Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
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Tina Nguyen Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Location: The Park is on the Big Island of Hawaii, 45 minutes south of the region of Hilo. Size: 330,000 acres Visitors in 2011: 1,352,123 Background Info: - 1916: The Park officially became the United State’s 13th national park. - The creation of the Park was advocated and campaigned by Lorrin Thurston and Dr. Thomas A. Jagger. - 1906: Thurston started the campaign after exploring volcano lands, discovering a giant lava tube, being amazed by its beauty, and wanting to conserve it. - 1912: Thurston was joined by Jagger in the campaign and the campaign finally started moving. - Thurston and Jagger wrote editorials and advocated for turning the volcanoes into a national park until President Wilson signed it on in 1916. - 1980: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was named an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural organization (UNESCO). - 1987: UNESCO also names Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as a World Heritage Site. Accessibility: Explore the Park by car, on foot, or even bicycles. - By car, there are two main roads, Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road. - By foot, there is over 150 miles of trail ranging from easy walks to difficult walks. o Devastation and Waldron Ledge trails are accessible to those in wheelchairs and those with strollers. Rental cars are available at Hilo and Kona airports. No rental cars or bikes can be obtained at the Park.
Directions: - United/Continental airlines offer daily flights from Los Angeles to Hilo - Air Canada, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Japan, Northwest, U.S. Airways/America West and United/Continental Airlines offer direct flights to Kona From Hilo: 30 miles southwest on Highway 11 (a 45 minute drive) From Kailua-Kona: 96 miles southeast on Highway 11 (2 to 2 1/2 hour drive) 125 miles through Waimea and Hilo via Highways 19 and 11 (2 1/2 to 3 hours)
Park hours:
Fees: -
The Park is open 24 hours a day, all year round, even on holidays. Kīlauea Visitor Center is open daily from 7:45 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Jaggar Museum is open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. Jaggar Museum Bookstore is open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. The Kahuku Unit section of the Park is open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M., and it closed on the first Saturday of each month. Entrance fees: $10.00 per vehicle - 7 days $5.00 per individual - 7 days o Kids 15 or younger are free of charge $25.00 Hawaii Tri-park Annual Pass $10.00 Interagency Senior Pass, age 62 or older Free of charge for citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who are disabled Free fee days (park entrance, commercial tours, and transportation entrance):January 14-16 2012 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend) January 21, 2012 (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Open House) April 21-29, 2012 (National Park Week) June 9, 2012 (Get Outdoors Day) July 14, 2012 (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's 32nd Annual Cultural Festival) September 29, 2012 (National Public Lands Day) November 10-12, 2012 (Veterans Day weekend)
Lodging: - The Volcano House Hotel has softly opened on August 28 and is accepting reservations in fall 2012. Nāmakanipaio campground is located 31 ½ miles south of Hilo on Highway-11 o Campsites are on a self-registration on a first-come, first-served basis o $15 per day o Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance fee applies o Maximum stay: 14 stays The 10 Nāmakanipaio camper cabins have also been opened. o $55 per night in a cabin Kulanaokuaiki campground is located about 5 miles down the Hilina Pali Road o Campsites are on a self-registration on a first-come, first-served basis o Free o Maximum stay: 7 days
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Activities: - First visit the Kilauea Visitor Center where you can watch the film “Born of Fire, Born of the Sea” that is played on the hour from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M that introduces you to the Park. At the center, you will be able to find information about the island,
eruptions, hikes, bike trails, ranger activities, safety, and maps. The Kilauea Visitor Center also had a bookstore with books about Hawaii’s natural and cultural history. o Open daily from 7:45 A.M. to 5 P.M. Visit the Thomas A. Jagger Museum, along Crater Rim Drive, about volcanology and has working seismographs and equipment used by scientists to observe volcanoes. The Museum has a great view of the Kilauea Caldera and main crater of the Halema`uma`u. A gift shop is also inside the Museum. o Open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. Drive the Crater Rim Drive. The drive is 10.6 miles and circles Kilauea Caldera. Stops on the drive: o Kilauea Overlook (parking and picnic area) is near the highest point of the caldera’s edge and also had a view of the active Kilauea Caldera and main crater of the Halema`uma`u but is less crowded. o Steam Vents, where ground water seeps to the hot volcanic rocks and becomes so hot that it turns into steam. From the Steam Vents, you can walk over to the Steaming Buff which is a grassy meadow with ground cracks. o Sulphur Banks (wheelchair accessible) where the volcanic gases seep out of the ground, mostly consisting of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide which why it smells like rotten eggs. o Kīlauea Iki Overlook o Thurston Lava Tube, a lava cave formed when molten lava drained from its cool walls formed a large, hallow chamber. At the end of the Tube is a tree fern forest with many birds. o Puu Puai Overlook o Devastation Trail (parking area) where you can walk through the cinder outfall of the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Ik or the unpaved Bryon Ledge trail. Day Hikes Kīlauea Summit Trails: o Crater Rim Waldron Ledge 'Iliahi (Sandalwood) Kīlauea Iki Devastation Kīpukapuaulu Keanakāko Chain of Craters Road Trails: o Pu'u Huluhulu Nāpau Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs: see the largest petroglyph field in Hawaii which are lava rock images craved into stone with mysterious meanings by Native Hawaiians Backcountry Hikes
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o Permits are required if you will be doing overnight hiking and camping. The permits are free and must be obtained the day before your hike, no reservations are taken. o Trails: o Apua Halape Kaaha Keauhou Mauna Loa Nāpau Pepeiao Ranger Programs: offered daily and are free Kahuku History Hikes - "People and Land of Kahuku" o Guided tour about how people lived on the Kahuku lands, on various Sundays, no registration needed o 2 ½ miles of rugged terrain hiking Kahuku Kīpuka'akihi Hikes o Guided tour about rare wildlife and wildlife on Kahuku Kīpuka, once a month on a weekend, no registration needed o 1 ½ mile difficult hike After Dark in the Park: special guest speaker presentations every Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. at the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Puu Oo Vent: see where Kilauea’s lava activity is centered, lava floods underground tubes that empty into the sea. Halemaumau Crater: see the home of the volcano goddess, Pele. Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs: see the largest petroglyph field in Hawaii which are lava rock images craved into stone with mysterious meanings by Native Hawaiians
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- Plants and animals: - More than 90% of native flora is found on only the islands of Hawaii because of the isolation. - There are 23 endangered vascular plants and 15 endangered species of trees. - Silverswords are rarer than diamonds because they are able to survive Hawaii’s high and harsh climate and were once nearly devoured by animals. - 12 of the 23 endemic Hawaiian songbird species live in the Park. - Largest native animal and the State animal is the nēnē or Hawaiian goose. The Hawaiian goose is also endangered. - The Hawaiian goose, Hawaiian petrel, and hawksbill turtles are endangered species that are moving toward a full recovery according to National Park Service.
- Weather: Island weather is unpredictable and temperature caries by elevation. Be prepared for sun and rain. - Nearby attractions: - Hilo: about 45 to 30 minutes away from the Park. o Museums: Imiloa Astronomy Center, Lyman Museum, Pacific Tsunami Museum o Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, the United State’s only rainforest zoo o Many other parks and botanical gardens: Wailuku River State Park (Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots), Liliuokalani Gardens, and Wailoa River State Park. o Hilo Farmers Marker
Directions: - United/Continental airlines offer daily flights from Los Angeles to Hilo - Air Canada, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Japan, Northwest, U.S. Airways/America West and United/Continental Airlines offer direct flights to Kona From Hilo: 30 miles southwest on Highway 11 (a 45 minute drive) From Kailua-Kona: 96 miles southeast on Highway 11 (2 to 2 1/2 hour drive) 125 miles through Waimea and Hilo via Highways 19 and 11 (2 1/2 to 3 hours)
Park hours:
Fees: -
The Park is open 24 hours a day, all year round, even on holidays. Kīlauea Visitor Center is open daily from 7:45 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Jaggar Museum is open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. Jaggar Museum Bookstore is open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. The Kahuku Unit section of the Park is open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M., and it closed on the first Saturday of each month. Entrance fees: $10.00 per vehicle - 7 days $5.00 per individual - 7 days o Kids 15 or younger are free of charge $25.00 Hawaii Tri-park Annual Pass $10.00 Interagency Senior Pass, age 62 or older Free of charge for citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who are disabled Free fee days (park entrance, commercial tours, and transportation entrance):January 14-16 2012 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend) January 21, 2012 (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Open House) April 21-29, 2012 (National Park Week) June 9, 2012 (Get Outdoors Day) July 14, 2012 (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's 32nd Annual Cultural Festival) September 29, 2012 (National Public Lands Day) November 10-12, 2012 (Veterans Day weekend)
Lodging: - The Volcano House Hotel has softly opened on August 28 and is accepting reservations in fall 2012. Nāmakanipaio campground is located 31 ½ miles south of Hilo on Highway-11 o Campsites are on a self-registration on a first-come, first-served basis o $15 per day o Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance fee applies o Maximum stay: 14 stays The 10 Nāmakanipaio camper cabins have also been opened. o $55 per night in a cabin Kulanaokuaiki campground is located about 5 miles down the Hilina Pali Road o Campsites are on a self-registration on a first-come, first-served basis o Free o Maximum stay: 7 days
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Activities: - First visit the Kilauea Visitor Center where you can watch the film “Born of Fire, Born of the Sea” that is played on the hour from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M that introduces you to the Park. At the center, you will be able to find information about the island,
eruptions, hikes, bike trails, ranger activities, safety, and maps. The Kilauea Visitor Center also had a bookstore with books about Hawaii’s natural and cultural history. o Open daily from 7:45 A.M. to 5 P.M. Visit the Thomas A. Jagger Museum, along Crater Rim Drive, about volcanology and has working seismographs and equipment used by scientists to observe volcanoes. The Museum has a great view of the Kilauea Caldera and main crater of the Halema`uma`u. A gift shop is also inside the Museum. o Open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. Drive the Crater Rim Drive. The drive is 10.6 miles and circles Kilauea Caldera. Stops on the drive: o Kilauea Overlook (parking and picnic area) is near the highest point of the caldera’s edge and also had a view of the active Kilauea Caldera and main crater of the Halema`uma`u but is less crowded. o Steam Vents, where ground water seeps to the hot volcanic rocks and becomes so hot that it turns into steam. From the Steam Vents, you can walk over to the Steaming Buff which is a grassy meadow with ground cracks. o Sulphur Banks (wheelchair accessible) where the volcanic gases seep out of the ground, mostly consisting of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide which why it smells like rotten eggs. o Kīlauea Iki Overlook o Thurston Lava Tube, a lava cave formed when molten lava drained from its cool walls formed a large, hallow chamber. At the end of the Tube is a tree fern forest with many birds. o Puu Puai Overlook o Devastation Trail (parking area) where you can walk through the cinder outfall of the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Ik or the unpaved Bryon Ledge trail. Day Hikes Kīlauea Summit Trails: o Crater Rim Waldron Ledge 'Iliahi (Sandalwood) Kīlauea Iki Devastation Kīpukapuaulu Keanakāko Chain of Craters Road Trails: o Pu'u Huluhulu Nāpau Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs: see the largest petroglyph field in Hawaii which are lava rock images craved into stone with mysterious meanings by Native Hawaiians Backcountry Hikes
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o Permits are required if you will be doing overnight hiking and camping. The permits are free and must be obtained the day before your hike, no reservations are taken. o Trails: o Apua Halape Kaaha Keauhou Mauna Loa Nāpau Pepeiao Ranger Programs: offered daily and are free Kahuku History Hikes - "People and Land of Kahuku" o Guided tour about how people lived on the Kahuku lands, on various Sundays, no registration needed o 2 ½ miles of rugged terrain hiking Kahuku Kīpuka'akihi Hikes o Guided tour about rare wildlife and wildlife on Kahuku Kīpuka, once a month on a weekend, no registration needed o 1 ½ mile difficult hike After Dark in the Park: special guest speaker presentations every Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. at the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Puu Oo Vent: see where Kilauea’s lava activity is centered, lava floods underground tubes that empty into the sea. Halemaumau Crater: see the home of the volcano goddess, Pele. Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs: see the largest petroglyph field in Hawaii which are lava rock images craved into stone with mysterious meanings by Native Hawaiians
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-
- Plants and animals: - More than 90% of native flora is found on only the islands of Hawaii because of the isolation. - There are 23 endangered vascular plants and 15 endangered species of trees. - Silverswords are rarer than diamonds because they are able to survive Hawaii’s high and harsh climate and were once nearly devoured by animals. - 12 of the 23 endemic Hawaiian songbird species live in the Park. - Largest native animal and the State animal is the nēnē or Hawaiian goose. The Hawaiian goose is also endangered. - The Hawaiian goose, Hawaiian petrel, and hawksbill turtles are endangered species that are moving toward a full recovery according to National Park Service.
- Weather: Island weather is unpredictable and temperature caries by elevation. Be prepared for sun and rain. - Nearby attractions: - Hilo: about 45 to 30 minutes away from the Park. o Museums: Imiloa Astronomy Center, Lyman Museum, Pacific Tsunami Museum o Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, the United State’s only rainforest zoo o Many other parks and botanical gardens: Wailuku River State Park (Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots), Liliuokalani Gardens, and Wailoa River State Park. o Hilo Farmers Marker
