petroglyph site in the state of Hawaiʻi.   Decades ago American anthropologist Kenneth Pike Emory (November 23, 1897 – January 2, 1992), seemed to dismiss the importance of petroglyph sites stating;  “The most that can be said for picture writing [petroglyphs] among Hawaiians is that it is in an experimental stage. Certain places and bowlders were favored for the carving of petroglyphs partly on account of the suitableness of the rock and partly, no doubt, because the practice had there gained a start. No special significance need to be attached to the location of the petroglyph centers except perhaps that they were places often visited by the travelling native.”   Continue on the tour to find out if he was right or wrong.

Stop 1- Pu'uloa

Stop 1- Puʻuloa Petroglyphs

A rolling, pastoral landscape of green hills and sparse ʻōhiʻa trees, with portions of dark gray lava flows

Located on the volatile shoulders of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/mauna-loa.htm">Mauna Loa</a>, the Kahuku Ranch was once one of the biggest cattle ranches in Hawaiʻi, producing beef and hides for more than 150 years. The apparent tranquility of ranch-life, however, was punctuated by volcanic violence that continues to transform the land to this day. The 116,000 acre rolling landscape became part of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in 2003.  <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku.htm">Learn more about activities available in the Kahuku Unit.</a>  Kahuku is located in the district of Kaʻū, near mile-marker 70.5 on Highway 11, a one-hour drive from Kīlauea Visitor Center. The Kahuku Unit is only open certain hours and days of the week. See park website for details.

A green hill with trees in the foreground

Puʻu o Lokuana

Located on the volatile shoulders of Mauna Loa, the Kahuku ranch was once one of the biggest cattle ranches in Hawaiʻi, producing beef and hides for more than 150 years.

 Kahuku Unit

The Kahuku Unit

Pre-existing road that was covered by black volcanic lava. Primary succession of plants scattered on a barren landscape. A large volcano (Maunaulu) protrudes in a distance.

At the center of the new landscape rises majestic Maunaulu— to many a creation of Pele, a Hawaiian volcanic diety, to all a monument of change. In the pre-dawn morning of May 24, 1969, residents and visitors were jarred awake by window-rattling earthquakes. A large fissure had opened up in a quiet forest along Chain of Craters Road. Soon red-hot lava burst forth to announce the start of a new eruption, the birth of Maunaulu (growing mountain). Maunaulu grew over a new vent that sustained 12 towering fountains from May to December 1969. At times, the fountains reached 1,770 feet (540 m) high—500 feet (150 m) taller than the Empire State Building! It is said that this was Pele’s brother, Keoʻahikamakaua, the spirit of molten fountains, wielding his spears of lava. Here, you can witness how this sacred Hawaiian landscape continues to undergo rapid and extraordinary change. Today when we come to Maunaulu, we see a steaming landscape of destruction and twisted rock. We also discover a fragile and surreal beauty—a place where life regenerates on the volcano’s raw flows. In the future, as in the past, the earth will tremble, and molten lava will cover all you see. An awesome power constantly recreates this land. It is Kīlauea— a force of constant change.

Large fissures extending towards the top of a volcano (Maunaulu)

Maunaulu

The Maunaulu Eruption

A 400 feet deep caldera, approximately 2.5 miles long and 3 miles wide, with a volcanic crater within it that is off-set to the west. The 900 feet deep crater emits a gas plume and produces a glow at night. The land drops sharply along the overlook that sits on the rim. Layers of ash and small ballistics spans across the overlook from previous eruptions.

Uēkahuna is the celebrated wahi pana (legendary place) of Kaluapele, the caldera of Kīlauea. An important site for Native Hawaiian ritual and cultural practices, Uēkahuna presents visitors with spectacular vistas of Kaluapele, Mauna Loa, and surrounding areas from the highest point on the rim. From here, visitors can hike along <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_day_craterrim.htm">Crater Rim Trail</a> for the most dramatic views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which underwent a massive collapse during the history-making eruption of 2018. . <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/2018-eruption.htm">Read more about the eruption of 2018</a>

The sulfur bank exposed during the 2018 collapse inside a large volcanic caldera.

Uēkahuna

Uēkahuna is an important site for Native Hawaiian ritual and cultural practice. At the highest point on the rim it presents visitors with spectacular vistas of Kaluapele, Mauna Loa, and surrounding areas.

A large hotel with a red wooden exterior perched on the edge of Kīlauea caldera

The historic Volcano House hotel has hosted a cadre of world dignitaries since the original building was opened in 1846. Lured by the volcanic forces of Pelehonuamea, visitors from around the world have gathered in various iterations of the hotel. Notably, Queen Lili‘uokalani, who reigned at the time of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, and Kalākaua, the last king of Hawaiʻi, reveled in the beauty of Kīlauea from Volcano House. Other famous guests have included Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Amelia Earhart, Louis Pasteur, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.   The current Volcano House offers 33 historic guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge, and gift shop, along with cultural events and demonstrations. For more information or room reservations, visit their website or call, <a href="http://www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com/">http://www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com/</a> (844) 569-8849

Front of a large red building with a drive way and covered entrance.

Volcano House Hotel

The historic Volcano House hotel has existed in various places and forms on the rim of Kīlauea since 1846

Volcano House

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,680 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa - and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hawaii Volcanoes