Hawai‘i Volcanoes Park to Charge for Camping

Tent camping at ‘Āpua Point along the coast at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo: Jacob W. Frank

Starting today, Nov. 1, 2016, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will charge for all overnight camping as part of a plan to meet national standards for parks with similar visitor amenities.

The new camping permit fees are similar to other public camping fees statewide.

For backcountry camping, a $10 fee will be charged per trip, in addition to the park entrance fee.

A camper enjoys the shade at Halapē. Photo: Jacob W. Frank

All eight backcountry campsites (Ka‘aha, Halapē, Keauhou, ‘Āpua Point, Nāpau, Pepeiao Cabin, Red Hill Cabin and Mauna Loa Cabin) require a permit, with a stay limit of three consecutive nights at one site.

Campers can move to another backcountry site for the fourth night, but no more than seven consecutive nights per trip will be allowed.

Picnicking at the Kulanaokuaiki Campground. NPS photo: Jay Robinson

Permits must be obtained no more than 24 hours in advance from the Backcountry Office, open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fees for backcountry camping can be paid in person at the Backcountry Office, or online.

Kīlauea aglow from its summit crater is visible from Kulanaokuaiki Campground. Photo: Jacob W. Frank

Kulanaokuaiki Campground, a drive-in, front-country campsite off Hilina Pali Road, will cost $10 a night per site, with a stay limit of seven consecutive nights, and a maximum of six people per site.

The nine designated campsites at Kulanaokuaiki have picnic tables and tent pads, and are available on a first-come basis. Fees for Kulanaokuaiki can be paid at the campground’s self-registration station. Checkout is at 11 a.m.

At Kulanaokuaiki, campers with Interagency Senior (Golden Age) and Golden Access passes pay $5 per site.

Nāmakanipaio Campground off Highway 11 is managed by Hawai‘i Volcanoes Lodge Company LLC and is under its own fee structure.

Pets are not permitted in any of the campgrounds, except for leashed pets in Nāmakanipaio Campground. Leashed service animals are allowed.

Call (808) 985-6178 for more information.