Pros & cons
PROS
- Start from either end (Devastation Trail or Puʻu Puaʻi) to fit your route
- Usually easier parking than other Crater Rim stops
CONS
- Very exposed—little shade and often windy across the cinders
- Some paved sections exceed 8% grade; wheelchair users may need assistance
Park at either the Devastation Trail lot or the Puʻu Puaʻi lot on Crater Rim Drive; both serve as trailheads and usually have open spaces.
Stay on the paved path to protect fragile cinders; do not climb Puʻu Puaʻi. Expect sun, wind, or rain at any time. Watch for nēnē on roads. Some grades exceed 8% for mobility devices.
Why go
Devastation Trail is the park’s quickest, most accessible look at raw volcanic aftermath. You’re walking on black cinders blasted out during the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption that built nearby Puʻu Puaʻi, where lava fountains reportedly shot to 1,900 feet. It’s stark, otherworldly, and oddly beautiful as native plants and birds creep back in.
What you’ll see
Expect a wide, paved path through a barren cinder field with interpretive signs that connect the dots: tree molds, windblown cinders, and occasional finds like glassy Pele’s hair and tears. The turnaround delivers broad views toward Kīlauea Iki Crater and the Puʻu Puaʻi cinder cone. Keep an eye out for nēnē (Hawaiian geese) and new growth pushing through the ash.
Route and stats
It’s a 1.0-mile round-trip, out-and-back on pavement with about 50 feet of total gain. Start from either end: the Devastation Trail lot or Puʻu Puaʻi lot along Crater Rim Drive. The grades are gentle overall, but some sections exceed 8%, so wheelchair users may want a push. Plan about an hour at a relaxed, interpretive-placard pace.
Logistics and tips
Parking is usually easier here than at the park’s headline stops. Stay on the pavement—this landscape is fragile and sharp cinders are no joke. Don’t climb Puʻu Puaʻi. Weather swings fast: it can be hot, windy, or rainy in minutes, so carry water, sun protection, and a light shell. Watch for nēnē on the road and never feed them. No permits are needed beyond the standard park entrance.
Best time to hike
Year-round is fair game. For cooler temps, softer light, and thinner crowds, go early or late in the day. Midday can be bright, hot, and windy across the exposed cinders. If you want a longer, more immersive volcano hike after this sampler, the nearby Kīlauea Iki area offers deeper adventure when conditions allow.
Elevation
1 mi · 1 hrWhere it starts
19.4067, -155.2529Wildlife on this trail
Near Devastation Trail
All places →All trails →
0 mi awayUēaloha (Byron Ledge) TrailQuiet rim connector with big views into Kīlauea’s cratersModerate · 1.1 mi · 2 hr
0 mi awayByron Ledge TrailShort, quiet rim walk with big views into Kīlauea and Kīlauea IkiModerate · 1.2 mi · 48 min
0 mi awayDevastation AreaShort paved stroll through 1959 cinder fields and Puʻu Puaʻi viewsTrailhead · Parking
0 mi awayKeanakākoʻi Crater TrailShort, easy walk to a dramatic crater overlook on Kīlauea’s rimEasy · 2 mi · 1 hr
0.4 mi awayPuʻu Puaʻi OverlookClassic rim view of Kīlauea Iki and the Puʻu Puaʻi cinder coneParking · Scenic Viewpoint
0.5 mi awayJuly 1974 Lava FlowRoadside stop to walk fresh 1974 pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā texturesPullout · Parking
0.6 mi awayLua Manu CraterRoadside pit crater with a readable 1974 lava high-water linePullout · Parking
0.9 mi awayKīlauea Iki TrailRainforest to lava across a 1959 crater—short, surreal, worth itModerate · 4 mi · 2.5 hr
