Kilauea Overlook open again! Free entry on Tuesday

August 22, 2020 at 3:21 pm Updated: August 22nd, 2020 at 3:55 pm sbracken

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park invites the public to celebrate the 104th birthday of our national parks. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation establishing the National Park Service, and on Tuesday, entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (and all other national parks) is without charge.

In addition, according to HVNP spokesperson Jessica Ferracane in a news release, visitors to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will have another reason to celebrate: Kīlauea Overlook will be open for the first time in more than two years. The 2018 Kīlauea eruption and summit collapse created unsafe conditions at the overlook. Now, numerous earth cracks and gaping sink holes on Crater Rim Trail leading to Kīlauea Overlook have been repaired, and post-and-cable barriers near the crater’s edge were upgraded.

Visitors are urged to stay safe by staying on the trail and obeying all posted signs.

In addition, extensive repairs to Crater Rim Drive near Kīlauea Military Camp and to the road leading to Kīlauea Overlook are complete, and the parking lot has been resurfaced and striped.

“We are pleased to welcome our community back to Kīlauea Overlook in time for the 104th birthday of the National Park Service,” said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Acting Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “Kīlauea Overlook is a vista near the edge of Kīlauea caldera that offers opportunities to observe much of the caldera and reflect on the dramatic impacts from the eruptive events of 2018,” Loh said.

Flocks of nēnē, the Hawaiian goose, are sometimes seen flying over Kīlauea Overlook after sunrise, and it’s a good place to watch for koa‘e kea (white-tailed tropicbirds) circling Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The section of old Crater Rim Drive, which plunged into Halema‘uma‘u during the summit collapse, is visible across the caldera.

Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, a non-profit partner that supports the park, will offer educational items, collectibles and more for sale on the lānai of Kīlauea Visitor Center to honor the NPS birthday.

Most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is now open. Visit the website for detailed information on what areas are open, how to prepare for a visit, and how to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Kilauea Overlook open again! Free entry on Tuesday

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