9 of the Best Volcano Hikes in the World

One of the world's highest active volcanoes, Cotopaxi climbs to 19,347 feet (5,897 meters) and boasts one of the most challenging volcano hikes anywhere. It’s only a 3-hour drive from Quito, Ecuador’s capital, but you’ll need several days to get used to the elevation. The ascent typically takes two days and requires a volcano hiking guide (for ice navigation). Once you make it to the top, you'll be rewarded with sky-high Andean views and the experience of standing on an active volcano.

Insider tip: Since this volcano is still active, check its status before your trek.

Easily the most famous volcano in the Lower 48—many will remember the 1980 eruption—Mt. St. Helens is easiest to hike on a guided tour, with many starting from Seattle, Washington, or Portland, Oregon. Permits are required during peak season, and the 8-mile (12.8 kilometer) round-trip hike offers a good challenge with spectacular volcanic views, wildflower-rich meadows, and landscapes that still tell a story of recovery and regeneration, even 40-plus years after the eruption.

Sicily’s Mt. Etna is Europe's most active volcano, with a variety of routes offering volcano hikes for beginners and experts to choose from. The Schiena dell'Asino trail provides access to ancient craters and lava flows, while cable car options make higher elevations accessible to beginners. Guided volcano trekking tours are available, and the mountain's constant activity means the landscape is ever-changing. Night hikes offer spectacular views of glowing lava when the volcano is active, too.

Mt. Pico, Portugal's highest peak at 7,713 feet (2,350 meters), offers one of the most scenic volcano hikes in the Atlantic. A stratovolcano and an island, hikers will trek through wildly varied terrain, from lava fields and scrubland to craggy, rocky slopes. The marked trail begins at sea level and climbs steadily to the summit crater, where daring hikers can peer into the volcano itself. The 360-degree views from the summit encompass the entire Azores archipelago, making Pico a photographer's paradise.

Africa's highest peak, Kilimanjaro—often dubbed “Kili”—offers a comprehensive volcano hiking experience through the planet’s climate zones. Technically a dormant volcano, its three volcanic cones create wildly diverse landscapes, from tropical rainforest to arctic conditions at the summit. Multiple routes exist, with the Machame and Lemosho trails being most popular (read: busiest) for their ultra-scenic beauty. This typically 5-day volcano hike requires no technical climbing skills, but it does demand excellent physical fitness, acclimatization, and a tour guide.

Japan's iconic Mt. Fuji represents one of the most culturally significant volcano hiking trails worldwide, combining art, spiritual tradition, and elegant natural beauty. Hikers can take their pick of four main routes leading up to the summit, with the Yoshida Trail being the most popular (and the most scenic), allowing you to rest overnight in the mountains, if you like. Night climbs are also a popular choice, allowing hikers to reach the summit for Goraiko: a spectacular, sacred sunrise experience.

Did you know?: Mt. Fuji's official climbing season runs from July to September.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing on New Zealand’s North Island was featured in The Lord of the Rings, which should give you a hint at just how spectacular these landscapes are. Eager hikers can trek along emerald lakes, active craters, steaming vents, colorful mineral deposits, and wild volcanic slopes on a challenging 12-mile (19-kilometer) day hike. Leave plenty of time for gawking—en route, you’ll see Tolkien’s Mount Doom, aka Mt. Ngauruhoe.

Located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, Kilauea Iki Crater offers a more accessible volcano hiking experience: It allows visitors to walk across a solidified lava lake. The 4-mile (6.4 kilometer) Kilauea Iki loop trail descends into a crater that was filled with molten lava as recently as 1959; today, it is a lunar landscape where steam vents emit heat and gases. Marked with rock cairns across the lava lake and featuring stretches of rainforest, this hiking trail offers the unique experience of walking on relatively recent volcanic activity.

The Boiling Lake hike in Dominica leads to the world's second-largest hot spring. This challenging, 6-mile (9.6 kilometer) trek through rainforest and volcanic terrain takes hikers past the smoky sulfur springs, steaming fumaroles, and the aptly-named Valley of Desolation. The trail requires crossing rivers and navigating steep, muddy terrain, but the reward is reaching a 250-foot (75-meter) lake that maintains temperatures near boiling point. Go with a guide, to help you nagivate, as this is one spot that feels like navigating a different planet.