Despite the elevation (nearly 4,000 feet), it was warm, about 75 degrees. Light breeze. Mostly clear sky, initially. Bring plenty of water, snacks, and a picnic lunch. Good hiking shoes are recommended, although tennis shoes were not uncommon on the trail, and I did see a few pairs of Crocs. This is a moderate hike, but conditions can change, so it is best to be prepared.
Start at the Kilauea Iki Overlook, a few miles south of the Kilauea Visitor Center, and the Entrance Station to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Go clockwise. Check out Nahaku (Thurston Lava Tube), on the east side of Crater Rim Drive. It’s a ten minute loop, set in a tropical rain forest. No cafe, though. Cross Crater Rim Drive and continue to the Kilauea Iki Trail, which will take you down to and across Kilaeau Iki Crater, formed by an eruption in 1959. Without a doubt, this was one of my more surreal hiking experiences. I might as well have been on another planet, perhaps Mars, or on the moon. Or, on earth, but eons ago, surrounded by dinosaurs and other ancient beings. To be sure, the ground, lava, was solid (enough). Follow the stacked lava rocks, across the crater. Insanity? Not really, but this is a once (or twice) in a lifetime experience.
I was not the only one making this journey. This made me feel better. Beyond this crater, and the Byron Ledge , you will find the Kilauea Caldera, still active, for obvious reasons not open to hikers. You can see steam rising in the background of the photo below. A closer view is provided in one of the later pictures. Keep walking. Don’t stop. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so, the crater is not bereft of life. Plants with bright red flowers rise from the cooled lava. Once you cross the crater, there’s a steady, but manageable climb to the Crater Rim Trail, which, as the name suggests, circumscribes the crater and brings you back to Kilaeau Iki Overlook. Five miles, give or take. Well worth it, to be sure. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the grass or at a table (if you’re able to get one) behind the Kilauea Visitor Center. Relax. Then, drive (or hike) to the steam vents (shown below) along Crater Rim Drive and to the Kilauea Overlook, where you will see (island) creation in action. There is no time like the present. The Hawaiian Islands, of course, are one big volcano, growing, usually slowly, sometimes a little faster. We are just visitors, passing through.
If you’re based in Hilo, conclude your volcano journey (and cool off) with some shaved ice (and the inevitable brain freeze). I recommend pineapple, passion fruit, and/or guava.
Comments welcomed.
The Peninsula Hiking Club 