Haʻakulamanu via Sulphur Banks Trail

This is one of those trails where the ground itself is the main attraction. Starting right from the Kilauea Visitor Center, you'll follow a paved-then-boardwalk path through a landscape that looks like another planet — steam vents hissing from cracks in the earth, the air thick with the sharp smell of sulfur, and the ground stained in otherworldly yellows, oranges, and whites from volcanic mineral deposits. The trail is dead flat and fully accessible, which means you can focus entirely on the bizarre geology instead of your footing. Patches of bare earth alternate with hardy ohia lehua trees clinging to life in the thermal chaos. The boardwalk section keeps you safely above the most active vents while giving you front-row views of crystalline sulfur formations you won't find on any other trail in the national park system. Perfect for geology nerds, curious kids, and anyone who wants to feel the raw power of an active volcano without breaking a sweat.