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| Hiking Trails | Mauna Loa Wilderness | Napau and Naulu Trails | Regulations |
Hiking in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park can be a fun and rewarding experience as in other national parks. It is a great way to both see and experience the park.
The character of the park is best discovered on foot. There are over 150 miles of trails in the park. Hike the park trails to experience the park's essence and to gain an understanding of the natural and cultural history of Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Day hikes as well as backcountry trips of several days duration are available. If you only have a single day, explore Kilauea's summit trails. Highly recommended is the Kilauea Iki trail, a four mile, two hour hike, descending 400 feet through native rainforest into a crater, and across lava flows still steaming from the 1959 eruption.
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Description |
| Halema`uma`u Overlook | 0.25 mile | Easy | Ten minute walk to the crater's edge from the Halema`uma`u parking area. |
| Devastation | 1.0 mile roundtrip | Easy | 30-minute walk through the cinder outfall of the 1959 Kilauea Iki eruption; wheelchair and stroller accessible.Of Interest: Plants, birds, insects, cinder with olivine and Pele's hair and tears, tree molds, cinder and spatter cone |
| Thurston Lava Tube | 0.3 mile | Easy | 20-minute walk through a tree fern forest and prehistoric lava tube. |
| Kilauea Iki | 4.0 mile loop | Challenging | Two to three hour hike descending 400 feet through rainforest, across the crater floor, pass Pu'u Pua'i cinder cone, and return via the crater's rim. Of interest: Rain forest, birds, insects, 1959 lava lake, steam vents, cinder and spatter cone. Bring water; expect wet and windy weather and some steep and rocky terrain. |
| Kipuka Puaulu | 1.0 mile loop | Easy | Trail through an "island" of forest rich with rare plants. Access is from Mauna Loa Road.Dirt path with a gentle incline. Of interest: Kipuka, old-growth forest of koa and 'ohi'a, birds, insects. |
| �Iliahi (Sandalwood) | 1.5 mile loop | Easy to Moderate | Hike through rain forest, past steam vents with views of Kilauea Caldera, Halema'auma'u Crater and Mauna Loa. Of interest: Rain forest, birds, insects, steam vents, earthcracks, fault scarps.Bring water. Stay on the trail and beware of steam vents, earthcracks and cliffs. |
| Earthquake | 1.0 mile roundtrip | Easy | Wheelchair and stroller accessible trail. Walk over a section of road cracked-up in1983 by a magnitude 6.6 Mauna Loa earthquake.Plants, birds, insects, earthcracks, views of Kilauea Caldera and Mauna Loa. |
| Halema'uma'u | 3.5 miles one way | Moderate to Challenging | Descends 400 feet through rain forest, cross Kilauea Caldera to Halema'uma'u Crater. Trails ends at the crater or return via Byron Ledge and Crater Rim Trail. Of interest: Plants, birds, insects, pahoehoe lava flows, steam vents, spatter ramparts, crater, and caldera.Bring water and food. Prepare for hot, dry, wet, and windy weather. Beware of sulfur fumes; people with heart and breathing problems should avoid this trail. |
| Crater Rim | 11.0 mile loop | Challenging | Encircles Kilauea's summit caldera, pass through desert and rain forest, view Halema'uma'u and Keanakako'i Craters and Mauna Loa.Of interest: Plants, birds, insects, desert, rain forest, steam vents, caldera, craters. Bring water and food. Be prepared for hot and dry, and wet and windy weather. Note: Expect concentrated sulfur fumes in the Halema'uma'u Crater and southwest rift zone areas. |
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Description |
| Pu`u Huluhulu | 3.0 miles | Moderate | Three hour roundtrip hike over 1973 - 1974 lava flows to the top of a 150 foot prehistoric cinder cone. Access is from Chain of Craters Road.Three hour roundtrip hike over 1973 - 1974 lava flows to the top of a 150 foot prehistoric cinder cone. Access is from Chain of Craters Road. Bring water. Prepare for hot and dry or wet and windy weather. Follow the ahu (rock piles) over the lava flows. Sulfur fumes may be strong on some days. Of interest: Pahoehoe lava, kipuka, lava trees, cinder cone, lava shield, pioneer plants, and panoramic vista. |
| Napau | 14.0 miles roundtrip | Challenging | Hike over pahoehoe lava flows and through rain forest, pass Pu'u Huluhulu, Mauna Ulu and Makaopuhi, and view Napau and Pu'u'O'o. Bring water and food. Expect rain, wind and sulfur fumes. Follow the ahu (rock piles) and stay on the trail. Wear sturdy shoes/hiking boots. Because of the dynamic nature of the current eruption, registration is required for day hiking beyond Pu'u Huluhulu. Permit required for overnight camping. Registration and permits are available at the Kilauea Visitor Center between 7:45 AM and 4:45 PM daily. Of interest: Pahoehoe lava flows, kipuka, lava trees, pit craters, cinder cones, rain forest, birds, insects. |
| Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs | 2.0 miles roundtrip | Easy to Moderate | Coastal trail traverses older lava flows to one of Hawai'i's most extensive petroglyph felds. Petroglyphs are fragile. Stay on the boardwalk, walking on the lava surface will fragment petroglyphs and destroy them. Bring water, wear sunglasses and a hat. Of interest: Petroglyphs, pahoehoe lava. |
ALL OVERNIGHT WILDERNESS USERS MUST REGISTER and obtain a free permit at the Kilauea Visitor Center (7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily). Permits are issued on a first-come basis no earlier than the day before your hike. Stays are limited to 3 nights per site; group size is limited to 8 people. A total of 8 people are allowed per night at the Pu'u 'Ula'ula (Red Hill) cabin, and 12 people at the Mauna Loa cabin.
Backpackers to Mauna Loa should be adequately equipped, experienced in wilderness/high altitude trekking, and physically fit
Essential Backpacking Equipment
Gear needed in addition to regular winter/high altitude gear
All hikers are required to pack out every thing they pack in. Do not bury your trash or discard it in pit toilets - Pack it out.
Facilities: The Pu'u �Ula'ula (Red Hill) cabin at 10,035 feet has 8 bunks with mattresses. The Mauna Loa cabin on the rim of Moku'aweoweo at 13,250 feet has 12 bunks with mattresses. Cabins have attached water catchment tanks. Check on current water levels when registering. Treat all water before drinking. Pit toilets are provided; please use them. Do not put trash in the pit toilets.
Trailheads: There is no drinking water at either the Mauna Loa or Observatory trailheads. Both are accessible by one-lane paved roads. Neither has public telephones or public transportation. It takes about an hour to drive from the Kilauea Visitor Center via the Mauna Loa trailhead, and two hours to drive to the Weather Observatory trailhead via Saddle Road.
Trail Conditions: Hiking at high elevations over rocky terrain is strenuous. The Mauna Loa trail ascends 6,600 feet in 18 miles over rough, unstable �a'a and pahoehoe lava. Hiking time from the Mauna Loa trailhead to the Pu'u �Ula'ula cabin is four to six hours, and from there to the Mauna Loa cabin is 8 to 12 hours. (Allow 1 hour/mile when hiking Mauna Loa).
The Observatory trail ascends 1,975 feet in 3.8 miles from the Mauna Loa Weather Observatory to the rim of Moku'aweoweo Caldera. The Mauna Loa cabin is two miles further along the rim. Hiking time from the Observatory to the Mauna Loa cabin is four to six hours. Do not leave from the Observatory after 10:00 am.
Weather Hazards: Be prepared for severe winter conditions, including blizzards, high winds, and whiteouts. Snow or driving rain are possible at any time of year. High altitude storms can occur without warning. Temperatures are below freezing at night all year round.
The ahu (stone cairn) trail markers can be obscured by fog. Do not lose sight of the ahu behind you as you look for the ahu ahead of you, as it is easy to become disorientated. Sunlight is intense, especially with snow cover. Sunglasses and sunscreen are preventive measures against snow blindness and sunburn.
Health Hazards: You will be hiking at high altitudes under rigorous conditions; altitude sickness is common. The only cure is to descend. Pace yourself, drink plenty of water. Pack extra clothing and your sleeping bag in plastic for waterproofness. Stay warm and dry; hypothermia (low body temperature) is a killer. Be prepared for treating injuries caused by falls on sharp, glassy lava.
Volcanic Hazards: Volcanic eruptions are possible at any time. Stay upslope from active lava flows and remain on high ground. Stay upwind of volcanic gasses. Earth cracks, thin crusts, and lava tubes are numerous.
Fire Hazards: The Mauna Loa Road traverses areas which contain very flammable grasses and brush. Open fires are prohibited
Natural Resources: Help protect your National Park. All plants, animals, rocks and other natural and archaeological or cultural features are protected by law against removal, injury, or destruction.
Cultural Resources: Please respect all archaeological sites and artifacts left by ancient Hawai'ians. Near the Mauna Loa Cabin are rock-walled complexes constructed by the Wilkes Expedition in 1840. Do not climb on or alter any rock structures, such as walls, heiau (ancient temples), or petroglyphs (rock engravings).
Special Note: Dogs and firearms are prohibited in the wilderness.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Before you go, leave a trip plan with another person. If lost, stay where you are. Use bright colors and reflective materials to attract attention. Rangers will not start a wilderness search until 24 hours after they are notified that a hiker is missing. To report a lost or overdue hiker, call Hawai'i County 911.
Napau Trail
Following the East Rift Zone of Kilauea, the Napau Trail provides opportunities for hikers to experience a diversity of environments in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The 14 mile round trip (7 + hours) hike is through varied terrain ranging from recent lava flows to dense tree fern rainforests. Begin this hike from the Mauna Ulu parking area, 3 1/2 miles down the Chain of Craters Road. Your destination is Napau Crater where hikers may gaze from the rim at the currently erupting Pu'u 'O'o vent in the distance. There is a campground and pit toilet at the end of the trail.
The Napau Trail passes through lava flows from the Mauna Ulu eruptions. Mauna Ulu (Lit. growing mountain), a recently formed shield volcano, erupted from 1969 through 1974 leaving an altered landscape of incredibly fascinating geologic features. Trekking over lava rivers and through lava channels, appreciating the fragile beauty of lava trees, peering into pit craters, and imagining a time when molten rock once sloshed like water in a perched lava pond, hikers will find that this trail offers an experience for all to enjoy.
Naulu Trail
The Naulu Trail is a 10.4 mile round-trip (5 1/2 + hours) hike and provides an alternate and shorter route to the Napau campground. Begin this trail from the Kealakomo parking area, 9.7 miles down the Chain of Craters Road. From the trailhead, this trail crosses 'a'a lava from the Mauna Ulu eruptions, winds in and out of forested areas, with an uphill elevation change of about 500' over 3.2 miles to a point where it joins the Napau Trail. The last two miles on the Napau Trail is a slight downhill to the campground. Volcanic fumes from Pu'u 'O'o vent may be present along this trail.
ALL DAY HIKERS AND OVERNIGHT BACKCOUNTRY USERS MUST REGISTER and obtain a free permit at the Kilauea Visitor Center (7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily). Permits are issued on a first-come basis no earlier than the day before your hike. Overnight stays are limited to 3 nights per site; group size is limited to 12 people. A total of 16 people are allowed per night at the Napau Crater campsite. Camping is only allowed at the Napau campsite.
Backpackers to Napau should be adequately equipped, physically fit, and free of respiratory and heart ailments as hikers may be subjected to toxic gasses emitted from the erupting vent, Pu'u 'O'o.
Essential Backpacking Equipment
All hikers are required to pack out everything they pack in. Do not bury your trash or discard it in pit toilets - Pack it out.
Facilities: There is a pit toilet at the Mauna Ulu trailhead and at the Napau campsite - please use them. Do not put trash in the pit toilets.
Trailheads: No drinking water is available at the trailheads or anywhere along the Napau, Naulu, and Kalapana Trails. We do not have streams in this area so backpackers must bring in all their own water. The Napau Trail begins at the Mauna Ulu parking area (approx. 3.5 miles down the Chain of Craters Road). The Naulu Trail begins at the Kealakomo parking area (approx. 9.7 miles down the Chain of Craters Road). Neither trailhead has public telephones or public transportation. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to drive from the Kilauea Visitor Center via Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road to get to the trailheads.
Trail Conditions: Hiking over rocky terrain is strenuous. Hiking boots provide the best traction and protection when hiking on lava. Long pants afford some protection if one should fall on the sharp, glassy lava. The Napau and Naulu trails traverse over rough, unstable 'a'a and pahoehoe lava. There may be only a 200' elevation change on the Napau Trail and a 500' elevation change on the Naulu Trail. Allow 1/2 hour per mile when hiking on these mid-elevation trails. Add additional time for scenic stops and breaks.
The ahu (stone cairn) trail markers can be difficult on first sight to distinguish from the surrounding lava. However, the trails are well marked and hikers soon become accustomed to spotting the cairns in the black lava fields. Sunlight may be intense. Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are preventive measures against sunburn. Start your trek early to avoid being on park trails during the hottest times of the day.
Health Hazards: The Napau Trail traverses a portion of the East Rift Zone of Kilauea and follows the path that magma takes as it makes its way underground from its source at the summit to the point where it comes to the surface at Pu'u 'O'o. The hike is through exposed lava fields and lush rainforests. Pace yourself, drink plenty of water. Pack extra clothing and your sleeping bag in plastic for waterproofness. Raingear is essential. Stay warm and dry; hypothermia (low body temperature) is a killer. Be prepared for treating injuries caused by falls on sharp, glassy lava.
Volcanic Hazards: Volcanic eruptions are possible at any time. In the unlikely event of a lava outbreak along the trail, move uphill and upwind of eruptive activity. Earth cracks, thin crusts, and lava tubes are numerous.
Fire Hazards: Trails in the park traverse areas which contain very flammable grasses and brush. Open fires and smoking is prohibited!
Natural Resources: Help protect your National Park. All plants, animals, rocks and other natural and archaeological or cultural features are protected by law against removal, injury, or destruction.
Cultural Resources: Please respect all archaeological sites and artifacts left by ancient Hawai'ians. Do not move any rocks, climb on or alter any rock structures, such as lava trees, walls, heiau (ancient temples), or petroglyphs (rock engravings). Entry into caves is prohibited.
Special Note: Dogs and firearms are prohibited in the wilderness except in designated hunting areas with a valid permit.
Check out of the backcountry: At the completion of your hike, report out by stopping at the Kilauea Visitor Center and telling the ranger that you have completed your hike. Permits are issued because of the dynamic nature of this volcano. In the event of an eruption, it is important for rangers to know who may be in danger.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:Before you go, leave a trip plan with another person. Make sure they understand that should you be lost or injured on the trail, they are your only link to help and should report you overdue if you fail to contact them by a predesignated time. If lost, stay where you are. Use bright colors and reflective materials to attract attention. Rangers will not start a wilderness search until 24 hours after they are notified that a hiker is missing. To report a lost or overdue hiker, call Hawai'i County 911.
Fires are prohibited except in the pavilion fireplaces at Namakani Paio, Kulanaokuaiki and Kipuka Puaula.
Check with rangers about briquettes or camp stoves.
Do not smoke while hiking.
Park vehicles in designated pullouts; the exhaust system of a vehicle parked in a grassy area can start a fire.
Collecting rocks, (including lava, sand, and minerals), cultural artifacts, or plants and animals is prohibited.
Fishing along the coast from Halape to the park's eastern boundary is reserved for native Hawai'ians of the Kalapana area and their guests.
Pets must be under control at all times. Dogs are not allowed on trails, in the backcountry, or at Kipuka Nene campground. Nene and other ground nesting birds are vulnerable to harassment and predation.
Motorized vehicles are restricted to paved roadways.
Bicycles are not permitted on park trails. Check with the rangers for exception.
Park roads are for leisurely driving. Maximum speeds are:
Highway 11 - 55 mph
Crater Rim Drive - 35 mph
Chain of Craters Road - 45 mph
Nene (Hawai'ian goose) is an endangered species and needs your protection.
Do not climb on or alter any rock structures, such as walls, heiau (ancient temples) or petroglyphs (rock engravings).
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