Kīlauea Iki Trail Reviews

This is a perfect hike (of 4 miles, some of which is not for the weak of heart!). It took two hours from rim to rim. So beautiful and different. We saw many families with young children and wondered how they were going to do on the steep hike out of the crater, so use your judgment there.

We had read all about it and decided to go. At first I was worried our 10 year old daughter may find it hard. When we started off, it looked steep and probably hard. The people in the crater looked tiny and so far away. But as we went on, the whole family had lots of fun. Tiring yes, definitely take at least 1 bottle of water per person, but certainly worth it. Once inside the crater, you will be left in awe, just thinking about how such a huge crater came to be. Initially we thought we could get lost, but there is only one Kilauea Iki trail - you can go in either direction, you will find your way. I would recommend coming back before it gets dark though, just to be safe. Again, definitely worth it.

We began our descent towards the crater from the 'lava tube' parking lot. A descent into the jungle, marked out, with a difference in altitude of approximately 280m.
You should bring at least sneakers and light clothing against rain or wind, the weather changes approximately every 5 minutes.
Once you arrive at the bottom of the crater, superb vision, it is really exotic, mixture of black gravel and sharp solid rock. Here again the path is marked by rock pyramids. In all it must be around 5 kms round trip at least but it's worth it (see photos)

My active senior parents found the hike reasonable. I think its fine for all walks of life. Bring granny or your toddler. They will enjoy themselves.

"Look, there's people at the crater basin!" he said.
"I wonder how you get down there?" he asked.
"Want to give it a try?" he suggested.
In the meantime, the rain is coming down in blowing mist, we are in a rain forest, 4,000' higher than we are used to....
4+ miles, climbing around steam vents and over lava rock, down then up 1500' elevation change later....
"...that was really worth it and very cool," she said.

We decided to do this walk in the late afternoon to avoid the heat of the day.
We decided at the carpark to access the walk from the Rim Walk going towards the Thurston Lava Tube,which gave us great views over the crater.
From the Thurston Lava Tube carpark we accessed the crater via a zig zag path descending to the crater base. Once on the crater base, you can see how big this Lava Lake was,plus there are still steam vents active on the walk.
The opposite side of the crater,a series of short staircases takes you quickly to the top. From the top it takes around 25 minutes to reach the carpark again.
The walking path down to the base is relatively good,the base has both good walking surfaces and to the Western side it becomes rocky.

Even though the trail is moderately demanding you are rewarded along the way with several interesting things to see.
So you are always looking something interesting and so you do the walk without thinking about its length.

This trail takes you from the tropical forest through the eerie landscape of the caldera, plus a short side trip through Thurston Lava Tube just across the street from the main trail's end. The 400-foot descent/ascent takes place relatively quickly, so it's not a super easy hike, but more in the moderate range. If you have time for just one hike (as we did), definitely consider this one.

The trek into the crater went rather quickly. The trails had some improvements like an occasional railroad tie or large log embedded, but be aware of where you are placing your feet. The trail was muddy with protruding roots. The walk across the caldera was well marked with NPS cairns placed to guide you. The official cairns are large and obvious with plenty of area to frolic. Please do not build your own little cairns; they could lead hikers into unsafe areas! The caldera walk was challenging towards the end. The climb out of the crater was a bit more difficult. Rain again made the path slick, carved steps were of inconsistent heights with a few at 18 inches or more; thank goodness for hand rails! The ascent seemed to be much steeper and longer (or it may have just seemed that way as this group of senior citizens were starting to tire!). We actually danced like Rocky on the stairs when we reached the top!
Just a few words of advice - wear decent shoes that have good grip; allow at least 2 hours, more if you like to stop and observe your surroundings; bring a good attitude.

While not too strenuous, the climb down and then back up is definitely not for everyone. Once into the crater, you can walk through the lava field and explore as you'd like. It is eerily beautiful and very interesting to see the plant life and formations in this area. With a few water breaks and a snack stop at the end, we really enjoyed this hike (about 2 1/2 hours). Definitely wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and watch your step! The ground is very uneven and the sharp rocks are unforgiving to hands, shins, and cameras if you fall hard.

This is an easy hike and gives you views of the crater below you. Look around as you walk this since there are things on the side of the trail that are interesting. Take water and some decent shoes not flip flops.

The Kilauea Ike Trail head was jammed so we continued down the road to Devastation Trail. You can take this trail and connect with Byron Ledge trail and then connect to Kilauea Iki and go down into the crater. The parking is less crowded, you get some nice views of Kilauea crater along the way and avoid much of the crowds. It was about 1.5 hours from parking to the Kilauea Iki crater...We took it and then lunched on side of the Iki crater then retraced our path through rain forest. We did not traverse the bottom of crated but could have.

took me 3 hours to complete, starts going up around the crater. It has 14 points of interest from start to finish well marked with signs or rock piles. As I said, starts in front of the Thurston Lava tube ( that is the trail head) and goes up first ,t hen you have many scenic points once you are up , Impressive, Then.... you have to descend to the floor of the crater , some areas have stone stairs with some hand rails missins and rock walls, some passages are narrow and not good for people with disabilities or afraid of heights. You descend through rocks, stepping here and there always on rock piles . Once at the floor of the crater it looks like the moon pictures you see on Movies or TV. Barren , rocky, huge cracks on the floor and some steam vents , still venting . You have to cross the entire crater floor and reach the other side , to only start climbing again about 450 feet , it can be rainy and windy or very hot and sunny, be prepared with water, snacks and good hiking shoes . Worth it.

As seasoned hikers we were a little disappointed as this was a really easy hike. If you are not a seasoned hiker, you may find it a bit more enjoyable. Pretty cool to be walking on a active volcano crater. Worth a visit.

mostly open trail, 3.5 mile approx, Go down from volcano rock side (visitor center) and come back up from lava tube side ( shaded ) - take a cap and enjoy

Wow, wow, wow! How often does one get to walk through a volcanic crater that still has some vents steaming. This is quite an experience and if you only do one hike in the national park, do this one. And do it in a counter-clockwise fashion - it will be easier.

When we hit the crater bottom and started walking across, a light mist started falling, so be prepared with some wet weather gear.

The hike is not overly difficult, but I would recommend closed toed shoes (flips flops are definitely not recommended) as there are lot of uneven surfaces in the crater. The hike is approximately 4 miles long. We took a leisurely pace and we did it in 1.5 hours which left time for some more exploring inside the park.

If you decide to go counter-clockwise, you get to walk through a lava tube on the way back to the parking lot.

I am not one who hikes, but I hiked this trail with my husband and it was worth the time. It was a beautiful hike and it was cool to walk across the crater. Be sure to go prepared with lots of water, proper footwear, sunscreen, and bug spray because it is steep down into the crater and steep coming back up as well. It took us about 2.5 hours to hike the whole trail.

While it was interesting the landscape is almost grim. Other than blow holes and seeing the crater itself it was something I can say I could have skipped. No colours, Frey and cold Comparatively if you had to choose between it and Haleakala, Haleakala wins.

Moderate length hike with somewhat challenging, steep ascent/descent at the west end of the crater, but very much worth it to walk across a lava lake that had last erupted in 1959.

We started by hiking around the northern rim of the crater. The occasional views into the crater are striking, made more remarkable by the sight of people hiking across the crater floor. We appreciated getting a glimpse of the hike to come. We stopped for a quick peak over the main caldera at Byron's ledge, then descended down into Kilauea Iki.

The geology of the crater is amazing. The west end of Iki is dominated by ʻaʻā lava. About 1/4 of the way across the lava becomes smooth pāhoehoe. The bottom of the crater is quite alien and the transition of the lush jungle of the rim to the nearly barren crater floor is breathtaking. Various sections of the crater floor show the heaving and settling that occurred after the lava cooled.

Be sure to take a hat, sunscreen, and water. There is no shelter in the bottom of the crater. There is also no bathroom, so be sure to make a pitstop at the parking lot.

It’s always cool to experience new things, such as hiking a volcano trail and walking through a crater. I’m not one to have organized guides, but I did it this time to learn a lot more and to feel a little more secure hiking this trail. It’s beautiful from start to finish, through the forest, crater & lava tube. Must visit if in Hilo.

Enjoy:)

Awesome hike and a great family outing for TuTu and grandchildren along with Mom and Dad. We then had a lovely lunch at Volcano House.

Bring water, snacks, and a gym towel - you will sweat! If you are starting at the designated trail head go counter clockwise [opposite way of the lava tubes] - I can't image how hard it would be to climb out of the crater if we didn't go that way.

Grab a trail guide. Aside from the lush vegetation turning into an apocalyptic desert of a collapsed lava lake to make you feel insignificant, the guide helps you understand the background of what you're walking through.

Got to the parking lot for Kīlauea Iki around 9:30 am on a cloudy, drizzly off and on, day. This meant we pretty much had the trail to ourselves since we went counter-clockwise (I read on different sites that cc is a better idea) and everyone else went clockwise. So we really didn’t run into many people until we got halfway across the crater floor - all going in the opposite direction. We wisely brought our rain gear because although the rain held off on the trek down, it did start raining steadily most of our time traveling the floor. Made for a slightly surreal atmosphere and a memory for sure. Also, by traveling counter-clockwise we had no one ahead of us holding us up and only one group behind that we let pass us by. If you are on the Big Island, I highly recommend this hike because it’s not something most of us see regularly. Very cool indeed.

Suggest going early in the morning before it gets too hot, and you must have water with you! Once you get down to the crater floor, there are steam vents and you’re not shaded from the sun, so it definitely gets warm. The hike is very, very mild and very easy, but the heat can get you if you aren’t prepared. We took our time and took lots of photos. The trail markers are easy to follow.

A great hike and walk through another planet on the lava field in the crater. Recommend hiking down from the main trail head and up the thurston lava tube side vs starting at the tube because of the intensity of the trail. This gives you a steep path down and gravity helps you, and a gradual, forested path back up, vs trying to go up a brutal, rocky path.

I was completely amazed at the size of the volcano bowl, and the smoke / steam coming out. No lava at that time... That probably was a good thing. Very interesting

If you are here on Holliday season Both for parking and privacy try to be there around nine. The trail is 50% on crater and 50% in tropical forest. Both amazing in their own rights

We thought because of rain in Hilo & on way that we wouldn’t see anything but the weather changes so frequently that I suggest you give this a try. Although we were there in morning around 9am, I reckon it could be terribly hot in afternoon.
We are an active family with a 10 year old & made it in 1 hour 40 minutes with many photo breaks.
The signs are very informative on the plants you see & it is so interesting seeing all the ways the lava dries into rock as well as the cracks from earthquakes & fault lines.
We all enjoyed this but be prepared for all weather. It was rainy, sunny, windy, rainy again. My pants that turn into shorts were the right choice!

We only had 2.5 hours around the Kilauea Crater Rim by car and were fortunate to do the Steaming Buff where the steam comes out of the soil/ground, and drove by Kilauea Iki (on our way around the rim) where there's a small parking lot where you can park your car and stand by the overview of Kilauea Iki which presents a much better picture opportunity than at Steaming Buff because you are closer to one section of the crater. Since there is little possibility to walk on the trail by Steaming Buff due to the volcano eurption of past year, this is where you can still venture a bit into the woods/trail. Out of all the pictures of the crater rim, this is where you'll get the best pic opportunity of the crater right now without taking any kind of risks & while having a good view of the overall crater.

We started at the Kīlauea Iki parking lot and ended at Thurston Lava Tube. I’m glad we did it that direction because we had wind at our backs across the lava lake. A memorable hike, not too difficult although there are a lot of steps down then back up, it’s really moderate difficulty. It rained the whole way, so bring or wear rain gear. No services at all along the way.

Staff told me this is the busiest trail in the park. No surprise as it is an amazing hike! Part one of the trail follow the north ridge of the Kilauea Iki crater with great views of the crater, Pu’u Pua’i cinder cone, and even the active Halema’uma’u in the distance. The forest is filled with singing and chattering birds. Finally, the trail circles the west end of the crater and climbs down to the lake level on some moderate switchbacks. The view that unfolds is otherworldly. The trail picks its way across the lava lake with awesome views of the cinder cone and the main vent that, in 1959, spewed red hot lava. The trail continues along the middle of the lake, then climbs back up on switchbacks into the forest. The accompanying guide book is excellent.

When to hike? Early start avoids the crowds and the heat. I started at 7:30 am and had the trail almost to myself. Only disadvantage is having the sun in your face as you cross the lava lake. Took me 2 3/4 hours including Thurston Lava Tube and lots of photo stops. People at most hiking levels should be able to walk the trail. But, there are rough spots and it's a bit steep into the crater especially at the east end.

The drive views the volcanoes from different vantage points and lets one see from places that you cannot from the craters rim at Volcanoes House. It was worth the drive. The people who had hiked down into the crater looked like ants, but we were impressed.

This travel can be circumnavigated in either direction. We read its best to hike counter-clockwise, and yet we were disoriented and followed the trail clockwise. Doesn't matter. Coming from Colorado, hiking a nearly 4-mile trail at 4000 ft through forest and caldera was not particularly difficult. There are somewhat steep, but shaded steps carved into the first mile or so of the trail, with 15 markers (be sure to grab the corresponding booklet at the visitor center) along the path describing flora, fauna, and volcano attributes (e.g., crater rim, steam vents, lava lake migrations). The center mile takes you into and eventually out of the caldera, which is hot, dusty and often uneven. The final mile or so returns you to the shaded forest area above the 1959 lava lake (it took 30 years to cool!) with railroad tie steps and exposed root pathways.

When I visited in 2017, it was cool, raining and wet. January of 2023 was hot, full-on sun and dry. Be prepared for either with water. Both visits were hiked in tennis shoes.

An easy/moderate trail in terms of difficulty if you hike at all; but the unique trek across the crater to witness the steam vents is a key part of your visit to the park. Take your time and hopefully you will get a bit of rain so that the entire scene changes and "Pele's Hair" will become visible along the cracks with tiny dew droplets Go up onto some of the formations and discover a micro-climate where you can give yourself a facial in the steam cloud that wafts out of the red rocks, watering tiny moss gardens. In terms of effort to reward ratio, this beats the lava fields down in Kalapana. (Well maybe?)

We had a group of five people, went with my parents in their late 50s and two friends in their 40s. Not everyone is in the best shape, and this hike is surely challenging. The actual miles you need to walk from the parking lot to parking lot is longer than the miles marked on the maps. We went the wrong direction that we descended from the end that’s next to the lava tube, and came up near the visitor center. The area near the visitor center wasn’t well marked with piles of stones as the crust of the ground were broken mostly and made it confusing to find direction. The bulk of the walk across the pit is a straight shot. If you had followed instruction the hike would be a bit easier.

Going down and up both involved a lot of stairs, slopes and there’s really no shade once you entered the pit and it can get quite hot when the sun is out. Wouldn’t recommend for people who are afraid of the height, some staircases can be a bit scary.

Wear comfortable cushioned shoes for sure, because when we finished, we felt the concrete on the road was soft. Bring a lot of water! Sunglasses and hats if possible.

You walk down a zig zag trail down the canyon wall - lush with tropical growth before coming out onto the surface of the moon - but with bright sun and breathable air. In the distance you can see whiffs of steam emanating from the floor of the crater. The walk out is amazing - flat, canyon walls rising in the distance and a few miles across. As we cam back up and returned we took a look back to see others traversing the trail like so many ants in the distance. This is one adventure I can't wait to do again. Probably need the ground to re-solidify first.

If you visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, be sure to take the time to hike the 4-mile Kilauea Iki trail. When do you ever get a chance to walk through a volcano crater?!! My spouse and I are retired seniors who had no trouble with the trail. The most difficult part is probably the climb back out of the crater but you can stop and catch your breath if you get winded. When we were in the crater, it felt like we were on another planet. Very cool experience! By the way, we saw people of all ages (young children to older adults) on the trail. Bring some water, a hat, and perhaps a rain coat, just in case. Parking is free and easy to locate.

This trail takes you through the rainforest and down to the crater floor. You can walk across the floor and see the effects of the volcano. We continued the trail to include the Thurston Lava Tube which was about 6 miles round trip loop (2.5 hours carrying a 30 lb child). Some parts are a little steep, but much of the trail is a peaceful walk through the forest. The base was very windy when we walked through it. Once down in the crater follow the piles of stacked rocks as the trail. There was light rain when we hiked but it kept the hike cool and never got too strong. I think this was our favorite part of the park, get here early (before 9am to get a place to park).

Great hike, great work out. When at the lookout at the very top, go to the right to start the trail, and come back on the trail to the left. We received this advice from a ranger, and it worked out great!

You better be in the mood for some exercise if you take this trail. Demanding, takes at least 2 hours, and once you’ve hiked about 25% of it, it becomes the same thing over and over. Too bad there is no way to abbreviate it, because 1/4 of the hike would be very cool, but the whole thing becomes punishing. You are going 400 feet down (equivalent to a 40 story building) on switchback trails, and then a long walk across the crater, and then climbing 400 feet back up (like climbing 40 flights of stairs). This is old lava, so your aren’t going to see any actual volcanic activity. At one place we stuck our hands in and you could feel some hot air coming out, but there isn’t any steam or gases or anything like that. It would be nice if someone dropped you off at the Thurston Lava Tube and then picked you up at the Visitor Center or the parking lot and you could at least cut off a little of the distance.

wow. Breathtaking, amazing - not to be missed - rain forest and lava. I ended up spending the night in the town of volcano because there was so much to do and see.

Parked in the overflow lot for the lava tube and did the trail. Great to be in the trees and foliage. Nice even path with several lava holes and look outs to the crater.

We sure enjoyed our hike and seeing steam vents breaking through cooled lava. It was hot, but we got a wonderful rain.

Trail guides are $2 and available at the trailhead, they slide out the bottom of the box. Or you can download one from the National Parks site.

I have peered down at the crater floor from the overlook and thought it looked like a boring hike crossing the crater floor. Luckily, I read some reviews, saw that there is a great variety of terrain and decided to go. Although there is quite an elevation drop and climb out, the grade is gentle on both the knees and lungs. With lots of stops to read the trail guide and take photos, we completed the trip in 2:20 h.

Very enjoyable hike but wear good hiking shoes and I brought walking sticks which were very helpful.

The trial is once again a loop trail. If you go early you can avoid crowds. We did it in a clockwise direction, taking us through a lush forest with overlooks of the crater on the way down to the crater floor. Unfortunately, no signs (going that way) warn you to stay on the trail. We wandered way off the trail, encountering potentially dangerous unstable lava domes and evidence of many cliff collapses. We were cautious, increasingly so, as we reconoitered all over the crater floor, finding steam vents and lava caves. Going the counter clockwise direction you see many warning signs, but takes you first down step switchbacks with few crater overlooks. We'll follow the rules next time; you should too.

Amazing how something so destructive can be so beautiful. Definitely a must stop when visiting the big island. Bring an umbrella or poncho usually raining. Also wear appropriate shoes if walking. Uneven areas

Fairly easy hike for young and old - tennis shoes, sunglasses, light jacket in case of rain, and a bottle of water and you're all set. I recommend starting on the right side of the trail and going counter clockwise, we didn’t do this and it made it much harder to follow the markers on the climb back up. Either way works though. Very little elevation change ~400 ft. We went on an overcast day so it was very comfortable - I can imagine a sunny day could get quite hot down there.

This hike is really great for everyone. The crater floor and the vents are so interesting. Hiking up and down through the lush rain forest is also fun.

What memories! Do not zap this step that passes through rainforests, even in the rain it is pleasant strangely! She is not very complicated and arrived at the bottom maqi WOUAOUUU the beauty! Nature offers us a magical expanse! TO SEE!!! More in the morning less people from 10am it's crowded

This rainforest trail was thrilling and exciting to hike the rim then onto the face of a live volcano. We travelled counterclockwise through a lush path along a flat trail then to down along a steep and rocky drop into the crater. The route across is lead by rock piles to mark the path which is helpful because there are some rock hopping and weaving to make your way across. As you continue on the trail it turns into finely ground gravel and flattens out before it turns uphill to loop out. The step sections are switchbacks so go slow. Make sure you wear hiking shoes and bring a raincoat and water bottle for the trek.

This is my very favorite trail. The fauna is amazing and have taken sooo many pictures here. So glad it’s been reopened ❤️ a Must do

Can do the full loop (short walk through parking lot). Views from above and a walk across the bottom. Start at other end of parking lot from big board as there is a pamphlet for anyone who wants to know what all the markers represent. More details on things to do in Hilo on blog on TA trips page.

This was my favorite hike of our Hawaiian trip. It was like walking into a movie set! Pro tip: listen to them when they say the trail starts from the right side of the parking lot. Really, go to the right! We went by the big trail sign and walked extra for it. The walk down takes 45 minutes to an hour going slowly, and you go through lush vegetation. Then you get down to the top of the lava lake, which is what this is. It’s like walking on an alien landscape! The first part is kind of difficult to find the path markers, but it gets easier. It rained the day we were there, so the fissures were steaming. This was a gem of an experience! Also, there are no bathrooms on the trail; you have to go back to the visitor’s center for that. I recommend wearing hiking shoes or at least tennis shoes for this. Some of the rock gets a bit tricky.

The hike down was cooled by the flora. Very pretty. The floor of the crater is very interesting. Worth the time to try it.

This part of the park was severely disrupted by the volcanic eruption, but when it reopens, do go see this crater. The trail around the rim is like Jurassic Park then the walk along the crater floor is surrealistic and worth the effort.

We did this trail during the third week of April. Do talk to the rangers at the visitor center before you start. They will tell you exactly what's open and what's not. There is also a leaflet in the visitor center on what's open or not. We got around 2.5 miles of this trail open. We could walk on the crater and it was an amazing experience. We started with the lookout and eventually reached this trail. It is a gradual slope. We did it in the afternoon and the whole trail being shaded, it did not leave us tired. We even remembered the Costco freezer section in some areas. It was that cold. The crater area was very hot. Carry water.

I am a planner and I like to read reviews and articles before each trip. Unfortunately, my family decided to come to this place and it was a last minute decision. We went to the visitor center and a ranger gave us a few locations to stop by. I am so glad we came here because this stop was the best.

Its a long hike but definitely worth it. For the hike, you need to be in decent physical shape but not necessarily in great shape. The path is steep. It took us about an hour to go down the base of the crater and come back up. Along the way, you will find amazing plants. I will strongly recommend to not rush it and take in the scenery. The hike is beautiful.

For parking, you may want to park at the Lava tube because the start of the hike and the lava tube are easily accessible from there.

Even if you park at the lava tube, you should hike to the iki trail's parking lot as there are a no. of look out points along the way. Its about 15 mins to get from lava tube to Iki trail's parking lot.

The Iki trail is within the Hawaii Volcano National Park. So the entrance fee of $30 that you will need to pay at the park's entrance is all that's needed. The entrance fee gives you access to the park for 7 consecutive days.

We enjoyed the hike which begins in lush rain forest and then into the Kilauea Iki Crater. Trail is well maintained and the crater portion is marked by stacked stones. Lots of opportunities for great photos. Be sure to bring water and to be prepared for any type of weather. Once on the crater it can be windy which if combined with rain and cooler temps (depending on the season) you may wish you had a light rain jacket. We took our time coming back up through the rain forest since "surprise" everything was quite wet - so for someone not sure on their feet and not comfortable with steps up this might be wise to note ahead of time. SO GLAD the trail was open this year and we could experience it. Loved it!

This trail is best enjoyed with the following recommendations:
1. Purchase trail guide from the visitor center for 2$, it will explain everything you are seeing and enhance your experience
2. Walk counter clock wise
3. when coming out of the crater you can visit the lava tube across the street and then go back to the rim trail to finish the loop

This is a popular paved trail that leads to a number of lookouts that provide beautiful views of the Kilauea Iki crater. Lush vegetation with large tree ferns line the way along the trail. Keep in mind that views may be ubstrocted if clouds come in which can happen quickly.

Great hike, take some water and enjoy.
It does rain on area-we were cold at the top but the bottom does warm up a lot very quickly.

This is a great experience! Walking clockwise, you switch back down, approximately 600 feet to reach the floor. Walking across the floor is easy until you reach the other rim. You climb up a series of stairs, and switch backs to reach the top.

We spent the day enjoying exploring all
the wonderful sites and adventures that were open and available to us in the National Park. We spent time walking along this trail, enjoying the wildlife and scenery. This was an easy walk and worth every minute.

everywhere you hike is more fascinating than the last hike. this place is remarkable. the hiking is challenging and you are greatly rewarded for your efforts

Excellent trail to see so many cool things. I highly recommend either buying the map or download the pdf of the numbered markers along the way. Plus, if you are plus size and overweight like me it helps "count down" how far along the trail you are (and how much farther there is to go!) LOL. No haters needed and this is extremely personal, but I do want to let other plus size ladies like me know this because this is what I was looking for. I am 44 years old and weight 270. I get little to no exercise (ya ya, I know I know that's pathetic and no haters needed) so I was super super nervous to do this but I was literally bound and determined to do it no matter how long it took me (my teen kids were wanting to do a hike and didn't consider Rainbow Falls or Akaka Falls a "real" hike......). Plus I really wanted to see this and am sick of my weight holding me back!!!! I did a ton of research and reading about this and was mentally prepared to GO SLOW and just take my time even if kids went up ahead of hubby and I. Hubby isn't in the best shape either, LOL so at least we could huff n puff together SLOWLY!!!

So -having said that. Yes, I am overweight and 270 lbs. Yes my right hip always hurts. Yes I have a desk job making very good money but exercise little and Yes - I FINISHED THIS DARN THING!!! If I can do this YOU CAN TOO don't let your weight fears keep you from it!

Take your time!! Go Slow!! and the BEST piece of advice: GO COUNTERCLOCKWISE - those reviews really were not joking - enter the trail behind the restrooms in the main parking lot. I am SO glad we ended with switchbacks going back up from the crater and NOT those STEEP steps!!

Wear properly fitting footwear!! Don't care about the mobs of teens who whiz past you!! Don't pay attention to those fitness people all dressed perfectly in their matchy matchy hiking outfits. Wear your poncho. Huff. Puff. Drink Water. Take a break. Lean against the railing. GO SLOW.

The overall recommended time to complete the trail in everything I was reading was 2-3 hours. I was totally preparing to be out on that trail for 4-5 hours, HOWEVER, we finished it in 3.5 hours!! I did not think that was too shabby considering how often I stopped!!!! And, again let me stress that we stopped a LOT and rested. Coming back up the switchbacks was tough not gonna lie. But stop, lean against a tree, rest. Let others pass you. You can do it too!!!! It felt great (granted I needed 3 more days to recover my hip and legs and doing stairs really burned afterwards - LOL) but DO THIS. Don't let it stop you like I almost let it stop me (I also have great supportive kids who stuck with hubby and I and had words of encouragement!! The kids are skinny minnies and not overweight).

It helped the day we went was overcast and misty!!!

Beautiful landscape!! From the rainforest to the dry caldera...impressive.
Mostly flat, except when going down/up the crater, where there are some “stairs” in the trail slope. Nothing challenging - at least under nice weather conditions. The rim and the forest are shady; no shade at all in the caldera, but we did have a nice fresh breeze.
It took us 2:30/3 hours to do the whole loop, including the lava tube towards the end, a lunch break, and a snack break. The 2 kids (6 and 8) did great, not complaining once :)

Moderate four mile hike down into a lava lake bed. Self guided tour with a tour book gave you points of interest, but just enjoying the lake vistas, lava rocks, steam vent, & surrounding rain forest was pleasant. My only complaint is that they should have warned us about the steps. My 70yr old mother loves to hike but the steps were not easy on her knees.

We did this hike in mid-February 2020. Our kids built a 'Temple of Pele' near mile 13 in the crater. It's built like a stone 'well' (kind of a little round building). If anyone sees it during their hike it would be great if you could post a picture as the kids want to know if it's still up fueling their Pele Power! ;)

Great easy hike and a definite highlight of Volcanoes National Park! I started the hike around 7 AM and was the only person on the trail until the very end. Highly recommend starting as early as possible (especially if you're staying in Volcano) to avoid the crowds and the heat. Walking across the crater is surreal and gives you a whole new perspective on the size and power of volcanoes. As others have mentioned, follow the stacks of rocks placed along the crater to find the trail on the other side.

nice drive, we hiked around the rim and was beautiful to walk within the forest. views into crater were excellent

This is a landscape of nothing but rock, with sparse vegetation only beginning to emerge. You can do this trail easily in under an hour, plus another 1-2 hours to return to your starting-point by hiking along Crater Rim Trail. Combined, these two trails make for a memorable (albeit exhausting) morning or afternoon.

This hike has a crater, steam vents, great views, rain forest, and lots of cool geology. Park and start at the first parking area, not the crowded Thurston Lava Tube lot.

This trail was fantastic! My partner and I did it in about 2.5 hours (with stopping, taking photos, and reading the guide book about the marked stops along the trail). I would definitely advise going counter-clockwise unless you want to walk up the stairs. The switchbacks are pretty easy on the way back up. I would also recommend going in the early morning if its sunny. We started at about 7AM, and by the time we were done the sun was *hot*.

Rainforest, former lava lake, crater, and lots of photo opportunities!

There's other hikes in the Volcanoes National Park, but the Iki Trail is a great all-in-one destination.

Skip the visitor center and museum, and get here early to beat the midday sun.

We joined a ranger guided tour that lasted more than 3 hours but it was well worth it. Volunteer Ranger Charlene Meyers did an excellent job explaining the history and features of the area, which we would not have learned without her. She performs her duties once a week on Wednesdays when she's not traveling. Good shoes are a must; even high end sandals are not a idea. And it rained the entire time during our tour. (If you end up on her tour, use a poncho or raincoat. Umbrellas can pose an issue on narrow walkways.)

We walked along the rim, then down to the Kilauea Iki Trail. We hiked across, then up the trail. It was about 4 miles. We had some spinkles. We carried water. The cloud cover helped it not be so hot with the sun hitting the black volcanic rock.

At the start of the hike if you go counter clockwise you can pay $2 for a guide book. Really neat this to have for the hike. There are trail markers that correspond with pages in the brochure. Giving you lots of information. Lava tube at the end of the hike is also really cool.

Look at the 3/17/22 s review by John and follow those instructions. Definitely go counter clockwise starting at the right side of the parking lot. It is a less gradual climb coming back up. If you want to use walking sticks go ahead, most do not but it will make the trip going downhill much easier.
It was cloudy and misting when we hiked the crater and didn’t have any issues finding parking early afternoon. Great scenery!

You can either walk this or drive it and walk from certain places. We decided to drive it and walk from certain sites to view the scenery which was interesting. Please be aware that other than steam vents the volcanoe is not active in the way that you expect to see from pictures etc.

I guess if you are an Earth Science Major or Teacher you would love this trail. Otherwise, AVOID the Kilauea Iki hike if you don't like looking at old lava that looks like a buckled and dilapidated parking lot for over an hour.

We read several reviews that if you only did one thing while you are in the park it should be the Kilauea Iki trail. They were right. The hike is of medium length and difficulty, but it feels like you have stepped onto another planet. Something truly unique in nature.

After reading reviews on Trip Advisor, we decided to try this hike. It is approximately 40 minutues from Punalu'u (by the Black Sand Beach). We were surprised that we had to enter to Volcano Park ($30 per car) in order to access the Kilauea Iki hike. I should have done more research--but, it was not a big deal!

We drove to the Visitor Center. Received some great directions/info from the friendly volunteer, and we were off. (The bathrooms here were clean, flushable, and accessible! In fact, there were many facilities on the property--all were well-maintained.) We drove 10 min down the road to see some lookouts, then headed to the Iki trail. Great signage everywhere!
We parked...lots of available stalls at 11am. There was a light rain/mist. We wore hoodies but took them on and off as we hiked.
Going counter-clockwise was recommended by the Visitor Center. I concur. The walk back up was probably easier this way.
One starts descending. Beautiful forest and foliage. There was an area with stairs--there was a handrail--as one approached the caldera.
Then, one enters the caldera. So interesting. We wore running shoes. A must, I think, due to the uneven ground.
Large piles of rock (Hua?) guided the way across the volcanic rock.
The hike back up was tiring for me---but, my husband and 11 year old did very well! (We saw many families with younger children.) The entire hike took us 2.5 hrs with stops to read signage and take photos.
Overall, this was a highlight of our trip!

All craters worth seeing but we ran out of time to go all the way to sea arches. Need many days to fully visit all sites

We certainly got our steps up by visiting the crater! We walked from the visitor Centre to the start of the crater walk and that in itself was around 1.5 miles. Unfortunately the Iki trail from the visitor Centre was closed so you had to walk via the crater rim road.
We recommend doing the crater walk clock wise as it felt like the descent from this side is steeper, which for us meant a shorter incline on the way out of the crater. You start of the hike over looking the crater and then after half a mile (500m) begin the descent. It is an amazing scene at the bottom, looking so desolate yet so beautiful. It was raining on and off when we were doing the hike and we were rewarded by rainbows forming when we were in the crater. It was an amazing sight. In addition you walked past plenty of steam vents in the crater. This is a great hike and it took us around 2 hours to complete, stopping to take plenty of photos.

This was supposed to be the highlight of our trip to the National park however after paying $25 to get in we found that everything was closed including this one. Not obvious from the website. You can view the crater but no trails are open

I thoroughly enjoyed walking this trail with my 11 year old. It was fascinating to watch the steam rise and see the baron landscape created through eruptions. At the end of the trail you could view the lava spewing out of the ground! An incredible sight!

After speaking with a couple of rangers we decided to do the Kilauea Iki trail. It was amazing and please dont get me wrong it was a little tuff and dangerous but was so worth it. The wife and I are not experienced hikers but managed to do it, we went slow and steady and took about 2 1/2 hrs. The views and just and the awesomeness of walking the crater was like being on a different planet. Bring plenty of water as you will get thirsty. We also lucked out that we had cloud cover and it was a light rain. It also got really windy and cool so be prepared for anything. When we got done it was blazing sun, hot and muggy. Be careful , be prepared and get ready for ran amazing hike that we soon wont forget. After that we went over to the Thurston Tubes and even though they arent big we thought they were great and is basically right next to the Kilaueau Iki trail. It doesnt take long and we are glad we saw that to. The best part of the BI for us was the VNP and the hike , be prepared for a great time with spectacular views and memories that will last forever

Mahalo

G&L

Visited the Volcano National Park yesterday. I wanted to share that Kilauea’iki trail is partially open. Based on the numbers on the trail looks like they made us start where it usually ends. One is still able to walk across the crater but you have to return same way. The red x is where we turned around. The hike down and up was a workout but it was an adventure!

Short hike, but down first and then up last. Not for everyone, but a super experience. Some steam vents, a'a and pahoehoe lava. love how plant and animal life is trying to re-establish.

We first stopped by the visitor center in our rental car to get the latest information. Although part of the north side was still closed, we could traverse inside the crater, so we parked the car in the parking lot on the south side and went there and back. From above, it looks like a flat mass of lava, but it is quite wavy and has cracks, so you can enjoy the changes. It is quite far away, the wind is weak, and it is hot when it is sunny, so it is a good idea to bring water with you.

Went 10 years ago and now after the 2018 eruption some of the road is missing or closed off, the research centre is about to collapse into the crater. The crater itself is now 40% bigger than it was on my last visit and is one of the most active volcanos in the world. An absolute must when visiting Hawai’i.

Allow 1to2 hours easy down side of crater under forest and then on crater in open, prepare for sun, rain and steam vents.

Park at the Lava Thurston Tube Parking lot and take the trail head where it descends down into the rainforest. Do not go upwards on a cement slope into the rainforest. There are two entries into the trail from this parking lot so make sure you pick the right one. While we were hiking a lot of people were coming up, I guess they never read the reviews to do it counter clockwise.

We hiked this during the rain, the trails were muddy. Wear shoes that you don't mind get dirty or trashing.

Walking across the crater was out of this world. I felt like I was in another planet. It looks like it could be a movie set to some apocalyptic movie. The crater bed was mostly straight across without a ton of up and downs. But watch where you are stepping as there are many uneven surfaces.

The hike back up if you go counter clockwise isn't bad. There are quite a few flights of stairs, just take rest.

I saw another review saying that when you think the trail has ended it hasn't, walk some more. This is accurate. The first parking lot you will come out of is not the Thurston Lava tube parking lot. We kept following signs for Thurston Lava Tube to get back to our car.

I'm so glad we did this hike. It is definitely out of this world. Creepy but cool all at the same time.

My son had done this hike a couple times and highly recommended it. I'm so glad we did it! It was fantastic. You start at the rim and walk through the rainforest, then down to the crater and across the "lava lakebed". You can see up close how the lava cooled, buckled, sprayed. There are still a few steam vents you can walk to, and the neat stacked-rock cairns that mark the way.

I recommend parking at the trailhead and taking the trail in a counterclockwise route. There are brochures available with interpretive info for each of 15 markers along the trail that provide additional, fascinating stories on the eruption, research, flora and fauna. There are also more stairs on the descent going that way and a more gradual series of switchback trails coming back up.
If you have hiking boots, they'd be ideal. Tennis shoes are fine, but mine were a little thin for the rocky terrain. The rubber soles were imperative. I wouldn't go if I had only flip flops (or "slippahs" in Hawaii) - too many slopes and rocks.
Also bring water, sunscreen (no cover down in the crater) and layers (can be 55 or 60 and shady at the rim and 70-75 on the bottom.)

We hiked straight down fron the Thurston lava tube parking lot rather than fron the Kilauea Iki parking lot. Either way you are hiking down into the crater and back up again so not sure the start makes a difference. It rained on us the whole time but totally worth it to behold such an awesome show of nature and the Goddess Pele. Highly recommend. We have twin 8 year olds and they made the hike with no complaints.

The Kilauea Iki Trail was a terrific hike. I am 61, but I was able to handle the hike well. The high light was walking about a mile through a dormant volcano. It was like being on Mars. I would have liked better signage, especially telling us how to get back to the parking lot, but it was a great experience.

Obviously, do not go there until the current eruptions stop.

Kilauea Iki Trail is inside the volcano nation park. The full round trip is about 4 miles, it took us about 2 hours total with rests and photo taking. I'd say it's an easy to medium level trail.
The path down to the crater is lush and green through the rain forest. Once you are down to the crater floor, you'll be walking through barren lava field. In some areas you can also see steam vents.
Bring drinking water, snacks, rain poncho and wear close toe shoes.

A little bit of everything...up, down, rain forest, crater floor, orchids, lava... Be sure to have a map, though, because there is a maze of trails that are not well marked, so you could find yourself somewhere other than where you want to be.

Easy 4 mile hike (even with 8 and 10 years old kids) down, across, and up the crater. It was awe-inspiring to be inside the crater. Easy to combine with Thurston Lava Tube trail. Go early to enjoy the park.

This is a moderate 4 mile hike. Incredible views. Definitely buy the trail guide at the visitors center or museum. There are geologic features and natural history points along the way and the guide is very valuable. You’ll stand at the bottom in awe of nature’s fury that once filled the very spot you’ll be standing on. Definitely do the trail counterclockwise from the parking lot it is steeper going down and more slopped coming back up if you do it that way. Bring a water bottle and sunscreen.

The Kilauea Iki Trail is a hiking track taking you from the carpark within the Volcano National Park, down into the crater itself. You start off walking through the vast trees around the outer rim, then into the crater and then back up again. It is very surreal that you are literally walking on ground where molten lava once wreaked havoc over.
The trail itself is a loop which took us about 2 hours give or take to complete. There are some sections where the decline/incline is subtle, and others where it can be quite steep. My hiking party of 6 went in a clockwise direction, but I would recommend counterclockwise as you would be going down the steep parts first, as opposed to climbing them at the end.

Please note when you walk in the black soiled crater itself, it can be quite warm. The sun's blistering heat shone directly above, which can make you quite dehydrated fast - so bring adequate water. There are also some steam vents in the crater amongst the rock cracks to check out.
Also please note that while walking above the crater and overlooking it amongst the trees, there are no guard rails or barriers over the cliff tops. I slipped over a pothole and nearly went over the edge (a 50 metre drop) whilst marvelling the great views.

All in all it was an amazing hike.

Well maintained trail with lots to see. Make sure to bring a rain jacket because it at least mists most days at the park. The trail is best when you go counter clockwise because the ascent will be more gradual and you will have some nice lookouts on your way down too.

Very cool experience. Love the contrast of the rainforest and the desolate pit crater / old lava flow. I would not call this hike moderate. It is very easy and there are no scrambles or tough access points. Be mindful that the walk across the crater will take about 40 mins and so if it is very hot and sunny or dumping rain, both are not ideal. Got lucky and was on the trail when it was a cooler 73 degrees and partially sunny. It rained as soon as got back on the rainforest part of the trail.

My husband hiked this trail while I watched from above and then picked him up the visitor's center. It was really neat for me to be at the viewing area up above and be able to see him so far below, crossing the lake. He looked up and waved and I snapped some photos of him.

He found the trail to be fascinating and such unique landscapes.

I skipped it because it's a very steep descent down to the crater and then back up out of it.

My husband says this was one of his favorite aspects of our 10 day stay in Hawaii!

Such a unique and beautiful hike. We were recommended to go counter clockwise and super glad we took the advice!! Start the trail right behind the bathroom and your hike will be much easier on the way back. What’s neat about this hike is it also intersects with the lava tube- so you get 2 experiences in one!! Good shoes and plenty of water are highly recommended .

This is an incredible hike through an otherworldly landscape - you are hiking through a crater of what used to be an active volcano.

This was my favorite thing I did at VNP.

My husband and I walked this trail on a cool rainy day and it was absolutely fantastic! Start in lush rain forest then pick your way through lava rocks, then walk along the flat surface of the caldera. Be sure and pick up a guide at the start of the trail to learn interesting facts along the way. We arrived around 9:30 and found a convenient parking place and started hiking. We encountered very few people until toward the end. As others have said - walk counter clockwise on this trail. Also, when it seems you have reached the end - you haven't - continue walking along the overflow parking area and follow the trail back to the main Kilauea Iki parking lot. Do not miss this!

Wear proper shoes and maybe a bottle of water, and go for a great hike. Counterclockwise from marker 6 is the easier path through the canyon. Pretty steep and uneven steps to go down that way and a gradual incline path to go back up along the rim. We parked at the second parking lot which had the most open parking, but also gives the longest hiked path where you will have to backtrack a bit. As you go along the path when you see the bench turn at marker 6 to enter the canyon. We covered according to the map 7.2 miles (8 miles by pedometer) in 3 hours.

Probably not recommended for anyone with bad balance going down uneven terrain, or a cardiac condition because you will increase your heart rate.

Wow! This trail is a little over 3 miles and was totally worth it. I would rate this as moderate as there are some inclines with steps and switchbacks at the beginning and the end. My husband and I are 50, and we had no problem at all (and we’re not necessarily in shape). Once you get down to the crater floor, it feels like you’re on another planet. The crater floor is flat and easy to walk. The trail was not crowded at all. It was a little muddy in a few areas at the beginning, but wasn’t a big deal.

This hike was so fascinating. You start in the jungle and end up crossing the barren but very interesting crater. So cool!

Incredibly unique hike through a diverse range of ecosystems and volcanic landscapes. Pick up a guide book for the trail for $2 at the Visitors Centre. The moderate hike takes 2-3 hours depending on pace and how many stops/photos you take. The lava tubes are along the route, so recommend the short walk through the tubes as well. Highly recommended to experience the crater first hand while you're in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park!

Since the latest lava flows,this hike can no longer be done as a circle leaving and returning to the Park Headquarters, so you will enjoy the downhill portion an the path across the top of the creater, but remember that you have to climb back out at the end.

This hike is truly outstanding. The trail will take you through lush rainforest and across the barren crater from an eruption in the 50s. Most of the hike is relatively easy as it follows the rim and floor of the crater. The hike back up to the rim is a bit tougher but definitely not worth missing the hike for.

Having walked the trail 4 years ago, and being so lucky to return to Hawai'i again this year, we couldn't wait to walk it again. OK, so you're not walking next to flowing lava or watching eruptions - but that's the whole point - you are walking through HISTORY, and we would recommend going to the national park information centre first to watch their 30 minute film all about Kilauea Iki which shows actual footage of the 1959 eruption. Then take the trail and you can visualise what the area you are walking through was like during those weeks. A great walk and we will do it every time we visit the Island.

We did the extended hike including byron ledge.

So amazing to see the difference from being on the volcano to above it. It is not too challenging a hike although over 6 miles long it took us less than 3 hours.

Highly highly recommended.

Loved the trail. Didn't expect it to be hard but was challenging with a great surprise at end. Well worth the time.

Based on tips from the trip advisor community, I reached the trail head by 7am. I went for a solo hike and did the counter clock wise hike. Turns out 7am is so early for everyone else that there was literally no one on the trail and I had the Crater all to myself for two hours lol!! I ran into a few hikers on the way back up but that's it. The views from up and inside are unreal, like you are walking on a different planet. Had a great hike.

Four of us completed this hike on our second day at VNP. We don't go on hike often but were prepared for a challenge. The hike was a moderate hike lasting about 3 hours, challenging at parts but easy at others. The contrast between the lush forest of the upper rim versus the crater floor covered in volcanic rock was striking. This was easily the best hike we've ever done on the island and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Bring lots of water and some snacks. I would recommend doing this early in the morning before its gets really hot, once your inside the crater, there is no shade.

Not every day do you get a chance to walk inside a volcano crater. It's a fairly easy hike, fairly small elevation change. There are a few places with tricky footing but it's mostly an easy walk. Most of the crater is still just lava, but plants have begun to get a foothold in a few places.

Start at Kilaeua Iki Overlook and go through the forest enjoying the ferns and the birds before the steep descent to the crater floor. In a moment lush forest becomes barren lava. The three mile hike can take anything from 2-4 hours depending on your pace. Depending on the weather the crater floor can be wet or uncomfortably hot, so take adequate water and food.

Most unusual hike we've ever done - beautiful, shady, bird-filled forest that drops down into a caldera. It gets hot walking across the caldera, was glad we went early. And glad we went counter-clockwise, it's definitely an easier ascent coming up the switchbacks. One thing nobody prepped us for - if you take the trail counterclockwise from the main Kilauea Iki overlook parking lot, when you come back up you first encounter an overflow parking lot about 10 minutes further walk from the main lot. So we came up and were like, "where's our car???" And immediately afterward another hiker came up and was like "where's my car???" We figured it out fairly quickly but it was still pretty discombobulating for a minute. Anyway, highly recommend this hike.

Depending on what shape you're in, a moderately challenging hike lasting about two hours ( we're in our early sixties and relatively fit ). Although we saw people doing this hike in casual sandals, we recommend good footwear and water. Take time to read the signs explaining the creation of the caldera. It will increase your appreciation of the unique opportunity.

My husband and I did this hike early in the morning, right after sunrise, and it was quite the site to behold!

From the trailhead, the hike descends about 400 feet through lush rainforest (complete with colorful, tropical birds!) onto the caldera floor. The lush foliage gives way to an alien world of hardened lava flows...it's very strange, but beautiful at the same time! After walking about 2.5 miles across the caldera floor (this area is MUCH larger than it appears at the parking lot), you'll enter more lush rainforest and ascend 400 feet to the crater rim. From there, it's another mile (ish) back to the parking lot.

This hike isn't very challenging but is longer than it appears. Make sure to bring some water!

How many times have you walked on a crater that erupted for about 50 yrs ago? If you want that experience definitely do this hike. Its categorized as moderate to challenging hike. I almost got discouraged when the park ranger said that she will not do this hike as its hard. Thank God we did it! Its very doable! Its starts on the right side of the parking lot which takes you to lush forest and views of the crater. People of all ages have been doing the hike. Families with kids to older couples. Its doable since the hike down and up the crater is gradual and you can always take your time to do the hike. Do this early since there will be no shade once you get on the crater. Restroom will be at the end of trail loop by Thurnston Lava Cave. Bring water and snacks and rain coat. It is a 2-3hr hike with plenty of photo opportunities.

After a drop down, the trail, marked by rock cairns, goes right across the old caldera. Very interesting seeing the vents and piled up lava. A walking stick would provide a little extra balance for those worried about their footing.

We did several different walks there and each has its own cool atmosphere and sightings. The trail of devastation lets you look over the caldera of an older outbreak and to walk through the lava tubes is very cool too. It’s amazing to see the list vegetation around the lava tubes.

Our family hiked the Kilauea Iki Trail and we were not disappointed. The trail is in Volcano's National Park and it is about 4 miles long taking 2 to 3 plus hours as it is listed a moderate to challenging. It descends about 400 feet down into the Kilauea Iki crater (we descended using the clockwise stair side of the trail, walking a well marked trail with lots of tree roots, rocks and some handrails. Once you get to the bottom you have to go over some rough broken lava walk all the way across the lava of the crater where it erupted in 1959 an awesome experience you can still see some stream and areas where the lava is warm under your feet. The surface of the crater is fairly flat with some broken lava and places where you have to be careful walking. Once you get to other side you have to once again cross some areas of broken lava with some climbing. I was glad to have my family with me as I had a few times where I need assistance to climb over some of the places on the trail. I have Parkinson's and am almost 70 years old. My wonderful family was a real blessing and provided lost of encouragement along the way. Then you have to ascend the 400 feet on the opposite side of the crater and on this side you have multiple switchbacks which required me to have a few rest stops along the way. Take water with you as it may be hot on the crater and the trail is not easy but well worth it. I was blessed to have my entire family with me and we did it together! One of the highlights of our week on the Big Island!

This hike takes you around the rim and down and across the crater before bringing you back up the other side. You'll see beautiful forest, scenic views, hardened lava lakes and active steam vents. Wear good hiking shoes, bring water and snacks and be prepared for temperature and weather changes.

We didn't get to do the trail because of lack of time but my husband & I went down into the crater which is part of the trail. We both loved the experience. If we ever get back to the Big Island we hope to do the whole trail. But just being in the crater was amazing.

Our family loved the hike down to the Kīlauea Caladera. The trail had just reopened the moth prior to our arrival, so only 2/3 of the trail was open. But having never been there before, I would say it was amazing. The trail is dappled in shade from the trees, making it a relaxing and comfortable moderate hike. Once you get onto the hard lava base, it’s pretty hot from the radiant heat. Make sure to bring plenty of water. Don’t forget a camera, as the views are fantastic. It’s a great hike for families.

This is one of the most interesting and unique trails I've ever hiked. Walking across the solidified lava lake at the bottom of the crater is fascinating. It's a.steep climb down 400 feet into the crater (and 400 back up at the end), but the experience is very much worth it. One.of the best short.hikes I've ever done!

The Kilauea Iki Trail was as impressive as I had hoped. You’ll start at the trail head and have 2 choices: down through the rain forest to the volcano floor or along the rim. Going down the volcano side, through the rain forest, is a bit of a trek. It’s somewhat steep and nothing is level – it’s all down: when going down and it’s all up: when going up. On this morning it was cool, but I can see it turning hot – bring water! The forest had a calming effect for the hike and every once in a while, there was a view. Along the rim, there a fair amount of vista views – the trail was relatively flat, but I’d still wear good hiking shoes. Check out my pic of the caution sign. Also I have a pic of my foot alongside of a steep edge of the trail – no railings here.

At the bottom of the volcano, see my pics. it was like being on the moon: desolate and eerily quiet. In one my pics, you can see the trail beyond my hat.

This is an interesting and diverse trail that you won’t find in many places.

The wonderful thing about this trail is that you can see the contrast. You start in a rain forest full of ferns and trees and flowers and if you take the whole trail end on the bottom of Kilauea Iki and the floor of the crater with the lava and ash. The contrast is incredible. If you just walk the rain forest you can see down into the crater. We walked to the split where you can head to Volcano House or start down. It was .7 miles to there which is about half the trail and then walked back. It was too hot to go walk on the barren landscape of the crater.

Great hike that's not too strenuous. You'll see a spectrum of terrain from jungle to lava field which is incredible. We completed the whole loop in about 1.5 hours with plenty of breaks. Go counter clockwise and stop at the thorston lava tube when you have climbed back up from the crater. Go early in the morning (we went around 8am) the heat and sun are much more bearable and we were the only ones on the trail.

The rim road and trails around the volcano were closed due to gases and road damage. Devastation Road was open about 1.7 miles. No active lava anywhere on the island or any of the others. Cool if you like a big crater with some steam vents. Go to Yellowstone for that its much more dramatic! A lot of black lava rock! Kona is tough on beach activity but great for long drives and hikes!

This is a great hike. We've done it in the morning. Quite a bit of up and down, but completely worth it. The walk through the crater is amazing! Lots of vents and lunar lanscape!

We set off at 7am(sunrise). Not another car in the lot surprisingly. The loop with kids, 7 and 10, with several stops took us 2 hours. Best counter-clockwise as the park recommends and also take a walk through the lava cave.

Very fun landscape walking in the crater.

As of 20th of September 2019, the entire round trip trail (around 4 miles total) is now open to the public after being partially closed since mid 2018. It's a great hike which descends from the parking lot (from where you get picturesque views of the crater) through lush rainforest vegetation to the crater floor. There are thermal fissures that you can check out as you walk along the trail across the crater. The ranger at the visitor center told me that this was the most popular hike in the HVNP and, after doing the hike, it's easy to see why!

We had arrived at the park and to be honest, the thought of where to start was completely overwhelming. We stepped inside the visitor center and heard them announce the crater hike. It sounded so amazing, I knew I wanted to do it. I hadn't realized the extent of the hike, but it was a wonderful experience. A 4 mile hike through rough terrain and rainforest to get to the crater floor. It was unlike anything I had ever done. Our guide, John from Philly, was the best. He was friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and very funny. He made everything enjoyable. My 73 year old mom came along on the hike and she completed it with a cane and bad hips. It wasn't easy, but it sure was memorable and something we will never forget! Highly recommend.

Kilauea Iki Trail was the hike recommended by the visitor center at Volcanoes National Park. The hike takes you through dense forest, down into the frozen lava lake, then back up through the forest where it meets back at the top. Once you meet the other parking lot, you can add the Thurston Lava Tubes across the street, then go back to the trail where it meets the parking lot where you started.

You can journey one of two ways, but we found going counterclockwise to be the most fulfilling (i.e. follow the trail markers in sequence 1, 2, 3… etc.). There are good views going down to the valley for picture-taking and coming up you can focus on hiking back as by then you will be tired. It goes without saying that it is smart to wear sunscreen/coveralls even though it will be more cloudy than sunny there. Also ensure you have good walking/hiking shoes as the trails are looked after but the terrain is rocky especially at the base. The terrain is doable with flip-flops and sandals but wont be enjoyable! The hike is over 3 miles on moderate terrain but with an elevation loss and regain of 600 feet, meaning you go down then back up.

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Gorgeous 4 mile walk around and through a crater! Was pretty easy and doable for all ages, we went early in the morning before the sun was at its peak so it was pretty cool and also not crowded. Was a tiring walk but mostly flat or stairs so not very strenuous. Definitely recommend!

The view from the start of this hike is fantastic. Don't miss it, even if you don't have time to do the trail. The lava tubes will give you plenty of foliage to see and a much shorter hike if you want. The visitor center will provide excellent view of the active crater.

This 4 mile loop hike goes from rainforest down to crater floor and back up again through amazing views. The up and downhill sections can be a little challenging, especially over lava rock sections, but it’s well worth the effort. Great hike!

Kilauea Iki trail is one you don't want to miss. You'll hike right though the crater, and even see vents that steam. The hike is not terribly hard, but you will want some sturdy shoes. All that lava soaks up the sunshine, and makes it warmer than you'd expect even on a breezy day like we had. Before you reach the crater, you will be hiking though the fern forest...it's like hiking though a storybook illustration.

Everything said about HVNP and this trail is absolutely true. Incredible landscape. A must do hike. For the average person who does not exercise, this is going to be a moderate hike. By the time we walked across the crater and started the ascent back up, my elderly parents (age 75 and 80) had a difficult time ascending the steep steps and required some assistance, but they both managed to finish this hike. We took around 4 hours. I would do this hike again!

Located on the Big Island, near Mt. Kilauea, is this hiking trail. Make sure you are well hydrated and have head covering for the 45 minute hike across the lava trail. Definitely not a hike for those with mobility problems or for small children. Wear hiking shoes. Take you time as you meander across the lava bed and observe the plants beginning to grow through the lava flow.

Unique place to visit, highly recommend the Kilauea Iki trail which takes you across the Kilauea Iki Crater floor. Not an easy walk (steep descent and climb with lots of stairs etc) but amazing views.

This is an easy walk along one side of the crater that offers amazing views of steam vents and the crater. Incredible to see and well worth the short hike from the parking lot.

I’m not one who really likes to hike, but after a day of flora and fauna I decided I’d give it another chance. Surprisingly, I loved it! So glad I took lots of pictures. I think I’ll give it another chance! Nice to know it’s reopened, a must do for those who are ready to take charge!

We drove the crater rim drive and stopped here to do a little hiking. Very cool with lots of things to see. Got plenty of pictures for the collection.

It was nice and mostly shaded to hike into and out of the volcano. The hike is listed as about 4 miles and only a bit strenuous hiking back up. The ground is very uneven and sharp or muddy in places so I recommend wearing sturdy, supportive shoes. Lucky for us the weather was not overly hot. The surface of the cooled lava lake was very interesting! I recommend purchasing the $2 guide book which tells about interesting things at the different markers along the way. I got mine from the Jagger museum, and you might find some at the trailhead.

A hike unlike any other I've done. It was hard to wrap our heads around the scale of the lava floor...and the trail goes across only a tiny part of the entire crater! The hikes down to the floor and back up pose only mild difficulty. Where the trail isn't obvious, it's well-marked with rock cairns. It looks barren in photos, but in person we found the landscape uniquely beautiful. The hike took about 2.5 hours; we finished around 11 AM and were glad to be done as it had gotten pretty hot by then.

An awesome hike!! Views are incredible from the top of the rim and all the way down to the crater. Sunny days are the most beautiful, but even if rainy, it is a great hike. Take plenty of water and some snacks. Also, just take your time to enjoy the rain forested areas as well as the lava areas. Take the hike counter-clockwise, as it is somewhat easier. We do this hike every time we are in Volcano NP!

Can be muddy in places, walking sticks are a plus. Be prepared, take water and wear shoes, and remember it’s hotter as you decend.

Something else we wished we made more time for! The short time we walked it was absolutely beautiful

Well-worth your time and energy. You won't want to miss this hike. I said it in another review, but the vegetation is incredible, and you'll feel small in the best way on this hike. Pretty easy hike, too.

Well worth to stop in the signed parking lot to take a short hike to see the large empty crater below. We even saw people walking across the floor of this crater

I did this hike with my husband last Saturday and it was awesome! We have hiked many of the trails on Oahu, but have never experienced anything quite like this! The hike is about a 4(ish) miles of terrain which ranges from going downhill, across a flat surface, and then working your way back up hill to complete the loop. It took us about 2 hours to complete, but we took our time taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. There is parking at the top of the loop trail which is free once you're in the actual park. Make sure you bring water, sunscreen, and maybe a hat to protect yourself from getting burnt. They day we went was beautiful, but the weather can change from sunny to rainy in an instant, so a poncho wouldn't hurt either. There is lots more to see and explore in this park, we made a whole day out of it!

Hike down (400 feet elevation gain) is all lush and green. Once at the bottom, you hike across the caldera, barren like the moon. Quite a contrast. So Fun! My wife hiked with me - she has full knee replacements on both knees, the second put in six months ago. We went slow, (2.75 hours round-trip), and she had no problems whatsoever. As others have stated, it is a there and back hike, wish it had been a loop (since we have to cross the caldera twice right now). But it was a lot of fun!!!

The experience is worthwhile but from Kona it is a 2 hour drive + return.
I recommend combining it with some other activity in the area because although it's nice I don't know if it's worth all the journey.

We loved hiking this trail just like everyone else- it took 2 hours. Recommend closed toed, good traction shoes. Extra layers for wind and rain. Water and snacks. Go slow!! Get a trail guide available at the trail head it's $2 (honor system) and has interesting info. You feel like you are on another planet when you walk across the crater! Rocks are sharp on the descent and some steps steep and hard on the knees!

What a great hike, i recommend going toward the end of the day and ending up at the crater viewing station for the sunset and glow of the Volcano. The whole park is pretty amazing so take a few days to explore.

If you want to do an easy version, head to the left which takes you through the jungle down into the crater (the shortest way to the bottom). When you arrive at the crater floor (maybe 30 mins?) you can take some photos and then head back up (another 30 mins, fairly steep but not horrible). This is much easier than the actual loop trail which involves walking around the rim and across the rocks. We enjoyed it, but remember to bring water. If you park at the Lava Tube this makes the trail even shorter - although the signs indicate that it is 30 min limited parking, so on a busier day you may not be able to park there. I waited for husband to grab the car from the main parking lot and pick me up at the Lava Tube on the way back. The tube is another short and fun little adventure.

No bathrooms or places to pee, be warned!

The Kilauea Iki trail in Volcanoes National Park is a fantastic walk through gorgeous forest areas and across the iki calderra. Took us about 2 hours to complete the walk. Starting from the Kilauea iki trail car park, we went clockwise down a zigzag trail through the forest, then crossed the open calderra. This was very interesting with the lava formations and plant life. We then climbed out at the other end, lots of steps followed by another walk around the rim through shady forest. Definitely one of the best things to do at the park.

Great mix of rain forest and volcanic geology. Highlight is the walk across the crater floor. Thurston Lava Tube can be added at the end. Lots of birds along the way. You descend into crater and have to walk uphill to get out but not a difficult hike. On the crater floor you can walk up to steam vents beside the trail and feel the heat below (carefully!).
Can also combine with other hikes into a day-long trip.

The hike is not hard, it is best done with water and some snacks. This is the best way to see the crater unless it’s too hot. Lot of folks on the trail.

As of Sept 30th, 2019, whole trail is open.
FOOD/DRINKS: None available near trail.
RESTROOMS: in parking lot. Restrooms easy to find: yes. No restrooms on trail.
COST: $25 to enter National park per car.
PARKING: Good amount of free parking.
WORTH IT: YES!
LENGTH OF TIME spent here: Total time hike 1 hr, 40 mins.
Perfect time of day to go: The earlier the better. Does get hot on wide open crater area with no shade.
For Kids/Couples: Wouldn’t recommend for small children. They would get bored from a long hike.
WALKING/STAIRS: Easy to moderate uphill hiking. Ground uneven the entire hike. Watch your step.
BRING: Plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, sneakers, camera.

We have done this trail multiple times in all sorts of weather. The best is a cloudy day. If the sun is out the bottom of the caldera becomes an oven. Today it was just nasty! Misty rain with gusts blowing sideways. Even then it is an awesome trail.

Be sure to go in a counter clockwise direction - away from Thurston Lava Tube. If you go towards Thurston from the parking lot you will have a gradual decent into the bottom of the crater but your climb out will be a "stair stepper" workout. Going counter clockwise you have the great views along the ridge to start, the steep decent is a knee buster but easier going down, and you start the bottom of the caldera at the most dramatic point -- the Pu'u Pua'i cinder cone. The marked trail sort of side swipes the vent of Pu'u Pua'i, but I prefer to take walk into the maw and then over the broken body of the beast! It really doubles down on the feeling of the power of the event.
And, in the rain, the steam vents are much more active and worth stepping off trail to visit. And I am always blown away by the life growing on the barren lava - tough little ferns and beautiful 'Ohi'a lehua blossoms sprouting from every crack!
The Trail Guide is well worth the two bucks - though by the end it will be a soggy mess in the rain.

Our family of 5 (youngest was 4) did this trail in a couple of hours. Highly recommend doing this first thing in AM and driving/parking at overlook. Then hike the 1/2 mile to the lava tubes. After Lava tubes, start your journey through the shady trail down to abyss “crater/desolate land.” Its a little tricky at times to see the trail in lava land but doable. There’s some uphill climb either way to get yourself out of the crater. You’ll encounter people going either way. We preferred this route. Took the 1.1 miles or so back to our parking at overlook after the crater. Definitely wear comfortable shoes and bring water. If not in early morning, you need sunscreen.

A hike that shouldn’t be missed. Go early to get a parking space. We went counter clockwise which is the best direction. Don’t miss the Lava Tube at the rim. You can also park at the Visitor Center which adds some flat length.

400 ft vertical elevation change and uneven surfaces makes it a moderate hike. Lots of families so it is not hard if you are in fair shape. Rain forest at the top and desert at the bottom so wear layers. The National Park is chilly most of the time at the rim. Bring water for the hike.

Very informative National Park with much information about volcanoes and their impact on Hawaii. Lots of places to hike

On the big island this is the one for me so far. Greatview as you walk along both of the crater below and the Halema‘uma‘u crater in the background smoking away. And thenyou get to descend and walk across the crater floor quite the weird landscape me humming The Rite of Spring the whole way. Dont forget your water pretty dry and warm on the bottom

The Iki trail is easily one of my favorite hikes on the island. It's a 4 mile loop that takes you through the rainforest and across an old dried up lava lake inside the Volcano National Park. Unfortunately beginning of May, the Park has been closed due to the activity happening south of Hilo. If you want other recommendations on great hikes feel free to email me. Email address is on my page.

If you do just one hike in the park, do this one because it has it all. Great forest trip, walk across the lava crater, and there is a lava tube to walk through in the middle.

But didn’t go across the entire crater, only down and then back up . Breathtaking . My teens were in awe.

This is something that wasn’t on our to do list. We read lots of things we should do and must say this was one of our favorite. Walking through the crater of this volcanic eruption was amazing. Well with the 3.8 mile hike. Views you can’t see from above.

What a great - and easy - hike! Takes about 1,5hrs at easy pace, maybe 2hrs if you’re on the way with children or taking lots of pictures;) You can go both ways, starting left or right, though we preferred the left entrance (or eastern, as seen from the parking at Iki Trail) due to its faster - but of course steeper - way back up to the rim on the right side (west). After about 1km (felt, signs say about 1,8km) you reach the floor of the crater and follow a path thru to the other edge. Great picturesque scenery and definitely a hike to explore nature’s forces. Take some water and a hat (sun is burning in this pan shaped crater) and otherwise simply be captured by this breathtaking landscape!

This is a beautiful hike with gorgeous views that are next to impossible to capture in photos. Part of the hike is through forest and nice to do when it is very hot. Part - about a mile is through the bottom of a crater and did not feel hot at 15:00 due to quite strong winds.
Make sure you use sunscreen. The hike is not difficult at all if you are physically fit. If I had a running buddy I would have run at least part of it. In fact, my husband and I saw a young couple running it.

Really unique experience and to us one of our favorite things we did in our two weeks on the Big Island.

It took us a bit over 2 hours to do the whole thing. Make sure to bring water.

Well worth the time if you have it.

We did about half this trail before turning back to allow time for other things. The way down to the crater floor isn't bad at all. The trek back up is more difficult as the hills are steep but still doable. The views are worth it and full of things you won't see anywhere else. We both loved it.

The reviews are all correct - this is the one hike to do for sure on the island. If you are coming from Kona it is a long (about 2 hour ) drive, and so we left around 7:30 and I would recommend leaving this early for two reasons. When we got to the trail head there was lots of parking, although we were not even close to the first at the trail. We took two hours to hike the trail going at a moderate pace and taking lots of pictures over the four mile hike. When we arrived back at the parking lot it was full with lots of people circling trying to find a space - so early is better. Also if it is sunny it can get really hot crossing the crater surface, so again early is better. Other than the part going down to and up from the crater, an easy hike with good shoes.

The trail is a great opportunity to see the crater from different vantages points including up close and personal. The hike down from was as fine and the views from the crater floor simply amazing. The contours of the lava fields are appreciated when close to them see the sheer size.

Suggest bringing sufficient water and snacks and be ready for sun, clouds, wind and some rain. Arguably the descent from the parking lot is easier relative to circling crater and descending from the west side.

Overall a fabulous experience.

Most trails and driveways were closed at the time of visit but it was still very much worthy to go around the publicly open areas to see multiple craters from different perspectives. In one area there was plenty of Pele's Hair all over the road and side paths (ie. volcanic glass fibers).

There are 2 parking lots and we parked at the first one. The Lava Tube was .5 of a mile away. We followed the numbers in order through the rainforest, past the plants that looked like giant fiddleheads. The trail is very well marked. We descended the steps to the lava and there are several benches on that descent for a rest. It is a bit of a surreal experience walking across the lava between the cairns that mark the path. We marvelled at the few plants that survived in the lava. There are some steam vents along the way and the different lava formations amazed us. The trail going back up is mainly a switchback trail with very few stairs. At the top, you can cross the road to the Lava Tube or go left and take the trail back to the first parking lot which is .5 of a mile away and an easy walk. We did this 4 mile hike in under 2 hours. Wear good shoes, a hat and take some water!

We were fortunate the park had just reopened to a limited degree. The trails are interesting, and perhaps get a little boring after the initial spookiness wears off.

A beautiful walk through this desolate crater, amid steam vents, very safe. The walk around the crater is also great with beautiful views.

We loved this hike! Recommended path is to begin at the parking lot and go *counter* clockwise (away from the Lava Tube tunnel), because the up at the end of the crater will be easier. It is pretty amazing to walk across a crater. Take plenty of water. The earlier you go, the better the weather is likely to be and the fewer people you will encounter (we began around 7:45am).

I would hesitate to take small kids on the hike unless they have a lot of experience--it is easy down but definitely a challenge to walk all the way across and go back up.

Bring hiking shoes but the hike is moderate to easy and took us about an hour. Please keep in mind we are fast walkers who are fit but we passed people of all ages and fitness levels on this hike. We loved it!

This is a must-do in Hawaii Volcano National Park. It’s as close to what I imagine walking on Mars, or the moon, would look like. Hiking boots would be best, but tennis shoes will do. Definitely start in the west, rather than the east, as the west side is quite steep and rocky. Going up those rocks and huge steps will definitely be harder than going down them. Also recommend starting early in the day, as the sun can be quite brutal across the crater. We started at 7:45, finished at 9:45. Very rewarding hike.

Before deciding to descend down the crater, be aware that you can see stunning views of it from the Volcano House restaurant. If you decide to make the hike, it will be about 5 total miles to descend, cross the crater, and ascend up the other side. The terrain is very uneven and you will have to walk over jagged rocks. However, despite being exhausted we can all claim to have walked across a volcano crater.

Of all the things we saw at the park, this was the best. The sulphur trail was interesting as was the steam vents. However, descending into the crater was the highlight.

Amazing trail! Didn’t have the time to do the entire 4 miles hike, so I took the shorter trail with the overlook viewpoints to the crater. It was around half a mile at most. Still worth it for the amazing views, but next time, I would love to walk to the crater

This hike is stunning! From the lush rainforest along the rim down into the crater, and then across the surreal landscape of hardened lava rock, to the fairly steep ascend back to the rim, the sense of Pele's powerful presence is all around.
Going counter-clockwise seems to be the better direction to go, but either way you're in for an unforgettable experience.

A must do during your trip to volcanoes national park! It was so cool to be able to hike down to the crater and walk on it. Not a difficult hike.

Probably the best hikes we took in Volcanos National Park. It is a fairly steep hike down but actually not too bad. Once you are down in the crater, it's like another world! Definitely worth the time.

Great hike! Definitely stop by the visitor center in the park first to purchase teh $2 guide book for this trail. It is filled with neat information and facts that you read as you stop at markers along the hike. It made the hike and the crate so much more interesting for our family and the stops helped keep our kids excited to hike. Make sure to bring enough water. It is cool in the forest as you climb down into and out of the crater, but the hike in the crate can be very hot on a sunny day.

This trail is a good length and provides a chance for a rain forest and crater experience. It involves some ascent but not extreme.

My family and I had a great time hiking this trail. It was fairly easy and pretty well marked. There great views of the crater and you go down into it. Along the way up and down there is lush vegetation on either side.

Husband and I have done this hike at least 3 times during our various trips to the Park. If hot out, need sunscreen and water. Great hike and you will get some decent exercise going down and coming back up.

Around 6-7km, it took us just over 2 hours (recommended time is 2-3 hours). Parking is a little difficult but with patience, spots will open up.

We absolutely loved the hike. Start from the right side of the parking lot is a better/easier hike than starting from the middle. We did the loop and descended from the rainforest down to the crater and were just blown away. Not as strenuous as it looks - just take care! We didn’t even have proper sneakers or hiking boots on!

This one I would rate as mid level only because of the rocky terrain and the elevation change. My grand son did it but he is quite the little hiker for a 3 year old and managed to do most of it without being carried but had to have his hand held during the rocky parts. He did get a couple little raspberries from falling anyway.

This trail is incredible. Maybe we missed the signposts but ended up doing the loop in reverse (steepest climb at the end) but it was fine for 4 fairly fit people. The scenery is mind blowing, at times I wouldn't have been surprised if a dinosaur wandered out of the forest. If you do one trail make it this one!

We loved this hike! It starts in a dense jungle filled with tall trees, sounds of birds, and ferns everywhere. The trail starts on the rim overlooking the crater, and then descends down slowly to the open crater. We arrived early (started around 8:15am) and were glad we did! There were only a couple other people on the trail, so we had most of the hike to ourselves. We are pretty fit, so the hike only took us about an hour and 15 minutes, but for others, 2-3 hours is probably more realistic, as the hike back up at the end is a bit tough. Be sure to bring your camera - the place is otherworldly! Tip - the hike ends at Thurston lava tube, and you have to finish the loop back on the trail to the lookout to return to the parking lot. Also, we saw several people wearing flip flops - this is not advisable. Wear sandals like Keens that cover your feet, tennis shoes, or hiking boots.

This trail shouldn't be missed. Although not an easy trail, the moderate difficulty hike rewards with a spectacular range of views as well as insights into the many forms of lava and life that result from a volcanic eruption. Be sure to pick up a copy of the trail guide which is keyed to informative trail markers along the hike. The guides are normally available at the trail head however the day we hiked the guide box was locked. Fortunately the corner of a guide was sticking out and I was able to get a copy.

This easy hike takes you from lush tropical forest to a barren crater floor and back. There's a little scrambling, and hiking boots were nice, but the total change in elevation is modest and none of the hike was tricky. There are handy rails protecting you from falling into the abyss. Taking the trail counter-clockwise is easier on the knees. Lots of great views and vistas en route. We started very early in the morning, which was an excellent time as the black floor of the crater gets very hot in the sun.

This hike was at the top of my list after reading reviews. The descent to the lava lake and the first little bit are worth it to see, but without the forested part of the trail completing the loop, it's really just hot and rocky. Would recommend hiking for biking the closed portion of Crater Rim Drive or the Crater Rim Trail down into the Kilauea crater instead to see lava up close.

This was quite the trek both down and back up but it is definitely worth it!! Wear good shoes and expect to get dirty!

Ever wanted to go to the moon. Well, this is pretty darn close. So much to explore on this island and the volcano area is amazing

Walking through the crater was beyond cool. It's is 1 mile long of steaming lava rock. Great hike with my kids! It felt like a huge adventure to them.

Long, tiresome, a bit hot at times. And an experience we wouldn't have missed for anything. Not for those who have been couch potatoes, this is a bit more strenuous than described by others--but worth taking your time and just enjoying the experience. We loved it!!

I hiked this trail with my older girls 15 and 12. The stairs were steep! I recommend starting at the trail head not by the lava tube. That way you do the hardest part first. We went early in the day to avoid the heat walking across the lava field. Lots of picturesque spots along the way.

Currently, you can only hike half the trail (in reverse order) but the NPS hopes to have completely open soon. The trail now starts downhill through the lush vegetation and then ends on the crater floor. (You used to be able to complete a loop up the other side of the crater). Relatively easy as long as you can handle a moderate vertical climb--good for kids and families too

We visit Kilauea just 1month before it erupted. I remember when I was standing there and took a selfie with my wife - it was an unforgettable moment.

Confessions: We did not hike the whole trail and probably missed the best parts but the lush greens we walked through were worth it. Be prepared with good shoes and plenty of water.

I did this trail twice while visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and it was one of my highlights of the trip. The first time I went solo and started a little before 6:30 am. This was a great time to go as there was plenty of parking at the trailhead and the sun wasn’t over the trees yet so the weather was great. The trails surrounding the crater are like a very thick rainforest so they are very shaded. The crater floor has no shade at all so be prepared with sunscreen and plenty of water. It also seemed like the steam vents were more active in the morning which gave it a cool look.

The second time I went with my family around 10 am and it was much more crowded. We parked at the trailhead and stopped at the lava tube before descending into the crater. Overall the hike is fairly moderate but whatever route you take coming out of the crater floor is challenging. The trail by the lava tube has gradual switchbacks while the trail closer to the Byron Ledge has more stairs. The round trip route we took was about 4 miles and was great. But even if you just went down and did some of the crater floor it would absolutely be worth it.

This is the first crater you come to on the chain of craters drive. Amazing view of a huge volcano crater.

Very cool trail. We’re beginner hikers in good shape. We really enjoyed the hike. Easy to follow the trail through the crater. However, we didn’t realize we wouldn’t exit the trail by our car. We came out by Thurston Lava Tube. That was cool to explore. Then we continued walking a half mile down the road and found our car. Thankfully. We weren’t sure if we were heading in the correct direction. Later, I read (I forget where) there’s another hike through the rain forest to the parking lot, that we must’ve missed. Make sure you know where you park.

This easy hike suit every one. Make sure you wear a hiking shoes sunglasses and a hat since you walk most of the hike on hard lava and under the sun. You can see some fume still coming from cheminy

We successfully followed the counter clockwise recommendation of others but it would have been just fine to go clockwise. Around 4 mile hike with definitive descent and ascent elements along with hike on crater base. Easy to access from lava tube. Lava tube parking lot usually quite busy so park at trailhead parking lot.

People were down inside this place walking around but that was just a little to freaky for us. We just looked though our binocular at them.

This was our favorite hike on the Big Island. And, it was an honor to be permitted down onto the crater floor and hike across. It's size and majesty was breath-taking! To see, feel and experience the varieties of hardened lava under our shoes and view young plant growth while walking across the crater was an amazing science experience for 'kids' of all ages! The hike back up the crater side was challenging (tiring) but well worth the experience.

This is the best hike in the park - not to be missed. As discussed by many, go counter clockwise and bring lots of water and sunblock.

The Iki Crater is the remnant of a huge eruption in 1959. The relatively flat plain across which you hike is a still cooling lava lake. (Wikipedia has an informative article but Tripadvisor does not allow embedded links in its reviews.) For unclear reasons, most people walk straight across the crater floor like a line of ants; there is much to see off this path. Looking forward to the park service rebuilding the descending and ascending paths destroyed by the thousands of earthquakes during last year's eruption.

It's a moderate hike. Carry plenty of water and snack as it does it tiring towrds the end. The trail is covered with tall trees for the most part so plenty of shade. Last patch is walking across the volcanic crater which is really cool!

This was amazing - you hike down and then across the Iki crater, getting a unique perspective. Hike does have some strenuous parts, but overall not too bad and a lot of fun!!

The weather changes rapidly up here so best to bring a light rain jacket/wind breaker in case you do need it. We ended up being fine but there were a couple areas where we got soaked. Try not to walk off the trail on the lava crater portion as it can be steaming hot - not in a good way at times.

This hike is absolutely amazing and gorgeous. The crater level is pretty even, but still watch your footing. The hike down into the crater and up from are a little steep, but manageable. The views into the crater are fabulous and everyone below seemed so tiny from above. I would do this hike again, and again!

This walk is amazing and really fun if you handle it right. Kilauea Iki is best done in the early am before the rock heats up and the trail gets too crowded. Unless your mobility is significantly compromised, most people can do this one if it is cool enough. Just remember to hike Kilauea Iki COUNTERCLOCKWISE and wear sneakers or boots for the uneven crater surface. Whichever Iki parking lot you park in, head to the right along the crater rim and take the steeper stair portion down to the crater surface. Then you can walk fully across the crater, taking your time, and do the much easier switchback side of the trail on the way back. You can thank me later. Good hiking to you!

This was one of our favorite hikes we did while exploring Volcano National Park. It’s amazing to be able to hike down to the crater and walk across it. I recommend starting on the right side of the trail and going counter clockwise, we didn’t do this and it made it much harder to follow the markers on the crater. This is a 4 mile loop trail. We wore tennis shoes which were just fine for us but make sure you take plenty of water. I would also recommend going earlier in the day to avoid the heat as the crater part of the trail has no shade, but you do hike through the rainforest to get down and then again to come back up. This is a must hike while visiting the park!

We did not do the whole trail , you need to be adventurous and have good shoes , but what we saw fascinated me. You can see what the lava destroyed and what nature has started to rebuild itself.

I hiked this trail last December with my two young adult sons. I know that the National Park has recently reopened, and I hope that this trail is still available for those who enjoy hiking. The trail is about four-mile round trip hike with the first half taking you on the edge of the old crater rim through the forest. The second half of the hike takes you straight across the dormant crater through the remnants of the 1959 eruption. It is an amazing journey, as you get a close and personal look at the power of a volcano. Make sure you take plenty of water because the walk through the lava field has no shade and can get hot in the afternoon. Good shoes are a must, and maybe a light jacket just in case it start raining along the way. If this hike, or anything near it is available, then you should give it a shot. If you can walk four miles without much effort, then I would rank this as a moderate hike, due to the fact that there is little elevation along the trail. Check with the National Park to see if it is open for business, and happy trails.

This short one way hike across the caldera is remarkable! Within a few yards we hiked through the desert (looked liked we were on another planet), then the rainforest, then the clear view across the calderas and volcanoes since there was no vog. An amazing, unusual time.

Wow!!! This was a stunning hike in and out! Walking through all of the trees and then walking on the "old volcano" bottom was an awesome adventure! Loved it!

Wear your good hiking shoes or boots, a wide brimmed hat, and sunscreen and you'll be set to do one of the most amazing hikes ever. From the trailhead at the overlook, be sure to go counter clockwise as the switchbacks on the other side are less steep for going uphill. You'll start in a lush green forest and trek through a lava moonscape! We paid the two bucks for the trail guide in the visitor center and it was really worth it to hear about the history of how the lava "lake" was formed. Get there early to get a parking spot and to beat the heat. It's about 4 miles round trip on the loop, and it took us (me, my husband and 6 yo son) about 2.5 hours to do. One note: you may think you're at the end when you come to a parking lot but it's the lot for the Thurston lava tube and the overlook lot is another half mile up. We congratulated ourselves too soon, ha! Definitely a challenging hike, not good for the super young or super old. It was really windy when we did it so literally, hold onto your hats:)

Booked the hike via our cruise ship but actually provided by Arnott's. Our guide was Tia who took our small group via minibus to the National Park and trailhead. The weather was a bit miserable but ponchos were provided and rain soon forgotten as we descended into the crater. The path is marked but you are still in a crater with steam vents and hot ground to the touch and no tourist crowds. The climb out provided great views of where we had crossed the crater and brought us to the parking and toilets by the Thurston Lava Tube which is very touristy with lots of bus parties but still an interesting experience. Tia had collected the bus and we went to the Jaggar Museum for a light lunch and to watch the lava blowing up out of the adjacent Caldera. After lunch we went to the Kahuna and Akaka Falls which involved a circular walk through rain forest with so many wonderful flowers. All in all a great trip. Thank you to Tia and Arnotts. PS. Writing this some months after I look at the news of the eruptions in the East Rift Zone and are thankful we were able to do the trip when we did.

Enjoyed the trail and views. It was moderately difficult and takes about 2 hours to complete. Bring lots of water with you and a trail map will point out areas of interest along the trail.

This was a nice trail, not too difficult, except a few slippery, steep spots going down at the beginning. There were some nice views of the crater along the way and once on the floor of the crater, there were some little steam vents. The climb back up was not that bad since they had it graded well. We had fun as a family, but be sure you apply sunscreen since we all ended up getting a little sunburned. Also be sure to start the trail to the right of the parking area. We saw some people starting in the other direction (left side of parking lot) and passed by people coming up the way we went down and they must have had a difficult time with those very steep and slippery areas that we went down at the start.

Absolutely amazing hike!! There are several shorter hikes with great views, but the main hike makes a loop through the middle of a volcano crater. It’s stunning and such a neat experience. We went at around 3:30 pm and the light was perfect for photos. Such a terrific activity - great time and great memories!

This moderate hike gives you a chance to descend 400 feet thru wooded trails and then hike across a lava lake. Amazing geology, almost unworldly. Beautiful views all around.
Trail is well kept and easily marked.

This moderate route in Volcano National Park has a well-maintained trail that takes the hiker through the diverse landscape of Kilauea Iki, including walking across the lava bed floor. The views are spectacular and well-worth the effort. Before you go, be sure to either download the trail guide app, or obtain the Trail Guide located at the Trailhead or Visitor Center ($2) as there are various trail markers that describes the natural events of Kilauea Iki in the 1959 eruption. As always, bring water as there are parts of the trail that are exposed, and there is no water along the route. Before you go, do check at the Visitor Center or the Park Website regarding trail/road conditions as things, including weather, can change quickly (because, well, they have volcanoes there). Cellular network reception in the park was surprisingly good. Go early and avoid the crowds. We started hiking at 8AM and had most of the trail to ourselves. It was amazing.

Loved every minute of this hike! Family w/2 teens. Got an early start, wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, pack water, and sturdy shoes. I will say this is the only hike during our three weeks in HI when I didn’t wear my hiking sandals. I wore tennis shoes to avoid debris, but ended up with a couple of blisters instead. But I would do it all again!

This trail is amazing. Being inside the crater's unique landscape is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. The trail is 4 miles and we took the recommended counterclockwise route, the climb up the other side of the crater is easier with this approach. Be sure to check out the many overlooks for fantastic views of the crater floor. Some of the lava rock in the crater is tough to walk on so be sure to wear decent shoes, not sandals or flip flops. Walking down through the misty rainforest was refreshing, but the temperature in the crater is much warmer and there is no shade so be sure to pack ample water, sunscreen, and a hat. Also, the weather in Volcano National Park can change rapidly and a raincoat is a must. Happy hiking!

If you’re coming to the park, this is a “can’t miss.” It is a workout for the leg muscles if you’re not used to that type of thing, but you can take breaks! It begins with a decent through the rainforest that is cool and shady and offers some amazing views of the crater below. When you get close to the crater, there are rock stairs going down with railings. Then you walk across the crater itself. Although it looks flat from above it is not at all. This part is very exposed—no shade. When you get the the other side and step back into the rainforest it’s like walking into an air conditioned place! Then you make your way back up. Again, it’s terraced, so not slippery or too steep. The whole walk took up about 2 hours.

This is definitely a moderate hike, it is not easy. You should be wearing appropriate shoes and have plenty of water with you. There were some spots that my husband had to help me b/c I am 5'1" and my legs can only go so far-LOL If you have any ankle or knee problems it will take you longer than you think b/c the hike is all uneven terrain.
With that being said, it was so worth it. It was magnificent!

Good views on the way down and up. Interesting to cross the crater once you are down. Not busy if you start really easy. We would do this again.

If you do just one hike in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park make it the Kilauea Iki Trail. You get an amazing combination of walking through lush, tropical rain forests and the stark physical beauty of the remnants of an incredible lava event from 1959. This is not an easy hike - your enjoyment will be greatly enhanced if you properly prepare, arrive at the right time and hike in the proper direction.

My tips are:
- arrive early. The parking lot at the trailhead is fairly large but will be full by 9:30am and later in the morning access will be shut off by park rangers. If there isn't a spot just wait for a few minutes - someone will leave.
- prepare. Bring water, sunscreen, hat, windbreaker (there is no shade on the crater floor and there's a good chance it will rain at some point) and proper footwear as lava remnants are sharp and the trail tough at times (don't wear flip flops like I saw several people doing!)
- hike counter clockwise. Enter the trail at the right corner of the main parking lot and follow the trail down into the crater. It is a much easier walk out of the crater this direction and it allows you to follow the numbered visit points in order. Download a PDF of the tour guide from the National Parks Service website - it will greatly enhance your visit.
- finishing the hike. When you emerge from the trail after ascending from the crater, you will end up in the parking lot for the Thurston Lava Tube. You must pick up the trail to your left to return back to the main parking lot. If you park in this lot, start the trail towards the main parking lot - don't go down into the crater at this point. You will thank me at the end of the trail!
- timing. We walked at a pretty good pace and stopped at most of the points of interest and it took us exactly two hours to do the hike.

We have done this hike several times. It is the hike we always suggest to friends visiting Hawaii Island. Great views of the old Kilauea Iki crater from above and even more interesting once on the crater floor. Takes between 2 and 3 hours depending on your pace. Be sure and pick up the brochure near where the hike begins. It is two dollars but a nice souvenir of your hike. Plus it will detail for you what the numbers along the hike indicate giving you an even better explanation of the eruption.

It is a fun hike through lush forest and ending up 400 some feet down on the floor of a caldera, with cracked lava and new plant life emerging. Our only beef was that a number of signs along the way and the brochure on day hikes given to us at the visitor center contradicted each other on the distance of the hike. I know things have changed with this and other hikes due to changed conditions and closure of some areas, but that didn't seem to be the cause of the discrepancy. No big deal and we still had a great time. A ranger at the Visitor Center gave a fantastic intro to the different hikes and another, out of uniform (off work?) we saw on the hike asked if we had any questions too.

You hike out along one rim of the crater and return by hiking through the crater. Amazing to think it was a 400 foot deep lake of lava less than 60 years ago.

It seems to me like all easily accessible hikes have their share of people on them in flip-flops carrying nothing but a camera. This hike, while still quite easy, should be properly prepared for by packing along some water, a couple snacks, a flashlight (always take one, just in case) and proper footwear. The hike itself is wonderful with great exposure to the hardened surface of the former lava lake and the volcanic vent. Highly recommended hike but please, be prepared.

Best walk in the park that we did. Walk across the lava lake was very nice. Challenging ascent and descent into the crater, as long as you are in reasonable shape you should be fine

We did this with a guide as a Pride of America excursion. Our guide was very informative and supplied our group with water, rain ponchos and walking sticks. We are in our 60's and even though in fairly good shape we wouldn't have wanted to do the ascent and descent without the sticks to help with balance. It drizzled when we were there and the sticks really came in handy in slippery areas. I'm 5"4 and some step areas were a little tricky because of my short legs but it all worked out.

Scenery is unforgettable and feels like you are walking back in time. Pictures don't do it justice because being there is so much better. Having never experienced being close to a volcano before it was thrilling. If we had gone by ourselves it certainly wouldn't have been as interesting as we learned so much about the history and biodiversity of this area from our guide. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but her husband is a helicopter pilot and she lives in the area so if you get her you'll be very lucky.

The only thing I would have liked would have been a port-a-potty at either side of the crater - from start to finish is a good hike and there is a forest on both sides but unfortunately too steep on our ascent to go off trail to use the woods- not impossible for men but for women a lot trickier. We ended at the washrooms so for this reason for me and other women it probably would have been better to start on the washroom side and end on the other side because the woods there are more accessible.

Definitely worth a visit but it is not for anyone who has difficulty walking and it isn't for young children as their legs aren't long enough for some of the step areas and they would probably find it too tiring. Having to carry young children would make the ascent and descent dangerous as in many areas there aren't handrails. Also the lava in the crater in some areas is very uneven and sharp so if anyone falls they could seriously hurt themselves.

This is an absolutely fantastic trail. We hiked on a misty, rainy day so everything seemed wet and a bit creepy. We started at the Kilauea Iki trailhead parking lot and hiked the trail counterclockwise (which is what I would suggest if you plan to do the entire loop). The first part of the trail is a beautiful, and mostly flat trail through the rain forest along the edge of the caldera. Periodically views open up and you can see the dried lava lake below. Then, at the far end of the crater, the trail drops down into the crater and you hike back across the dried lava lake. Amazing formations, cracks, upheavals, flowering plants, and vast flat smooth areas. Super cool. I've never experienced anything like it before. The trail then climbs out of the crater (a bit steep, but good trail) and back into the rain forest. We then followed the connector trail back to our car. About 3.5 miles total. I highly recommend this trail. It is definitely in the top ten of all the hikes I've done over the years.

We loved the idea of hiking through a crater, so this had been on our to-do list since before we arrived. And it was worth it!

The rainforest portion is where both the decline and incline back up is located - and is filled with absolutely beautiful plant life. We saw a pheasant at one point wandering on the trail. And the hike through the crater is other-worldly. There are some rough spots, but for the most part we had no issues. Be sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes!

The day we went it was lightly raining, which wasn't too bad when we started. We came prepared with rain jackets, but by the end of the 4 mile round trip hike, we were soaked. But, we still had a good time.

If you like hiking or exploring, this hike is a great choice!

Start early in the day, if only because parking is extremely limited at the Kilauea Iki Overlook. There are two ways to hike: clockwise, the more difficult direction which begins with an unpaved path, or counterclockwise, the easier direction which begins with going down steps. The descent to the crater floor is 400 feet... the ascent back to the parking area via the counterclockwise direction involves hiking switchbacks which is easier than climbing uneven, high, and steep steps if one has taken the clockwise direction. If in relatively decent shape, allow approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Elevation/altitude is about 4,000 feet. The interpretative map/guide is available for $2 at the park headquarters and is worthwhile. Pack a hat/cap, sunglasses, plenty of water and insect repellent.

With this hike you see both the tropical rain forest aspect and the dried lava landscape. You pass by steam vents as well as tropical orchids. It's a very worthwhile hike at VNP. Getting there early was helpful for us, as they told us it often clouds up and increased chance of rain later in day, and we found that to be true on our visit.

This is a great trail, not too hard or too long. We did the hike in the rain and it was beautiful. The walk across the crater floor is eerie and there are steam vents. There are pheasants that are used to being fed, so come right up to you. There are handrails and steps for the descent and climb. Go counter clockwise for an more gradual ascent out of the crater.

Easy stroll although the hike back up is sweaty. You'll find Pele's hair all over if you know what they look like.

Incredible walk! Birds and Tree Ferns every where. And you might get lucky to time the volcano eruptions in the distance.

This hike is very good and can be somewhat challenging depending on your fitness level. The first part of the hike is mostly level and very pretty. There's a ton of interesting flowers and scenic spots to take pictures. The hike down to the crater floor and back up can get hot and there's some uphill sections that you might need to take a break or two. It's definitely a neat area down on the crater floor and well worth the hike down to see it. I definitely recommend starting early,bringing plenty of water and a hat.

This trail is so well maintained. Makes the hike down and up very doable. There are so many stops along the way down that are picturesque. The lush plants and flowers are so perfect, they look fake in photos. So glad we went all the way down into the crater. There was a light mist and we got soaked but it was actually refreshing for the hike up. Felt like we were on another planet once we were in the crater. Walked as far as we could. There are signs that tell you to stop. Piles of rocks to keep you on somewhat of a path. Take your time and enjoy. We have never experienced something so magnificent!

This is a must!! So unique
You will never do a hike like this.
Get there early to beat the heat and the crowds.

The loop was closed on one end cause of activ lava but it was still an amazing trail which starts tropical and ends on the Crater. Look to heaven as we never saw clouds moving so fast. Every minute the weather changed from sunny, to rainy to windy but that doesn't matter cause this trail is fascinating at all.

We hiked here on 4/22/23. The loop was around 3.5 miles and the hike (counterclockwise) down to the crater floor was the hardest part. It's a excellent hike which we'd rate as moderate. We got the the parking lot, TH around 9 am and found plenty of parking spots. By 12 pm it was full. Hiking early is also cooler and there is less chance of getting rained on.

We thought hiking the trail counterclockwise was best, that way the hike up out of the crater was on the easier up hill part. We took about 3.5 hours to do the hike, including photos and a 20 min. snack break.

This was our favorite hike in the park.

Very well maintained trail worth getting on if you are in the area. It is usually somewhat crowded as volcano is a major tourist attraction.

A wonderful 4 mile roundtrip hike to the Kilaeua crater. Its mainly switchbacks going down but a fairly easy hike on a beautiful rainforest shady path. 1.3 miles to the crater floor and a .7 mile flat walk to the crater which is pretty cool. If you only have time for one hike when visiting the park this is it. The Thurston Lava tube entrance is across the road so only downside is the parking and there isn't a lot of it. Recommend coming earlier or waiting. Definitely worth seeing both.

Magical and humbling. This is one of the most varied (vegetation and terrain-wise) trail I've ever tried. We try to do this every visit.

Started at the Lava tube and decided to go clockwise (down over winding path). I personally think this was a good choice otherwise we'd be climbing up all the elevation at once at the end of the hike. Hike across the crater was like another planet. 3/4 across, the path split with no indication which was correct (apparently left path is correct). We went right and had to scramble to get back to path but it was doable. Clockwise allows you to spread out the climb over a longer period. Great hike, bring water!

I am glad we went to see the crater. It was neat seeing the sulphur holes and the amazing amount of steam that comes from the eruption point. It was disappointing as majority of the area is closed since the volcano erupted. I am even unsure as you walk on some of the sidewalks that are open as they are so close to the edge. However it was a way better deal to rent our own car, drive up, stay as long as we like then do a bunch of other things in the island. Doing a confined tour would have been really boring

Enjoyed this moderate hike, less people than the shorter hikes. Took us 1-1/2 hrs with the lava tube included. Make sure you watch the 20 min video at the visitor center before you do this hike. It really helps you understand just how amazing this area is.
At the trailhead there is a barcode you can scan with your phone to tell you about the hike as you go, so you don’t need to buy the map. :)

This is a moderate four mile hike. You'll descend through a lush rain forest to the floor of the crater, which once was a lake of lava. Carry water and go during the coolest part of the day. The crater landscape is extremely interesting and aha (stacked rocks) mark the trail guiding you across the crater floor.

Where does one get to walk on a field of cooled lava? The walk is an easy walk down a path to the fields of lava. Wear good shoes and take a walking stick if you have one. Follow the stacks of lava rocks to maneuver your way along the lava field.

We went in the afternoon when most tourists were headed out. after the last of the other visitors went past us headed back up we had the crater floor basically to ourselves. We brought our headlamps and hiked across the crater and up the other side where in the dark we could see the glow of the more active volcano in the distance which was really cool. We then traversed around the top of the crater and back to the trail head parking lot. Make sure and bring light and water. The hike up and out was moderate but you can't be a couch potato.

First off, if you go in numerical order, the descent into the crater is steeper and has several sets of carved rock stairs. The climb out on the other side (near station 15) is a switchback trail that is longer, but less steep.

We were lucky in that the weather was cool and overcast. I am sure a sunny day would bake hikers at the bottom.

We did this hike in just under 2 hours. It was amazing. If you're able-bodied, don't miss this one.

Wonderful experience on this unique loop down to the crater floor and back up the rim. Loved to see the fractures on the crater floor and the sparse vegetation struggling for a foothold. As others have noted, go counter clockwise, starting at the trail behind the restroom, to the right of the parking lot. The switchbacks coming back are much easier. Do not miss doing this hike!

This was my second time over this trail. The first was in summer 2005. While the trail itself is still the same, it was noticably different in other ways. There is now more vegetation in the crater and less steam coming from the cracks. Also the park rangers, ropes, and signs on the crater floor warning you to stay on the trail because of thin crust are now gone. That made it a bit more of an adventurous feeling last time. It is still a great hike through very unique landscape.

This is a moderate intensity hike. The trail across the bottom is not well marked. You follow a path of stone piles. In the places where you cross large rubble piles it can get confusing, especially at the edges of the crater floor through the "bathtub ring".

This is not a good trail if you have bad knees, as it is steep, rough, and a bit of a scramble in places climbing through boulders. Still, if you can at all manage it, I'd recommend the hike. I do, and took my time, using a sturdy walking stick to help me through in about 2 hours. Take water, hat, and sunscreen at a minimum as there is no shade in the crater. Morning is best since it is less crowded. If it is wet, it can also be slippery in the jungle parts.

This is our favorite hike. We did it twice this last time. It starts at the rim in a rain forest overlooking the crater, proceeds down through a rain forest, across the crater floor. The sure tenacity of some of the plant growing there will inspire you. The return is up the other side through the rain forest back to the rim.

Beautiful views of the Kilauea Iki lava devastation trail. Wear good hiking shoes; the stairs are study and there is a railing in the steep parts but it could get a bit slippery at times. You don’t even need to hike all the way down - a few photos at the lookout point near the parking lot give you a good feel for the spot.

Beautiful hike encompasses variety ecosystems. Be ready for the switchbacks up at the end (bring lil snack n water). Do the loop so you can catch the lava tubes for the finale. Small trek back to the car along the road unless you have two cars and can leave one at the tube parking lot.

We were lucky with the weather today, we started just before midday and it was very sunny but there was a lovely breeze making it very pleasant walking across the crater. The Bush walk down and up was a steady climb and it was lovely and cool. Its very uneven with lots of roots, small rocks and things so be sure to watch where you're walking.

This trail was a quick 4 mile hike that was pretty amazing. U walk through lush green plants ,trees into a large crater with minimal greenery. Some random flowers, bushes and the rest just grey rock/landscape. Really cool transition! The big island is so unique!

Kīlauea Iki was a lava lake in 1959 with fountains spewing molten lava up to 1900 feet in the air. Today, visitors can view the crater from the Kīlauea Iki Overlook. There is no longer molten lava here and the crater is vast (though compared to the main crater, it's small or 'Iki'.) It's a mile long and 400 feet deep. The 2018 eruption and its accompanying earthquakes damaged the Kīlauea Iki Trail. It was still closed when we visited, but partially re-opened the week after we were there. Hikers can now descend to the crater floor, parts of which are still warm to the touch.

This hike can make a person feel like an adventurer but it really is a moderate hike. Where comfortable shoes and lots of water. Many geologic features to admire from this eruption and then view the film at the visitor center.

This is an amazing hike. It almost feels like you are walking though another world. This is one of the best ways to experience Hawaii Volcanoes.

We visited in March 2021, most sites were open. Would suggest you start with the overlooks and the finish with this hike with a side detour to the lava tubes. It is a nice hike, about 4 miles with some elevation, but nothing too strenuous. Great to go from the forest to the floor of the crater, what a contrast! The Park staff are just great people too, very helpful.

This isn't a technically tough hike, but it is strenuous. There is an audio tour as your hike the crater. It is amazing to think this area was a huge eruption in the 1950's. Please watch the video of Kilauea Iki eruption to really appreciate the experience

If you are in Volcano National Park, this is a must see/do hike. It's about 4 miles round trip and is just spectacular.

Plan for some stress, wear solid footware, carry water and bring your camera! This trail switchbacks down through lush forest before it spills out onto the crater floor. Views from the crater rim before starting down are impressive, but does not provide the impact of walking and standing among the massive features on the crater floor. This is a chance to experience the rock texture, color and 'frozen energy', along with the observation of vegetation and small animals recolonizing the desolate terrain. Go all the way across the crater to the closure barriers; take it all in.

The signs noting information about the foliage and the formations was very interesting. We were a little confused about which way to go when we came to branches in the trail and intersections with other trails.

AMAZING trail - super cool to walk through the old crater. Add on the Thurston lava tube at the end. Recommend getting there early since the lot fills up quickly and it gets hot, esp. down in the crater (e.g., 1/4 full when I got there at 8, was totally full at 10 when I was leaving). Recommend starting to the right out of the parking lot. Hike wasn't that difficult, but be prepared for the couple hundred feet climb up switchbacks getting back out of the crater.

It took us about 2 hours to hike the Kilauea Iki Trail. Bring at least a quart of water before the hike, wear comfortable shoes, hat and sunglasses. The trail is not strenuous, however you will be walking over rough terrain. There are at last two places on the trail in which you will see steam escaping from the ground. Place your hand in the steam and feel its heat.

This beautiful trail leads through primeval forest along the rim of the crater rim. You get to see many species of jungle plants and maybe see wild birds in the trees. At the far end of the trail you descend into the crater itself. What a feeling to walk on an old volcanic crater especially when you see active steam vents still surfacing alont the crater floor. This is a fairly easy trail for most people and should not be missed while in the park.

Amazing hike. Just as advertised in the reviews and description - a 3.6 mile loop with 2 difficult sections - a relatively steep descent (stairs that are uneven) and an ascent that is also steep with uneven height between the steps. Outside of that, a moderate hike with some footing issues with volcanic dust/rock but fairly easy. Took us (we are fast walkers), about 90 minutes to do the loop and take some pictures. Beautiful scenery. Parking at the lava tube was packed (it was noon or so when we got there). Recommendation would be to park at the overlook and start the trail there. Pack some snacks (nut bars, trail mix, etc, with water bottles). Was warm (85 degrees) but we are from Texas and the heat was very manageable. Wish I had more time in the park - would have done a few more trails too. We only did the sulphur banks and this trail. There are several others that would probably be very beautiful as well.

This hike came recommended from a friend and I am so glad we did it. Other reviews recommend a counter clockwise loop so as to go down stairs to enter the caldera and hike out using switchbacks. I also recommend this even though we didn't do it because we somehow got turned around and didn't realize until we had already started down on the switchbacks. As a result, we hiked in using switchbacks hiked about halfway across caldera and turned around and hiked back out the same way we came in due to one of party's knee issues...probably was better not to do stairs either way in his case. SO....we still got a great hike through the rain forest and out onto the caldera itself. That, to me, was the most impressive part of the hike. I really loved it. I do recommend, however, that you do this as early as possible since the black lava at high noon can get extremely warm. This is definitely a morning hike.

If you prefer a steeper trail up or down, the loop to the right has the steeper entrance to the crater. Either way it's not too hard unless you can't do big steps.

Although you can still park and see this beautiful crater, rangers tell us a large part of the upper rim trail has fallen in several places, so until the area is stable and the trail realigned, this hike is a no go. Try Mauna Ulu PuuHuluhulu instead.

4 miles. Steep entrance and exit. If you are up to it, it is so worth it. Volcano erupted in 1959. The year Hawaii became a state. You can walk across the cooling lava floor. Yes, it is still warm and steams.
Wear hiking shoes, carry water, bring a camera and maybe a snack. Don't forget sunscreen. You descend through rainforest but, the floor is hot and sunny.

It’s 4.5 miles RT if you combine with Thurstons Lava Tube (its only .5, and you should) but it’s a very worthy hike. Hike through forests and dense vegetation to a somewhat barren crater floor. Tho we continue to be amazed at nature which has life in almost all places.

A long hike but not overly challenging. Loved it.