Eruption Viewing near Keanakākoʻi Overlook

This is a set of caldera-rim overlooks above Halemaʻumaʻu, Kīlauea’s summit crater. The draw is a close look into the crater during an eruption, but you earn it on foot: the shortest route is a two-mile round trip, about an hour from Devastation. Go when you have time for the walk and are happy with a crater view even if lava is not visible.

Start from Devastation parking on Crater Rim Drive East for the shorter approach; Puʻupuaʻi Overlook is another, longer starting point. Most of the Devastation route is paved, but the last 300 yards are loose, uneven cinders. The route is dark on a night visit, so bring a headlamp or flashlight for the walk back. A restroom is listed at the trailhead. Parking gets tight during eruption visits, so keep another open rim stop in mind. A park entrance fee applies; no reservation is needed. Pets can stay in parking lots and on roadways, but not on the trail or at the overlooks. Follow the currently open, signed route; volcanic hazards can close areas.

When Kīlauea is active, Halemaʻumaʻu may show lava fountains, flowing lava or a strong glow. During pauses, there may be little or no eruption to see, and fog or rain can hide the crater. Check current park updates before making the walk. This is a chance at an eruption view, not a scheduled show.

The view has changed dramatically within a few years. After the 2018 summit collapse, measurements reported in 2020 put Halemaʻumaʻu at about 1.5 miles across and 1,600 feet deep, compared with about half a mile across and 280 feet deep before the collapse. Water appeared on the crater floor in 2019, before later eruptions transformed it again. Older photos can show a very different crater from the one in front of you.

If lava is visible, leave some of the far rim around it in the shot; a tight crop loses the scale of the bowl. At twilight, orange glow can stand out against blue volcanic gas, but the exact color and activity depend on the eruption and the weather.

This eruption-viewing walk is separate from the small Keanakākoʻi pit crater and older overlook nearby. Start at Devastation or Puʻupuaʻi and follow the open eruption-viewing route; the older pit-crater point does not lead to this viewpoint.