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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo by AzyShine. .

10 Best Facts about the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an American national park located southwest of Hilo in Hawaii County. The park has two active volcanoes; Kilauea and Mauna Loa which are 25 kilometers apart. While Kilauea is the world’s most active volcano, Mauna Loa is the world’s most massive shield volcano.

The park covers 335,259 acres, this is from the sea to the summit of Mauna Loa. The park offers a space for scientists to explore the world of volcanism and get insights to develop the Hawaiian Islands. Millions of people visit the park to get the experiences that the volcanic landscape has to offer.

The park also has a variety of flora and fauna. The Hawaiian culture connected to the landscapes can be experienced in the park. Let us now look at the top 10 facts about the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

1. Native Hawaiians regarded Kilauea as sacred places

Assorted shapes of Pele’s tears collected a few kilometers downwind from Mauna Ulu from along the Hilina Pali Road on Kilauea Volcano. Photo by Jim D. Griggs, HVO.

Traditionally, Kilauea and its caldera Halemaumau were considered the sacred home of the volcano goddess Pele. Hawaiians visited the crater to offer gifts to the goddess. The goddess is regarded as the creator of the Hawaiian Islands.

Folk tales say that the goddess Pele was born from the female spirit named Haumea.  Pele is known as ‘She who shapes the sacred land’. She is known for her capriciousness, passion, power, and jealousy. Her domain is said to encompass all volcanic activity on the Big Island of Hawaii. 

2. The first Europeans arrived in Kilauea in 1823.

Reverend William Ellis and American missionary Asa Thurston were the first Europeans to visit Kilauea’s summit. They told stories about the Kilauea’s activities. Ellis returned with his ailing wife to a family home in London in 1824.

He began writing a detailed report narrating his journey around the Island of Hawaii. His publications were the first account of descriptions of the landscape by a Caucasian.

3. The U.S. military planes dropped bombs to divert the lava flow in Mauna Loa

On December 27^th, 1935, a small squadron of Keystone B3 and B4 biplanes flew over the lava threatening Hilo and dropped 20 bombs onto it. Mauna Loa had erupted and the lava was slithering towards Hilo Town, home to 16,000 residents.

The bomb was meant to divert danger by collapsing the rocky channels and underground tunnels the lava was following towards Hilo. The troop was commanded by General George S. Patton.

4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an active volcanic area

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is a volcano observatory located at Uwekahuna Bluff on the rim of Kīlauea Caldera on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Photo by Ken Lund.

The park has two active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is monitored by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Mauna Loa on the other hand is the world’s most massive shield volcano. Mauna Loa erupted as recently as 2020.

5. The park is home to endangered species

Within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, there are 22 species of endangered vascular plants which count for 6% of the flora and 6 of 15 endangered native birds. The National Park Service Staff is working to recover endangered species.

This includes the nene, Hawaiian petrel, hawksbill turtle, and Mauna Loa silvers wood. This is because there are many threats to the species like the highly disruptive weeds and ungulates.

6. The park has a native terrestrial mammal

The park has seven ecological life zones; seacoast, lowland, mid-elevation woodland, rain forest, upland forest and woodland, sub-alpine, and alpine.

The combination of the numerous life zones and the fact the Hawaiian Islands are isolated has produced native species. They do not exist anywhere else on the planet.

7. Kilauea’s last major eruption was in 2018

Spectacular plumes of gas and ash reflect the glow from lava in the summit crater of KÄ«lauea volcano. Photo by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. .

In March 2018, Kilauea erupted at two different places. This had never happened before for a whole decade. The eruptions occurred at the summit in Halema’uma’u and down the East Rift zone at Pu’u’o’o.

The eruptions occurred from May through to August with overflowing lava covering the southeast area of the park. Over 700 homes and residential areas were destroyed in Puna District.

The summit area of the park changed drastically because of the earthquakes, ash plumes, and the collapse of the Kilauea Caldera. The Halema’uma’ crater grew from 280 feet deep to 1,600 feet deep while the diameter more than doubled due to the eruptions.

8. Sitting in the park is the Ka’u Desert

Kau Desert – View is near Crater Rim Drive about 500 m from Halema`uma`u looking south. Photo by S.R. Brantley, USG. .

The Kau Desert is a leeward desert located in the district of Kau. It is made up of dried lava remnants, volcanic ash, sand, and gravel. The desert covers the Southwest rift zone of Kilauea Volcano.

There is no vegetation in the desert because it receives acid rainfall. The acid rainfall occurs due to the mixing of rain with sulfur dioxide released by volcanic vents.

The PH level of the rainwater is as low as 3.4 thereby inhibiting the growth of plants. The desert has highly permeable tephra soil. Water evaporates quickly also impacting plant growth.  People visit the desert to hike and have walked during the inactive periods of the highly volcanic area.

9. The park has stargazing spots inside it

Stargazing at Hawaii National Park is spectacular because there is little to no light pollution from the surroundings of the park. The darkness gives a beautiful ambiance to stargaze.

From anywhere within the park where there is no tree cover, anyone can indulge themselves in stargazing.

10. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site in 1980 and 1987 respectively.

This is because the park preserves a strong connection between the natural history of the region and Native Hawaiian culture. To date, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is revered and regarded as a sacred place by Hawaiians.