Although the Kilauea rain shadow keeps this area relatively dry, it's not a true desert; but what rain does fall is highly acidic from the upwind eruptions. While that's hard on the plant life, it does maintain a rugged and starkly memorable landscape pocked with cinder cones and craters draped with drifts of shimmering Pele's hair (long strands of volcanic glass threads). Whet your appetite with the low-commitment hike to Footprints before tackling the Mauna Iki or Kaʻu Desert Trails.
If you visit the Kaʻu, rangers recommend using a dusk mask as levels of volcanic ash in the air around here is still hazardous.