Maunaiki Trail
in Hawaii
The Kaʻū Desert is a harsh landscape where volcanic eruptions and ashfall from events in Halemaʻumau crater have created a desolate, moon-like environment. In 1790, a dramatic explosion occured at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption involved a torrent of hot gas, ash, and sand that rained down on the Kaʻū Desert.
Caught in the middle of this deadly, suffocating storm were groups of Native Hawaiians travelling through the region on long-used trails. In the newly fallen layer of ash, these groups left behind footprints that we can still see today— a reminder that Hawaiians have beared witness to the geological drama of this island for centuries. Between Maunaiki lava shield and the trailhead on Hilina Pali Road are two dramatic cinder cones and deep pit craters.
In this area, look for mats of Pele's hair, thin golden-colored fibers of volcanic material. Trailheads: There are two trailheads to this area— the Kaʻū Desert Trailhead on Highway 11 and the Maunaiki Trailhead on Hilina Pali Road. Difficulty: Difficult hike.
- States
- Hawaii
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid coords
- 19.3416°, -155.2753°
About Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
This trail is inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/maunaiki-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Maunaiki Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Devastation Trail
5 miles from this trail's centroid
Kona Trail
32 miles from this trail's centroid
The Palm Trail
32 miles from this trail's centroid
N - Mauka-Makai Trail
41 miles from this trail's centroid
1871 Trail Tour Conclusion
41 miles from this trail's centroid
J - Shoreline Viewpoint on the 1871 Trail
41 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.