View source for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

{{Infobox national park
| name         = Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
| image        = Halemaumau_Crater_Kīlauea.jpg
| caption      = Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at Kīlauea volcano
| location     = Hawaiʻi (Big Island), United States
| coordinates  = 19.4194°N, 155.2886°W
| area         = 523 sq mi (1,355 km²)
| established  = August 1, 1916
| visitors     = 1.6 million (2023)
| website      = https://www.nps.gov/havo
}}
'''Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park''' is located on the '''Big Island of Hawaiʻi''' and protects two of the world's most active volcanoes — '''Kīlauea''' and '''Mauna Loa'''. It was established on '''August 1, 1916''', and is a designated '''UNESCO World Heritage Site''' and '''International Biosphere Reserve'''.

== Volcanic Landscape ==
The park features:
* '''Kīlauea''' – one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, last erupting in 2023
* '''Mauna Loa''' – the largest volcano in the world by volume
* Lava tubes, steam vents, sulfur banks, and volcanic craters
* The '''Chain of Craters Road''', which descends through active volcanic landscapes

== Native Hawaiian Significance ==
The area is sacred to Native Hawaiians and tied to the goddess '''Pele''', the deity of fire and volcanoes. Many cultural sites, such as '''petroglyph fields''', '''heiau (temples)''', and ancient trails, remain preserved.

== Ecosystems and Wildlife ==
Despite its rugged terrain, the park contains a wide range of life:
* '''Tropical rainforests''', '''lava deserts''', and '''alpine climates'''
* Endemic species such as:
  - '''ʻŌhiʻa lehua''' trees
  - '''Nēnē''' (Hawaiian goose)
  - '''ʻApapane''' and other native honeycreepers

== Visitor Highlights ==
* '''Kīlauea Visitor Center''' and '''Jaggar Museum Overlook'''
* '''Crater Rim Trail''', '''Devastation Trail''', and '''Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)'''
* Scenic drives and night views of glowing lava
* Opportunities to safely view active eruptions (when occurring)

== Geological Importance ==
* The park helps scientists study the birth and evolution of volcanic islands
* It’s one of the few places where visitors can witness new land being formed

== Fun Facts ==
* Mauna Loa rises over **33,500 feet** from its base on the ocean floor — taller than Everest!
* The park protects over half of the Big Island’s landmass
* Visitors can walk through lava tubes formed hundreds of years ago

== See Also ==
* [[National Parks in the United States]]
* [[Hawaiʻi]]
* [[Mauna Loa]]
* [[Kīlauea]]
* [[Volcanoes of the United States]]
* [[Geology of Hawaiʻi]]