Kīlauea Iki Trail

Kīlauea Iki is a pit crater next to the main summit caldera of Kīlauea on the island of Hawaiʻi. It is known for its eruption in 1959, which produced lava fountaining up to 1900 feet and a lava lake in the crater. Today, the surface of the lava lake has cooled, and it is a popular hiking destination. The Kīlauea Iki Trail is a moderate to challenging hike that descends through a lush rainforest to the solidified lava lake on the floor of the crater. The trail offers panoramic views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) from the Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge) portion of Crater Rim Trail. Visitors can peer into the vent that erupted during the 1959 eruption, located below Puʻupua‘i cinder cone. The hike is approximately 3 to 4 hours long and covers 5.3 miles round-trip