Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness
The Big Island of Hawaii is home to Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness and its volcanoes. This Wilderness is fragmented into four areas lying within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. In order to protect humans from hazardous fumes, the areas surrounding erupting vents are closed to travel. The northwestern extension of the Wilderness holds Mauna Loa. To the southwest, a large chunk of this Wilderness includes several miles of coastline. More than 150 miles of trail crisscross the park, mostly within Wilderness. The Ka'aha Trail leads hikers down the fault scarps of Hilina Pali to the ocean. The Napau Trail crosses lava from the Mauna Ulu Lava Shield (1969-1974) and follows above the path of magma flowing to the vent on Kilauea's east rift.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Hawaii |
| Size | 123,100 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 19.48° N, 155.50° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miWilkes Campsite ↗Hilo, HI
- 1.1 miAinahou Ranch ↗Hawaii National Park, HI
- 1.1 miHilina Pali Road ↗Hilo, HI
- 2 miOld Volcano House No. 42 ↗Hilo, HI
- 2.1 mi
- 3.3 miMauna Loa Road ↗Hilo, HI
- 11.7 mi
- 14.5 miPalace Theater ↗Hilo, HI
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Hawaii
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness?
123,100 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness in?
Hawaii.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 19.479° N, 155.499° W. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is 5 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness?
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (5 mi), Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (17 mi) and Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Hawai'i Volcanoes Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Wilkes Campsite and Ainahou Ranch.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.