Kīlauea Visitor Center at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closed

Heads up! Kīlauea Visitor Center at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, including restrooms and most adjacent parking, is closed for likely at least the next 18 months for extensive renovations.

The closure officially began at 5 p.m. Monday.

Kīlauea Visitor Center’s interior will be rehabilitated, new exhibits will be installed, restrooms will be relocated and rebuilt and the lānai will be replaced by an expanded covered pavilion as part of the rehabilitation project.

The park made the announcement via social media Sunday morning.

After Dark in the Park, Nā Leo Manu and other programs usually conducted at the visitor center will be temporarily suspended.

Volcano House hotel, shops and restaurants and the Volcano Art Center Gallery will remain open, with parking available.

Hele-On bus service, provided free of charge by Hawai‘i County Mass Transit, also will still use the visitor center’s bus parking stalls as a bus stop.

Visitor center restrooms, sidewalks, water station and half of the parking will be unavailable during the construction project. So plan ahead and be prepared for limited services and parking if you’re going to visit the park.

“Yes — we will have portable toilets in the main public areas,” assured the park in a reply to a question on its post on Instagram announcing the closure. “[Frequently asked questions] will be available on the park website soon to help answer questions.”

Where can you find park rangers and volunteers?

Rangers and volunteers can be found Tuesday through Thursday at Uēkahuna, about 2.8 miles west of the park entrance on Crater Rim Drive, in the last parking lot on the left.

Park rangers and the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store will also relocate Friday to a temporary welcome center inside Kilauea Military Camp’s accessible Koa Room, just 1.2 miles west of the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park entrance.

Parking is available at the nearby ballfield.

Ranger programs will continue, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own water or purchase bottles of water at Volcano House.

Visitors also can still get their volcano passport cancellation stamp for their National Park Service passport book by stopping by the store at Kilauea Military Camp once it has relocated.

And, yes, the park remains open for hiking.

The Kīlauea Visitor Center rehab project will take up to 18 months to 2 years to complete.

“I’m sure the improvements will be well worth the inconveniences,” commented Kristina Anderson on the park’s Facebook post.

Multiple ongoing construction projects continue near the park entrance, Kīlauea Visitor Center, Uēkahuna and elsewhere in the park.

Visitation surges happen between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so if you plan to visit the park, arrive early to avoid congestion and frustration. Click here for construction updates.