Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

A national park in Hawaii, USA, embracing Kīlauea and Mauna Loa and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Overview

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park located in the southeastern part of the Island of Hawaiʻi (Big Island) in the U.S. state of Hawaii, and includes Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth by volume. It was designated on August 1, 1916, as the 11th U.S. National Park, and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1987. It is a unique protected area possessing both geological value and the cultural and spiritual value of Native Hawaiians.

Main Content

Topography and Geology

The park covers approximately 1,308 km² (323,431 acres), extending from sea level to the summit of Mauna Loa (4,169 m). The Hawaiian Islands correspond to the southernmost end of a chain of volcanic islands formed as the Pacific Plate moved northwest over a hot spot. Both volcanoes are typical shield volcanoes built by the gentle accumulation of highly fluid basaltic magma. At the summit of Kīlauea lie a large caldera and, within it, Halemaʻumaʻu crater; the major eruption of 2018 caused a major topographic change in which the caldera floor subsided by more than 500 m.

Major Attractions

Kīlauea Visitor Center: an information facility serving as the park gateway
Crater Rim Drive: a loop road circling the caldera
Nāhuku / Thurston Lava Tube: a lava tube formed about 500 years ago
Kīlauea Iki: a lava lake created by the 1959 eruption
Chain of Craters Road: a scenic road leading to coastal cliffs and Hōlei Sea Arch
Puʻuloa Petroglyphs: a site of more than 23,000 Native Hawaiian petroglyphs
Jaggar Museum: closed due to damage from the 2018 eruption

Ecosystem

The park is home to endemic plants including ʻōhiʻa lehua and endangered species such as the nēnē (Hawaiian goose), ʻio (Hawaiian hawk), sea turtles, and ʻōpeʻapeʻa (Hawaiian hoary bat). Meanwhile, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death and invasive species (feral pigs, goats, mongoose) threaten the ecosystem and are subject to intensive management.

Cultural and Historical Significance

For Native Hawaiians, the volcanic region is regarded as the dwelling place of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and fire, and as a wahi kapu (sacred forbidden area). The 1790 Kīlauea eruption remains a large-scale volcanic disaster recorded in Hawaiian history, and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), founded in 1912 by Thomas A. Jaggar, became a cradle of global volcano monitoring research.

Visitor Information

Annual visitors number between 1.5 and 2 million, and an entrance fee is charged per passenger vehicle. Because of toxic gas (vog), sulfur dioxide levels, and unstable terrain, some areas are frequently restricted, and checking real-time status on the park website before visiting is essential.

Recent Trends

The Kīlauea Halemaʻumaʻu eruption that began on December 23, 2024, continued through 2025 with multiple “episodic” lava fountain eruptions, drawing global attention. During pauses in the eruption, some sections of Crater Rim and overlooks reopened, drawing tourists again, and park authorities are focusing on safety controls and parking and crowd management. After the Mauna Loa eruption that lasted from late November to mid-December 2022, the volcano monitoring network and emergency response system were further strengthened, and discussions are under way to build a new visitor and education center to replace the aging Kīlauea Visitor Center. In addition, as a World Heritage Site, climate change response, respect for indigenous culture (the campaign to return Pele-related artifacts and rocks), and sustainable tourism policy are emerging as key agendas.