Keanakako'i Crater

This is one of those walks where the ground itself tells the story. You'll follow a section of the old Crater Rim Drive — yes, actual pavement that the volcano reclaimed — as it traces the edge of Kilauea's summit area. The path is flat and straightforward, winding through a stark volcanic landscape of hardened lava flows and scattered ohia lehua trees clinging to cracks in the rock. The destination is Keanakako'i Crater, a pit crater whose name translates to 'cave of the adzes,' where ancient Hawaiians once quarried stone for tools. But the real jaw-dropper is the view back toward Halema'uma'u, the massive crater that serves as the mythological home of Pele. On active days, you might catch steam venting from the caldera floor. This trail rewards anyone who wants to feel the raw, alien power of an active volcanic landscape without breaking a sweat.