Part of a scenic route at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park opened today after the Kilauea eruption closed it in 2018.

The eruption and associated earthquakes closed connecting sections of Byron Ledge Trail and Devastation Trail that lead to Kilauea Iki Trail.

The 1.1-mile connector trail offered views of views of the Pu‘u Pua‘i cinder cone and the Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes and leads to the Kilauea Iki trailhead on the west side of the crater.

The reopening also adds to the limited parking fat the Devestation Trail parking lot for hikers who want access to the Kilauea Iki trail. Parking is often overcrowded at Kilauea Iki Overlook.

Accessing Kilauaa Iki Trail by parking at the Devastation Trail parking lot adds a 2.2-mile “cherry stem” to the four-mile loop trail for a total of 6.2 miles.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park sustained serious damage from the 60,000 earthquakes that shook Kilauea between April 30 and Aug. 4, 2018. The park’s recovery progress is regularly updated on the park website at https://www.nps.gov/havo/recovery.htm.