Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, National park in Hawaii County, United States
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park in Hawaii County that covers roughly 323,000 acres and includes two active volcanoes alongside tropical forests and hardened lava flows. Elevations range from sea level to over 13,000 feet (4,000 meters), letting visitors cross different ecosystems within short distances.
The American Congress created this area in 1916 as one of the early national parks in the United States and the first worldwide devoted to volcanic phenomena. The establishment supported geological research and laid the foundation for later volcano observatories.
Hawaiian names like Kīlauea or Halemaʻumaʻu remind visitors that this landscape held sacred meaning for native communities long before protected areas existed. People often leave flower offerings or wrapped stones at the craters, continuing practices tied to the land.
Visitors should bring warm clothing since higher elevations can feel cool while lower areas are often warm and humid. Trails may close on short notice due to volcanic activity, so checking current alerts before heading out is advisable.
Lava tubes from earlier eruptions form underground passages that are sometimes walkable and offer a look into extinct channels. Some of these tunnels extend several hundred feet (or meters) and show layers of cooled rock.
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Mauna Loa
51.3 km
Kīlauea
16 km
Puʻu ʻŌʻō
2.5 km
Punalu'u Beach
49.7 km
Mauna Loa Observatory
49.8 km
Halemaumau Crater
17.1 km
Kazumura Cave
16.3 km
Kīlauea Iki
12.9 km
AMiBA
49.7 km
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
71.2 km
Mauna Loa Solar Observatory
49.8 km
Mauna Ulu
9 km
Devastation Trail
13.8 km
Hōlei sea arch
12.1 km
Pauahi
11 km
Ainahou Ranch
12.8 km
Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness
25.8 km
Kilauea Caldera
18.5 km
ʻĀinapō Trail
48.1 km
Punaluʻu Beach
49.7 km
Thurston Lava Tube
12.1 kmKeauhou Trail
11.7 km
Puna-Ka'u Historic District
17.1 km
Puʻu Loa Petroglyphs
12 km
Mokuʻāweoweo Caldera
49.8 km
Thomas A. Jaggar Museum
17.4 kmCrater Rim Drive
17.2 km
East Rift Zone
8 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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