Hilina Pali Overlook

A short grass path continues past the parking area and shelter to a rocky outcrop and orientation plate. Take that walk for the fullest view. For a photo that says where you are, frame the coastline below the overlook with the open Pacific beyond; the layers give the panorama more depth than a frame of water alone.

Hilina Pali Road is narrow, winding, paved and single lane. Ordinary two-wheel-drive vehicles can make it, but take it slowly and use the passing places when traffic comes the other way. There are no services along the road, so bring water and check road conditions before setting out. The park recommends layers and sturdy shoes for this exposed setting.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built Hilina Pali Road from 1933 to 1942. The last lava flow in this area was about 650 years ago, so the dry volcanic landscape around the route has been quiet for centuries.

The overlook sits about 2,282 feet above sea level. In Hawaiian, hilina means “struck, as by wind,” and pali means “cliff”; together, the name is usually rendered “windy cliff.”

On the drive in, look to the left between mile 0.9 and mile 3.5 for the Koaʻe Fault. It lies between Kīlauea’s east and southwest rift zones and reflects movement between the volcano’s northern and southern parts. That movement shifts the fault by roughly half an inch to three inches a year.