Kilauea Iki Crater — Attraction in Hawaii

I LOVED this hike. We planned to do the Crater Rim Trail initially after visiting the Thurston Lava Tube, but as we walked from the Kilauea Iki parking lot to get to the tube, we saw people down in the Crater and thought it was cool.

A quick aside about parking, you should not even bother with trying to park at the Thurston Lava Tube parking lot because it's tiny and there was a line of cars on the road near the entrance to the parking lot, perhaps hoping someone would come out so they could go in. It was ridiculous and it's absolutely unnecessary to deal with that, since the Kilauea Ika parking lot is so close. It has more space and there's a short trail that will take you to the Thurston Lava Tube trailhead.

The Lava Tube was SUPER quick to walk thru, not really a hike, but very cool! The Kilauea Crater trail starts after you exit the lava tube trail. You walk down a bunch of switchbacks to you eventually get to the Crater. It's a Crater, so there's no shade. We did it in the late afternoon as the sun was going down, and it was perfect. We didn't intend to do the whole trail, but it was so cool that we walked all the way to the opposite end of the Crater (just keep following the arns, even when you question whether or not there's a trail at the opposite end of the crater). Since the trail is a loop, the exit from the Crater took us straight back to the parking lot where Our car was parked. The forest part of the return trail involved steeper climbing than the switchbacks we walked down at the beginning of the trail, but I thought the combo of stairs and walking paths was more interesting.

Overall, it was a great trail, one of my favorite experiences of my 2 week trip to Hawaii.

As a bonus tip, I suggest staying in the park til it gets dark and finding a a dark spot to view the stars, since the park is a dark sky park. Someone suggested that we take the trail that goes down towards the water and find a pull off towards the end. It was PITCH BLACK when we pulled over, so much so that we were initially afraid of even getting out of the car, but there so many stars and you could even see the milky way. It was awesome, awesome, awesome!!

PS-Visit the steam vents. It's incredible to stand...

The Kilauea Iki Crater hike offers an outstanding experience for hikers of all levels. The trail provides relatively easy terrain, allowing visitors to witness the breathtaking volcanic landscape without enduring strenuous challenges.

A notable feature of the hike is the opportunity to observe steam events. As hikers venture into the crater, they encounter fascinating steam vents emitting from the ground, reminding them of the volcanic forces beneath the surface. This adds an intriguing element to the overall hiking experience.

The highlight of the journey is undoubtedly the Kilauea Iki Crater itself. The vast expanse of hardened lava on the crater floor showcases the dramatic aftermath of past eruptions. The contrasting scenery of lush green surroundings against the desolate, volcanic terrain creates a captivating and unique hiking environment.

In summary, the Kilauea Iki Crater hike is a recommended adventure for those visiting the area. With its accessible trail, the chance to witness steam events, and the dramatic beauty of the crater, it offers an awe-inspiring experience that showcases the wonders of nature's...

Very cool crater, you can hike through. I'm a hiker who prefers woods/jungle, and there are some nice hikes that include these features as well. We attempted to visit mid morning on a Monday, it was very crowded, so we did something else that day. Returned on Tuesday, it was empty and lovely. An excellent reason to stay in Volcano, which we did for 3 nights.

I highly recommend staying in this area; you can visit Hilo and the Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden easily from here, the weather is cooler than the west side beach towns and lodging tends to be more reasonably priced. And if one part of the national Park is very busy, you'll be able to get away from crowds, it's a huge place. The drive from Kona or Kohala is very long, making day trips less successful than staying in Volcano, where you...