Lua Poholo

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park


A deep pit crater on the northeast edge of Mauna Loa's summit caldera. The crater collapsed inward when lava left the summit.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park attractions

1. Mauna Loa

1.88 MILES

The world's largest subaerial (above water) volcano, Mauna Loa (Long Mountain) is so massive that you feel its presence more than see it. Even when it…

2. Mauna Loa Observatory

3.15 MILES

The weather measurements made here are so sensitive that when the observatory was built in 1956 scientists asked the national park to ban stoves at the…

3. Mauna Loa Lookout

12.43 MILES

A narrow, winding and potholed drive along lonely Mauna Loa Rd passes heavily forested kipuka (volcanic oases) as you come ever closer to the world's most…

4. Footprints

16.3 MILES

A short, 0.8-mile walk down the Mauna Iki trail from the Kaʻu Desert trailhead on Hwy 11 brings you to a field of scattered footprints preserved in…

5. Humu‘ula Sheep Station

16.52 MILES

For 100 years these pastures were filled with sheep, and that historical legacy is marked by nearby rock walls stacked by Japanese laborers and the Humu…

6. Wood Valley Temple

16.58 MILES

Its official name, which translates to 'Immutable Island of Melodious Sound,' perfectly captures the valley's wind and birdsong. Just outside Pahala, you…

7. Kaʻu Coffee Mill

18.18 MILES

This down-to-earth, someday-to-be hydro-powered coffee farm roasts its own award-winning beans – the wonderful aroma floors you – which some connoisseurs…

8. Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area

18.35 MILES

The only public facilities along Saddle Road make for an altogether pleasant stop. Clean restrooms and a playground with plenty of ropes to climb mean it…

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