01-05-2019, 09:14 AM
Do not try to hike to the Mauna Iki lookout, about 7 miles past main park entrance on the left heading toward Kau, unless you want only a short hike.
Trail to Mauna Iki lookout, about 1.8 miles in, is closed at the cabin (about .6 miles in from the road). Signs by the cabin announce: No further entry. On the day we tried to go to Mauna Iki, there were at least 10 other hikers there, most disappointed.
Yet HVNP personnel couldn't take the time to post that closure info on the big map right next to the parking area. Not only that, volunteers at the Kilauea Visitor Center center were advising that Mauna Iki was open. And the large wall map outside the building said the same (which is why we drove all the way out there to begin with).
The list of open areas at top seems expansive but truth be told, much of the park is closed insofar as hiking. Result: very crowded hiking between the Visitor Center and KMC.
No excuse for this lack of notice. HVNP officials knew the government shutdown was being discussed days in advance; they knew it was impending the day before. How long does it take to brief volunteers and ensure proper signage? A few hours. Not brain surgery here.
Trail to Mauna Iki lookout, about 1.8 miles in, is closed at the cabin (about .6 miles in from the road). Signs by the cabin announce: No further entry. On the day we tried to go to Mauna Iki, there were at least 10 other hikers there, most disappointed.
Yet HVNP personnel couldn't take the time to post that closure info on the big map right next to the parking area. Not only that, volunteers at the Kilauea Visitor Center center were advising that Mauna Iki was open. And the large wall map outside the building said the same (which is why we drove all the way out there to begin with).
The list of open areas at top seems expansive but truth be told, much of the park is closed insofar as hiking. Result: very crowded hiking between the Visitor Center and KMC.
No excuse for this lack of notice. HVNP officials knew the government shutdown was being discussed days in advance; they knew it was impending the day before. How long does it take to brief volunteers and ensure proper signage? A few hours. Not brain surgery here.