News Release

March 2026 events & updates at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Lava and tephra erupt from Kīlauea volcano during Episode 41

NPS Photo/J.Wei

News Release Date: February 9, 2026

Contact: Jessica Ferracane

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi – Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park announces updates and events for March 2026.

Kīlauea Volcano Eruption. The ongoing Kīlauea eruption continues, with 41-and-counting episodes all within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at the volcano’s summit. When erupting, the unprecedented volcanic activity is easily observed from open viewing areas along the caldera rim not far from the park entrance. Stay out of closed areas! Hazards include volcanic gas, steep unstable cliff edges, earth cracks and falling airborne rock material. 

During eruptions, visitation soars at the summit. Traffic is heavy and parking is limited. Visitors must park in designated areas only. Plan ahead and check the park website for viewing locations, parking tips, and more. Be aware that some viewing areas may temporarily close due to volcanic hazards.  

When will Kīlauea erupt next? Sign up for free Volcano Notification Service emails through the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Be aware that the eruption could stop before you arrive. Follow the USGS HVO livestream cameras for eruptive activity in real time.  

Air Quality. Light or southerly winds are common during winter months in Hawaiʻi and can cause volcanic gas or “vog” to drift over visitor areas near Kīlauea summit. Exposure to high levels of volcanic gas including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide can cause respiratory distress and illness. Monitor the park’s air quality online and if vog levels are unhealthy, explore another area of the park until the air improves. At nearly 355,000 acres, there are usually areas in the park where the air quality is good. If hazardous air quality persists, the park may temporarily close impacted areas until it is safe to reopen. 

Park Events   
 
All events are free, but park entrance fees apply. Some programs are sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Programs are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Check the park calendar for more information.

Stewardship at the Summit Rainforest Restoration. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment with written consent is required. Visit the park website for details.  
When: March 7, 21 & 28. Meet at 8:45 a.m.   
Where: Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot on the dates above. (The meeting place is open during the visitor center renovation.)  

Hula Kahiko. Enjoy hula kahiko (traditional hula) by Unalau under the direction of Pele Kaio. Bring sun/rain gear and sitting mats and arrive early to due to limited parking at the Kīlauea Visitor Center which is under renovation. If parking is full, be prepared to walk from the overflow lot at Kūkamāhuākea (Steam Vents). Call [phone] for more information or email [e-mail].  
When: Saturday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. 
Where: At the Kahua Hula (hula platform) near Volcano Art Center Gallery. 

Haʻi Moʻolelo (Storytelling). Hālau Nā Lei Haʻaheo o Kona, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Bobo Palacat, Konia Palacat, Ashlynn Palacat, Alii Keanaaina, Aoi Takamiyagi, and Alohi Abraham, will present a wondrous tale through hula, oli and narration. It highlights the journey of Pele from Kahiki to Hawaiʻi, her time in Kīlauea, and the moʻolelo of Hiʻiaka and Lohiʻau. The hālau will also honor the hula maʻi (procreation chants) that inspire the creation of new life and care for the land and its people.
When: Saturday, March 14 from 11 a.m. to noon
Where: Kahuku Visitor Contact Station  

Guided Hike to the Kaʻū Field System. Join park staff on the “farming the rock” walking tour. Walk along an old ranch road to the remnants of a vast agricultural field system and learn how early Hawaiians intensively farmed this area and fed the large population of Kahuku. This is an easy half-mile, one-hour hike. 
When: Saturday, March 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  
Where: Meet at the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station  

Find Us at the Prince Jonah Kūhiō Hoʻolauleʻa. Rangers from the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will participate in the Hana Lau Lima hoʻolauleʻa Hana Lau Lima that honors Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole. Prince Kūhiō was the only member of Congress born into royalty and was integral in the establishment of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes as a national park. Come learn to play kōnane and weave wili he laʻi lei (twist a tī leaf lei). 
When: Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Nāʻālehu Park 

Ranger-Guided Programs at Kīlauea Summit. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park offers free guided programs nearly every day. Experience Life on the Edge at Uēkahuna, Explore the Summit and other ranger programs by checking the park calendar for dates, times and descriptions or drop by the Welcome Center to read the program board.   
When: Almost daily   
Where: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Kīlauea summit  

Construction Updates  
 
Kīlauea Visitor Center (KVC) is on track to reopen to visitors in late 2026. The underlayment for the roof on the beautiful large open-air hālau is complete and contractors are installing the fascia and roof sheathing. The stone curbing in the overflow parking lot has been reinstalled. The plumbing and electrical rough-ins for the restrooms are nearly finished. Work to convert former office space into visitor areas, increase space for the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association (HPPA) store, and create exhibits in English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, is ongoing. Park rangers and the HPPA store are serving visitors from the Welcome Center at Kilauea Military Camp. The rehabiliation of KVC is Phase Two of the Disaster Recovery Project stemming from the damaging 2018 eruption and summit collapse of Kīlauea volcano that closed most of the park for 134 days.  

Make the Welcome Center Your First Stop! Kīlauea Visitor Center is closed for renovation, but park rangers, the NPS Passport stamp station, Junior Ranger books, visitor services and the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store have relocated to the Welcome Center at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC). Take Crater Rim Drive West, a little over a mile from the park entrance and park at the adjacent ballfield. Parking in front of KMC is for registered guests only. The Welcome Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Got Water? Visitors should bring their own water to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The water station at Kīlauea Visitor Center is unavailable during renovations. A drinking fountain is available at Uēkahuna, and the park plans to install a bottle-filling station soon. Water is available for purchase at Volcano House.  

Highway 11 Power Pole Replacement. HELCO’s Line Relocation and Replacement project should be complete by late March 2026. HELCO has replaced and upgraded 69 utility poles in the park from Piʻi Mauna Drive to the Hilo side boundary. Workers will soon begin to remove poles that are safe to take out. More information and the Environmental Assessment can be found online.    

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