Keonehe'ehe'e (Sliding Sands) to Halemau'u

This is one of the most otherworldly hikes in the entire national park system. You start at the summit rim above 9,000 feet and descend into what feels like the surface of Mars — a vast volcanic crater painted in rust, charcoal, and sulfur yellow. The first few miles down Sliding Sands are deceptively easy, a steady downhill on loose cinder that swallows your boots with every step. The crater floor opens up into an alien landscape of massive cinder cones and lava formations, with Pele's Paint Pot delivering surreal bands of mineral color. The route then climbs back out via Halemau'u, a relentless switchback ascent through increasingly lush terrain until you pop out at a different trailhead. This is a point-to-point traverse, so you need two cars or a shuttle. Hikers who love big, dramatic landscapes and don't mind earning every view will remember this one for years.