Puʻuloa Petroglyphs

Puʻuloa is a sacred field of more than 23,000 Hawaiian petroglyphs in Pānau Nui on Kīlauea’s southern flank. It’s the largest grouping in Hawaiʻi, and an elevated boardwalk passes over one part of the field. Give it time if you like studying old carvings and the landscape around them; if you want a fast view from the car, this is a poor fit. Some visitors find the shallow marks hard to pick out, and the open lava crossing feels like a lot more than a quick stop.

Start at the roadside pullout on Chain of Craters Road at milepost 16.5. The boardwalk is 0.7 mile each way, 1.4 miles round trip, and the park estimates one to one and a half hours. The route is rated moderate, but it crosses pāhoehoe with deep cracks, uneven or unstable footing, and sharp lava. Wear sturdy closed shoes. Bring water, food, a hat, sunscreen and a rain layer; the exposed coast can be hot, wet or windy. There’s an emergency call box at the pullout.

The raised boardwalk lets you see a section of the larger field while protecting the archaeological surface. Small cupules—shallow pits—make up about 84 percent of the recorded motifs; there are also circles, geometric designs, human figures, canoe sails and feathered-cape forms. Low morning or late-afternoon light throws shadows into shallow cuts. Keep to the boardwalk and don’t touch, rub, chalk or step on the carvings; abrasion wears them away.

The name is translated as “long hill” or “Hill-of-long-life.” A tradition recorded in 1914 describes placing a newborn’s piko, or umbilical cord, in a lava hole and covering it with a stone as a hope for long life; one family reportedly made the visit for each of 15 births. Puʻuloa remains especially sacred to people of Kalapana, so take the time to understand that this is a living cultural place as well as an archaeological site.

The pāhoehoe bedrock here formed between AD 1200 and 1450; a volcanic pressure dome rises near the center, surrounded by flatter flows. That date is for the rock, not the petroglyphs. An 1823 written account described lines, rings, semicircles and human-like figures. Their meanings aren’t settled: recorded interpretations include journeys, well-being, boundaries and trails. Look closely at the forms, but don’t expect one agreed translation for every mark.