News Release

Celebrate the 104th birthday of the National Park Service with free entrance to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on August 25

Date: August 21, 2020
Contact: Jessica Ferracane

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The view from Kīlauea Overlook in 2018 (left) compared to today.

NPS Photo

Hawaii National Park, HAWAI‘I – Celebrate the 104th birthday of America’s Best Idea – our national parks – for free! Entrance fees are waived at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and all fee-charging national parks in the U.S. on Founder's Day, Tuesday, August 25. 

Visitors to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will have another reason to celebrate: Kilauea Overlook will be open for the first time in more than two years. The 2018 Kilauea eruption and summit collapse created unsafe conditions at the overlook. Numerous earth cracks and gaping sink holes on Crater Rim Trail leading to Kilauea 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 Kilauea Military Camp and to the road leading to Kilauea Overlook are complete, and the parking lot has been resurfaced and striped. 

“We are pleased to welcome our community back to Kilauea Overlook in time for the 104th birthday of the National Park Service,” said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Acting Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “Kilauea Overlook is a vista near the edge of Kilauea 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 nene, the Hawaiian goose, are sometimes seen flying over Kilauea 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 lanai of Kilauea 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. Haleakala National Park on Maui will also waive entrance fees on Founder’s Day. 

www.nps.gov