Kīlauea Iki
A trail across the crater.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes NPS — Public domain · Ekrem Canli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · VitaleBaby (talk · contribs) — Public domain · Thomas Tunsch — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hawai‘i Volcanoes NPS — Public domain
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi takes in two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. Its centre lies about 47 km south-west of the town of Hilo in a straight line. It was founded in 1916 as Hawaii National Park, later split into this park and Haleakalā. It became an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987. In 2018 the Kīlauea summit area was closed after explosions and earthquakes, and later reopened. Visitors walk across fields of hardened black lava, descend into Kīlauea Iki crater on a trail across its volcanic floor, and look over the rim of the great Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which glows red at night during active periods. Chain of Craters Road winds down towards the sea past craters and lava flows. Volcanic activity and open trails change from time to time, so check the park's updates before you go. Bring water and rain gear, as the summit sits at about 1,200 metres and can be cool. The landscape is sacred in Hawaiian culture, so treat it with respect.
A trail across the crater.
A night glow.
Down to the sea.
Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii, United States
It depends on current activity.
At least a full day.