Hawai‘i Volcanoes Free this Weekend

Date: January 13, 2011
Contact: Mardie Lane, Park Ranger, 808-985-6018

In commemoration of the Martin Luther King Day holiday, national parks will waive entrance fees this weekend - Saturday, January 15, through Monday, January 17, 2011. In Hawai‘i, this weekend's fee-free parks include Hawai‘i Volcanoes, Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau, and Haleakala.

"It's a new year," said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. "If your resolution is to unplug and spend quality time together in the outdoors, where better than a national park in Hawai‘i?" In tough economic times, fee-free days give families an affordable way to enjoy our islands' natural beauty in meaningful ways," added Orlando.

This weekend is the perfect opportunity to join in ranger-guided hikes that celebrate Hawai‘i island's second annual Volcano Awareness Month, an initiative spearheaded by scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Hikes slated for this weekend include:

• On Saturday, meet at the Kilauea Visitor Center by 1:00 pm for a three hour, 2.7 mile hike into Kilauea Caldera
• On Sunday, meet at Kilauea Iki Overlook by 1:00 pm for a three hour, 4 mile hike through Kilauea Iki Crater.
• On Monday, meet at the Mauna Ulu parking lot by 10:00 am, for a three hour, 3 mile hike through the lava landscape created by Kilauea's 1969 to 1974 eruption.

The Kahuku Unit of the park is also open this Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for driving, hiking, and picnicking. A special ranger-guided hike, People and Land of Kahuku, is scheduled for Sunday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

For all hikes, carry water and snacks, wear sunscreen and sturdy shoes, and be prepared for cool wet weather.

Mark your calendar - future 2011 fee-free dates include National Park Week (April 16-24), the first day of summer (June 21), National Public Lands Day (September 24), and Veterans Day weekend (November 11-13).