Nāhuku Lava Tube Trail

Walk through a verdant rainforest and listen for the calls of native birds before entering a 500-year old lava tube where a river of 2000 degree fahrenheit (1093° celsius) lava once flowed. Its Hawaiian name, Nāhuku, means "the protuberances," which possibly refers to the lava drippings that once hung from the ceiling. Unfortunately, those disappeared due to souvenir collectors after the tube was discovered in 1913. Entire ecosystems of creatures live in these fragile environments found throughout the Island of Hawaiʻi. Please be respectful and do not touch the walls or any hanging roots.

For a longer and more scenic adventure, explore Devastation Trail, Byron Ledge, the Kīlauea Iki loop, and Nāhuku all in one hike by parking at the Devastation Trailhead or Puʻupuaʻi. Parking at the lava tube and Kīlauea Iki Overlook is extremely limited and is likely to be full during peak hours. Want to avoid the crowds? Start your lava tube adventure before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

• Trailheads: Kīlauea Iki Overlook, Devastation Trailhead, or Puʻupuaʻi
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance: 1.5 mi (2.4 km) round-trip walk from Kīlauea Iki Overlook, 6.0 mi (9.7 km) round-trip from Devastation Trailhead (including the Kilauea Iki loop), an additional 1.0 mi (1.6 km) from Puʻupuaʻi
• Bring: Water, snacks, sturdy footwear, and rain gear
• The lava tube is lit 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Flashlights are recommended outside of those hours.

Help protect this incredible resource by not touching the walls or delicate tree root systems hanging down. Use only your eyes to experience the lava tube.

Enter the lava tube at your own risk. Potential hazards include:

• Rockfall
• Low ceilings
• Standing water
• Tripping hazards
• Low light or no light - lava tube is lit 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

Details

Duration

30-90 Minutes

Activity

Hiking

Pets Allowed

No

Activity Fee

No

Park entrance fee applies. There are no additional activity fees.

Location

Nāhuku parking area or several trailheads in the Kīlauea summit area

Parking at Nāhuku is very limited. It can also be reached via longer hikes from Devastation Trailhead, Kīlauea Iki Overlook, Puʻupuaʻi, and Crater Rim Trail near Volcano House

Reservations

No

Accessibility Information

Trail in and out of the lava tube is steep, and often slippery. There are also low ceilings, standing water, and tripping hazards

Lava Tubes

Learn more about these amazing caves and how they formed