Such A Modest Fee to Visit a Massive Park
Since its formation 100 years ago, the park has preserved the countless trails, roads, and wilderness preserves that provide visitors access to its vast expanse, which is over 500 square miles in size. Given how much goes into maintaining a constantly-in-flux landscape due to volcanic activity, the park rates are unbelievably reasonable. A vehicle pass, which is valid for seven days, is only $30. For those who are more adventurous and choose to walk or bike into the park (which is doable from Volcano Village Estates!), the weekly fee is only $15. And if you’re staying for longer than a week, it’s worth it to spring for the annual pass, which grants you access to 3 national parks in Hawaii and is only slightly more at $55.
Entry to the park prior to 9:00 am is on an honor system, and if you arrive prior to the visitors center being open then you are expected to drop your fee into the box on entry.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Comes Into Being
Decades before Hawaii became a U.S. state in 1959, scientists and geologists made pilgrimages to the Big Island to study the near-constant volcanic activity at Mauna Loa and Kilauea. They came back to their labs and universities on the mainland with incredible reports of the volcanoes at work. Returning with awe for this extraordinary landscape, they pushed to have a national park created to preserve the area for all to visit. In 1916, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was added to the national parks register, becoming the 13th national park. And in July of 1921, a dedication was held on the Kilauea summit; a Hawaiian minister blessed the ceremony and gave thanks to Pele, the goddess of volcanoes in Hawaiian folklore. In the century since, it has become one of the most-visited parks in the country, averaging over 2 million visitors every year.
free days at the park: a token of gratitude
Rest assured that your entrance fee goes to good use, as 80% of it stays within the park, with the other 20% going to the general fund for other national parks. To celebrate the support of paying customers over the decades and the legacy of preservation embodied in that exchange, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park returns the favor in the form of several free days coming up. A few of them to keep in mind are August 1st (the 105th birthday of the park), August 25th (National Parks Day), September 25th (National Public Lands Day), and November 11th (Veteran’s Day). Where else can you visit an active volcano while trekking on some of the most well-kept and adventurous trails for free?
More Information
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day including holidays.
Stay at our Hawaii Bed and Breakfast and enjoy the convenience of being just one mile from the national park that has inspired visitors with its majesty for over a century!
Plan Your Visit: Park Website
Address: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718
Phone: (808) 985-6000
Established: August 1, 1916
Area: 323,431 acres (1,308.88 km2)
Management: National Park Service