Parking
Use the signed trailhead just up the road from the Fitiʻuta airport turnoff. A named lot and parking arrangement were not documented; confirm the approved place to leave a vehicle with the park.
Overview
About Luatele Crater Trail
Why go
- A crater viewpoint and historic stonework on a short route
Heads up
- A steep 864-foot climb over only 0.9 mile each way
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the American Samoa map
Full mapElevation302–1,211 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active American Samoa alerts
- CautionSmall Craft and High Surf AdvisoriesSmall Craft and High Surf Advisories are active in American Samoa; boaters and people using the coast should change plans as needed and follow safety officials’ advice.Official details
- ClosureMount Alava and Fatifati trails closedThe Mount Alava Trail and the Fatifati Trail from Fagasa Pass to the summit are closed until further notice for trail improvement work.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
American Samoa Tour Guide
Your drive to Luatele Crater Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for American Samoa National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Luatele Crater Trail near Fitiʻuta0:00 / 0:24
“You're approaching the Luatele Crater trailhead near Fitiʻuta airport. The one point eight-mile round trip takes about two hours, with steep switchbacks to a crater viewpoint.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf American Samoa Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Siʻu Point Trail and Saua Village
- 15 audio storiesacross American Samoa’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Noddy, Samoan Starling, Butterflyfish, and 4 more
- Works offlinemaps, 10 trails, 15 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Luatele Crater Trail
The short crater hikeLuatele Crater Trail is a 1.
Luatele Crater Trail is a 1.8-mile out-and-back from the Fitiʻuta airport side of Taʻū to a viewpoint above Luatele (Judd’s) Crater, with about 864 feet of climbing. The mapped corridor runs 0.9 mile to the crater area, then returns along the same path. It follows the lower Lata approach; the longer Mount Lata route continues beyond the crater. Allow about two hours. Expect a short hike with a serious climb.
The climbStart at the signed trailhead just up the road from the Fitiʻuta airport turnoff.
Start at the signed trailhead just up the road from the Fitiʻuta airport turnoff. The path climbs beneath palms, where fallen leaves can hide the tread, then rises on steep switchbacks. A former plantation road gives the longer Lata climb a brief flatter break around 600 feet. Near 1,200 feet, a short spur reaches the crater overlook. From there, return the way you came.
At the crater rimThe overlook looks toward Judds Crater, which the park map also labels Luatele Crater.
The overlook looks toward Judds Crater, which the park map also labels Luatele Crater. An archaeological survey recorded 101 features in and around the crater, including precontact stone walls and terraces along the rim. Take a look without shifting or climbing on the stonework; these are historic features, not trail markers.
Before you goThe park describes Luatele among the minimally maintained, challenging trails on Manuʻa, and…
The park describes Luatele among the minimally maintained, challenging trails on Manuʻa, and local park guides are often available. Ask the park about guidance and current access before traveling to Taʻū. Pets are not allowed on hiking trails. The route is steep enough that this is a poor pick if you want an easy viewpoint walk.
Wildlife
Wildlife in American Samoa
19 sightingsNoddyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
11 sightingsSamoan StarlingMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
17 sightingsButterflyfishMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
18 sightingsHermit CrabMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
10 sightingsMigratory ShorebirdMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
11 sightingsCane ToadMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across American Samoa. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
