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Kilauea’s untamed leeward side, where life emerges from the raw elements.

Wind ripples on volcanic fallout in the Ka\'u Desert.A fault scarp half-buried by volcanic fallout in the Ka\'u Desert.Mauna Loa sunset over Ka\'u.The Ka\'u Desert trail near Mauna Iki.A fern finds a foothold in a cracked \'a\'a flow in the Ka\'u Desert.

Location of Ka\'u disctrict on Hawai\'i Island.Summary: Located mostly within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, historic lava flows and tephra fallout cover the volcanic Ka’u Desert on Kilauea’s west flank. Hiking in the company of nene and tropicbirds among the cinder cones, craters, faults and cracks of the less-traveled southwest rift zone is a raw and memorable experience of natural power, and the backcountry beaches are an effort divine.

Points of interest: Ka’u Desert trails (incl. Footprints), Kilauea’s southwest rift zone (incl. Mauna Iki), Hilina Pali road, Hilina Pali overlook, Kilauea’s Great Crack, Apua point, Keahou beach, Halape beach, Ka’aha beach, Pepeiao cabin, Pahala town, Na’alehu village, Puna Lu’u beach, Ka Lae (south point), Papakolea (green sands) beach and Road to the Sea beaches.

Trails: 2-15 miles roundtrip, subject to closure due to volcanic fumes, moderate to challenging.

Tour options: Half-day minimum (scenic drive with few stops), up to 5 full hiking days for in-depth exploration.

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A crater on the southwest rift zone of Kilauea, in the Ka\'u Desert.Ocean sunrise over the Ka\'u coast.A historic lava flow in the form of a dragon in the Ka\'u Desert.The Ka\'u coastline outside the national park.Volcanic fallout on the Footprints trail in the Ka\'u Desert.