January 2026 events & updates at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Contact: Public Affairs, 808-985-6018

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi - January kicks off the new year off with a flurry of special events! It's Volcano Awareness Month, ten 2026 fee-free dates have been announced, and park ranger programs at Kīlauea and Kahuku are going strong. Plan ahead for these events:

Kīlauea Volcano Eruption. For more than a year, Kīlauea volcano has been erupting episodically from its north and south vents within the summit crater, Halemaʻumaʻu. The 38-and-counting eruptions are contained within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The eruption is in a closed area but is easily visible from many open areas along the caldera rim. Stay out of closed areas! Hazards include volcanic gas, steep unstable cliff edges, earth cracks and the potential for falling airborne rock material.

During eruptions, park visitation surges, traffic is heavy and parking is limited. Plan ahead and check the park website for eruption viewing locations, parking tips, and more. Want to know when Kīlauea is erupting? Sign up for free Volcano Notification Service emails through the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Volcano Awareness Month. January 2026 is the 17th annual Volcano Awareness Month (VAM) on the island of Hawaiʻi! Throughout the month, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists, along with close partners, will promote the importance of understanding and respecting the volcanoes on which we live. Numerous VAM events are happening in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and more are scheduled outside the park. Go to the USGS HVO website to download the calendar and find out more.

Park Events

All events are free, but park entrance fees apply. Some programs are sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Programs are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Check the park calendar for more information.

Stewardship at the Summit Rainforest Restoration. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment with written consent is required. Visit the park website for details.
When: January 3, 17, 24 and 31. Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Where: Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot on the dates above. (The meeting place is open during the visitor center renovation.)

'Ōhi'a Lehua Hike. Learn about the vital role of 'ōhi'a lehua in native forests, the many forms of the 'ōhi'a tree, and the threat of a fungal disease, Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death, on this ranger-guided hike. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this program, which is an easy, one-mile, one-hour walk.
When: Saturday, January 10 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Meet at the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station.Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Remembering Halapē. This talk-story and living history presentation commemorates 50 years since the devastating locally generated 1975 tsunami impacted the island of Hawaiʻi and reshaped the coastline of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Learn about local tsunamis, what to do when a tsunami strikes, and hear the stories of Boy Scout Troop 77 who were camping at Halapē on November 29, 1975. Jackie Pualani Johnson and team will perform "Halapē ʻ75: A Crevice in Time," adapted from first-person survivor stories.
When: Saturday, January 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Meet at the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station.Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Puʻuolokuana Walk. Join park staff on an easy 0.4-mile 45-minute guided interpretative program at Puʻuolokuana cinder cone, a prominent feature of the Kahuku Unit. Learn how the puʻu (cinder cone) was formed and its various uses over time. Enjoy breathtaking views of Kaʻū from its peak and learn why Puʻuolokuana is considered kumu waiwai, a source of wealth.
When: Saturday, January 31 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Meet at the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station.Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Ranger-Guided Programs at Kīlauea Summit. Did you know that Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park offers free guided programs nearly every day? Experience Life on the Edge at Uēkahuna, Explore the Summit and other ranger programs by checking the park calendar for dates, times and descriptions or drop by the Welcome Center to read the program board.
When: Almost daily
Where: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Kīlauea summit

Construction Updates

Phase Two of the Disaster Recovery Project is underway and includes the rehabilitation and redesign of Kīlauea Visitor Center (KVC). The structural steel support for the covered hālau (pavilion) on the west end of KVC is up, the roof and wood framework on the new restrooms is visible on the east end, and septic installation is underway. Work to convert offices into visitor areas, increase space for the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association (HPPA) store, and exhibits in English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is ongoing. KVC, its restrooms and sidewalks, are closed during the project, and should reopen in late 2026. In the meantime, park rangers and the HPPA store have relocated to a temporary Welcome Center in the park and continue to serve visitors.

Find Us at the Welcome Center! Kīlauea Visitor Center is closed for renovation, but park rangers, the NPS Passport stamp station, Junior Ranger books, visitor services and the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store have relocated to the Welcome Center at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC). Take Crater Rim Drive West, a little over a mile from the park entrance and park at the adjacent ballfield. Parking in front of KMC is for registered guests only. The Welcome Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Got Water? Visitors should bring their own water to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The water station at Kīlauea Visitor Center is unavailable during renovations. A drinking fountain is available at Uēkahuna, and the bottle-filling station will be reinstalled there soon. Water is available for purchase at Volcano House.

Highway 11 Power Pole Replacement. HELCO's Line Relocation and Replacement project is nearly complete. Line installation on new poles near the park entrance will begin soon to provide more reliable electricity for the park. More information and the Environmental Assessment can be found online.

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