Call me crazy, but honestly , I really enjoyed this long trek!!
I hiked 19.3 miles across the lava to one of the last destinations in the park, which I have not hiked until today.
I always had the Kamakaiʻa Hills on my radar, but no matter where you start this hike, it is an 18-20 mile hike across the lava.
It was hot and windy, with 25-30mph, but I had much fun.
I love hiking across lava fields, and even the more than half a mile across a massive Aʻa flow was no big deal.
I stopped at Pepeiao Cabin, a backcountry backpacking site. The nice thing in the park is that all the backcountry backpacking sites have a water catchment system, so I could filter water on my way out.
hiking across the massive Aʻa flow
my destination, the Kamakaiʻa Hills, a collection of cinder cones deep in the backcountry
lava hikes are tiring
walking across Pahoehoe Lava is pretty easy but lots of ups and downs
some nice section of volcanic sand in the Kaʻu desert
I really need to write a full trip report soon. We have so many amazing backcountry hikes here in the park