New Permits, Trails, Campgrounds, and More: Big Changes Coming to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

June 8, 2026

In 2022, the National Park Service (NPS) acquired over 16,000 acres to add to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Since then, this area, known as Kahuku-Pōhue, has been closed to visitors as the NPS has weighed how to best balance visitor access and environmental stewardship. A newly released plan finally sheds light on the recreation opportunities here, as well as major proposed changes elsewhere in the park.

Located on the Big Island, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes is one of the state’s two national parks. It is a popular tourist destination, attracting nearly 2 million visitors in 2025, according to NPS data. In 2003, the park acquired the Kahuku Unit, a 116,000-acre parcel of land on the shoulders of Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano. It added the Kahuku-Pōhue area in 2022.

Every few years, every NPS-managed site updates its comprehensive site management plan (CSMP). These proposals detail changes in trails, access, facilities, roads, and more, and include environmental assessments of potential changes. GEARJUNKIE