Continuing along Crater Rim Drive you come to Kīlauea Iki Overlook. Alternately, the driver could drive to the Overlook and the rest of the party could walk a 1/2 mile section of the Crater Rim Trail to the Overlook. This is also an option when the Thurston Lava Tube parking area is full.
Kīlauea Iki - 1960's Bill Dunmire Kīlauea Iki looks fairly tranquil these days. But, in 1959 it was a seething lava lake, with lava fountains up to 1,900 feet. From up here it is difficult to comprehend the scale of Kīlauea Iki. The crater is a mile long, 3,000 feet across, and the floor is 400 feet below the overlook.
This is the trailhead for the 4 mile loop hike around Kīlauea Iki.
