8 Volcano Hikes You Can Actually Do (Safely)

There’s something magnetic about volcanoes. While some are far too dangerous to approach, others invite you right up to the rim, offering front-row seats to nature’s raw energy. From Hawaii’s fiery craters to the icy peaks of the Pacific Northwest, these eight volcano hikes prove you can walk the line between adventure and safety.

1. Mount Rainier | Washington
2. Mount St. Helens | Washington
3. Haleakalā | Maui, Hawaii
4. Lassen Peak | California
5. Kīlauea Iki Crater Trail | Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
6. Capulin Volcano | New Mexico
7. Craters of the Moon | Idaho
8. Mauna Kea | Hawaii

Mount Rainier | Washington

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest peak in the contiguous United States and is one of its most awe-inspiring volcanoes. But you don’t need climbing gear to experience its majesty—just a good pair of walking shoes. Trails around Paradise and Sunrise lead through alpine meadows bursting with summer wildflowers and offer panoramic views of glaciers and the summit above. On clear days, the mountain’s sheer scale is staggering, its snow-covered slopes rising from dense evergreen forests to the clouds.

Mount St. Helens | Washington

At 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted with explosive force—the largest volcanic event in U.S. history. A 5.1-magnitude earthquake triggered a massive landslide that tore away the mountain’s north face, releasing a cloud of ash and gas that flattened nearly 150 square miles of forest.

Today, the landscape has transformed again. Within the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, trails wind through reborn meadows and past the volcano’s growing lava dome. From the crater rim, climbers can peer into the living heart of a mountain still reshaping itself.

Haleakalā | Maui, Hawaii

Rising 10,023 feet above sea level, Haleakalā—Hawaiian for “house of the sun”—dominates Maui’s skyline and holds deep cultural significance. According to legend, the demigod Maui once lassoed the sun from its summit to make the days last longer. Visitors flock here before dawn to watch the sun rise above a sea of clouds, a view Mark Twain once called “the most sublime spectacle I have ever witnessed.”

Beyond its famous sunrise, Haleakalā National Park spans over 30,000 acres of volcanic desert, rainforest, and waterfalls. Trails wind through scarlet cinder fields and rare silversword plants, while the lower Kīpahulu section near Hāna offers lush tropical scenery and coastal views—proof that this “house of the sun” glows in more ways than one.

Lassen Peak | California

Lassen Peak may look peaceful today, but it’s part of a volcanic landscape that’s been erupting for more than 800,000 years. The mountain last came to life between 1914 and 1917, when steam blasts and lava flows reshaped its summit. On May 19, 1915, a lava dome collapsed, sending an avalanche of hot rock down the mountain—followed days later by an ash plume that climbed 30,000 feet into the sky and carried debris as far as Nevada.

Today, Lassen Volcanic National Park still bubbles with energy, from steaming fumaroles to boiling mud pots scattered across its 200 square miles. Hike to the summit, and you’ll stand on one of the most active volcanic centers in the continental U.S.—quiet now, but still very much alive.

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Kīlauea Iki Crater Trail | Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

This trail takes you into the heart of one of Hawai‘i’s most dramatic volcanic landscapes. The 3.3-mile loop descends 400 feet through rainforest before emerging onto the hardened lava lake that filled the Kīlauea Iki crater during its 1959 eruption—when molten fountains once shot nearly 1,900 feet into the air.

Today, the rock beneath your feet is solid but still scarred, cracked, and warm in places. The hike circles past Puʻupua‘i cinder cone and offers glimpses into the crater vent that powered that spectacular eruption. It’s a moderate-to-challenging trek, but few trails in the world let you walk so directly across the floor of a once-molten volcano.

Capulin Volcano | New Mexico

Rising from the northeastern plains of New Mexico, Capulin Volcano is an extinct cinder cone that offers one of the most accessible volcanic experiences in the country. A two-mile paved road spirals up the slope to a parking area near the rim, where visitors can walk the paved trail around the crater’s edge or descend into its mouth.

From the top, sweeping 360-degree views stretch to the distant Rocky Mountains, while at the base, old lava flows reveal the volcano’s fiery origins. Part of the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field, Capulin Volcano National Monument blends education and adventure—complete with ranger talks, panoramic hikes, and a firsthand look at nature’s ancient power frozen in time.

Craters of the Moon | Idaho

Spread across southern Idaho’s high desert, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve feels like another planet—an otherworldly expanse of lava flows, cinder cones, and sagebrush stretching to the horizon. Most visitors follow the seven-mile Loop Road, stopping to explore short trails, caves, and scenic overlooks that reveal how molten rock once reshaped the land.

In summer, black lava shimmers under the sun while wildflowers bloom between the cracks; in winter, the same terrain transforms into a quiet playground for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Open year-round, this “weird and scenic” park is a reminder that you don’t need a rocket to walk on a lunar landscape—just a sturdy pair of shoes.

Mauna Kea | Hawaii

Mauna Kea, meaning “white mountain,” is a dormant volcano and the highest point in the Hawaiian Islands. Named for the snow that sometimes blankets its slopes, it hasn’t erupted in more than 4,000 years, though scientists say it could become active again.

The mountain is home to more than a dozen massive telescopes from around the world, forming the largest observatory of its kind anywhere. For Native Hawaiians, Mauna Kea is the most sacred of all volcanoes—a region of the gods. Visitors are encouraged to stop at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station, where they can enjoy sweeping views and stargazing programs that showcase the island’s extraordinary night sky.

Volcano hiking isn’t about flirting with danger—it’s about standing quietly at the edge of the planet’s heartbeat. These trails prove you can do it safely, and come home with a great story.