Hidden Craters Hike

5 hrs

Duration

Minimum Age

Big Island

Island

Kailua-Kona

City

Venture onto private land behind 3 locked gates to explore the upper slopes of Kona’s very own volcano – Hualalai. This journey provides intimate, unique access to volcanic sites.

Highlights
Exclusive access to Hualalai volcano and into a native forest
Stand on the edge of precipitous volcanic craters that plunge deep into the earth below
Make your way through an intact lava tube unaltered by humans

Duration
Around 5 hours.

Rated
Easy to Moderate.

Schedule
Tours depart daily from Hawaii Forest & Trail Headquarters. Around 5 hours round trip. Please contact us for full details.

What’s Included
Snacks and beverages.

Gear Provided
Walking sticks and rain jackets.

What to Bring & Wear
Sturdy closed-toe shoes or hiking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, a light sweatshirt or jacket and a resuable water bottle.

Restrictions
Guests should be able to hike on an uneven or rocky terrain with up to 1,000′ elevation gain & descent. We sometimes encounter cool, wet or muddy conditions. Other tour restrictions may apply.

Hidden Craters Hike
Adults	$175
Children Ages 8 to 12.	$150

Customers will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation.
Private tours: Customers will receive a full refund with 72 hours notice of cancellation.
Cancellations within the cancellation period, “no-shows”, or any guest not meeting the tour requirements will be charged the FULL AMOUNT of the tour.

How much hiking do we do? We’ll stop a couple of times throughout the adventure for short hikes of less than ½ mile.
Is there elevation gain? Our tour ranges from sea level to 6,000 feet. We will meander on a single track trail through native forest with a mild elevation change of approximately 30 feet. While exploring the lava tube, expect to descend and ascend approximately 30 – 40 feet.
How many different types of volcanic features will I see? Along the tour, we’ll see 200-year-old lava flow, spatter cones, fissures, and collapse pits.
Do we need any special type of equipment to explore the lava tube? The lava tube we visit is perfect for the casual adventurer. We’ll descend via earthen steps with a rope to assist and there’s enough ambient light to see all of the major features inside the cave.
Is Hualalai Volcano active? Technically speaking, yes. Hualalai’s last eruption ended in 1801 so it is considered active. However, magma is not close to the surface so we won’t see any geothermal activity.