Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Hawaii

Puʻu o Lokuana Trail

1.1 mi loop · Visit Kahuku: Puʻu o Lokuana: 0.4 mi loop in the Service's write-up · about 100 ft of climbing · 2,166 ft–2,279 ft · hiking

2,266 ft 2,267 ft · 1.1 mi high 2,278 ft

Visit Kahuku: Puʻu o Lokuana 0.4 mi loop · the Park Service's write-up

30-120 Minutes · no dogs

Start Puʻu o Lokuana Trailhead

Grass-covered hill with trees below

Puʻu o Lokuana in the Kahuku Unit can be hiked in two different ways.

A shorter loop that takes you directly to the top of the iconic Puʻu o Lokuana cinder cone and loops back: this steep trail is appoximately a 130 foot (40 m) elevation change over a short distance. You then can continue along the grassy path into the red heart of Puʻu o Lokuana. Walk through the historic cinder quarry to the top of the hill and enjoy a panoramic view of Kahuku and the Kaʻū coastline.

Trailhead: Trail starts and ends at the base of the cinder cone.

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 0.4 mile (0.64 km) loop

Duration: 30-45 minutes. Recommended if you have only a short time for a visit

Or, a longer version that takes you along old ranch roads, through pasture land, across the cataclysmic 1868 lava flow , down an old airstrip, and to the top of cinder cone included above. Walk down the old airstrip and look for tiny green olivine crystals along its length. At the end of the airstrip, cross the road, walk into the red heart of the historic cinder quarry, and then hike to the crest of Puʻu o Lokuana with its breathtaking views of Kahuku.

Trailhead: Trail starts and ends at the base of the cinder cone.

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 2-mile (3.2 km) loop, 130 feet (40 m) elevation change.

Duration: 1- 1.5 hours

Bring: water, sturdy footwear, and be prepared for sun, rain, heat or cold

Accessibility Very steep elevation gain and uneven, grassy and rocky terrain

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 50 trails in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.