Hiking the Haʻakulamanu (Sulfur Banks) Trail in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Distance: 1.3 miles / 2.1 km
The Haʻakulamanu Trail is like the Yellowstone of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
While the trail through the Haʻakulamanu Sulfur Banks can be treated as an out-and-back hike, it is more commonly connected with the Crater Rim Trail across Crater Rim Drive to make Haʻakulamanu an easy loop. This is what’s reflected in the distance above.
Haʻakulamanu Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Haʻakulamanu (Sulphur Banks) Trail is located in the same parking lot as the Kīlauea Visitor Center.
Generally speaking, finding a parking spot at the visitor center is never too difficult, but the area typically gets much more busy by midday.
Google Maps Directions: Kīlauea Visitor Center
Hiking the Haʻakulamanu Trail
The Haʻakulamanu Trail begins on the far side of the first crosswalk, as if you were walking to the Volcano House.
From here, the Sulphur Banks Trail follows a paved path for the next 0.2 miles (0.3 km) before reaching the boardwalks through Haʻakulamanu.
Be sure to stay on the trail, as there are numerous stories of visitors receiving serious and life-threatening burns for venturing off the path.
Haʻakulamanu (Sulphur Banks)
Haʻakulamanu quite literally means a "gathering place for birds."
While this may not be as true as it once was, Nēnē, the Hawaiʻi state bird, and various other native forest birds can still be seen flying in the ʻŌhiʻa canopy up above.
Overall, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is one of the better refuges for these native forest birds against disease-carrying mosquitoes that decimate their populations at lower elevations.
Please don’t leave the boardwalk.
Kūkamāhuākea
After Haʻakulamanu, the trail begins to venture toward Kūkamāhuākea, which translates to a "place where steam rises."
While much of Kūkamāhuākea is off trail to the west, I think it’s important to recognize the many place names that Hawaiians had for these different areas.
Crater Rim Drive
After 0.7 miles (1.1 km), the Haʻakulamanu (Sulphur Banks) Trail crosses Crater Rim Drive, leaving only 0.1 miles (0.2 km) left to reach the Crater Rim Trail.
As mentioned previously, Haʻakulamanu could be treated as an out-and-back trail, but it’s more commonly linked up with the Crater Rim Trail across the road, which is roughly a quarter mile shorter to get back to the Kīlauea Visitor Center.
Crater Rim-Haʻakulamanu (Sulphur Banks) Junction
Distance to the Kīlauea Visitor Center: 0.5 miles / 0.8 km
Where the Sulphur Banks Trail ends, the Crater Rim Trail begins.
Go left to complete the Haʻakulamanu-Crater Rim Loop that returns to the Kīlauea Visitor Center only 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away.
If you’re interested in hiking the entire Crater Rim Trail, I highly encourage you to check out the different sections around Kīlauea in my separate post, as this small 0.5-mile (0.8 km) stretch is only a fraction of the entire trail. In my opinion, the best sections begin past Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube).
Read My Separate Post: Crater Rim Trail
Halemaʻumaʻu Junction
After about a half mile, the Crater Rim Trail splits with the Halemaʻumaʻu Trail that leads down to the edge of the native forest within Kīlauea Crater.
Go straight/ up the stairs at this junction to continue hiking the Crater Rim Trail toward the Kīlauea Visitor Center and the Volcano House.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Junction
At the next junction, go left to finish the Haʻakulamanu-Crater Rim Loop.
Native Plants on the Haʻakulamanu Trail
The Haʻakulamanu-Crater Rim Loop Trail passes through a variety of native forest habitats where you can expect to see ʻŌhiʻa lehua, Naupaka, Kōlea, ʻIliahi, Akaʻawa, and ʻIlima, to name just a few.
If you’re interested in identifying these and other native plants when you hike, I highly encourage checking out my separate post. It’s all of my observations from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and other adventures from across the islands.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
