June 2026 Events & Updates at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Contact: HAVO Public Affairs

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi - Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park announces updates and events for June 2026. Photos available upon request.

Kīlauea Volcano Eruption

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt episodically from its summit crater, Halemaʻumaʻu. The summit eruption is entirely within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

If light or southerly winds occur during eruptions with lava fountains, temporary area closures could occur if large amounts of tephra (falling volcanic material) and volcanic gas are present.

The eruption is in a hazardous closed area, but excellent eruption viewing is available from many safe and open viewing areas along Kīlauea caldera rim. Stay out of closed areas! Hazards include volcanic gas, steep unstable cliff edges, earth cracks and tephra.

During eruptions traffic is heavy and parking is limited. Plan ahead and check the park website for viewing locations, parking tips, and more.

When will Kīlauea erupt again? Sign up for free Volcano Notification Service emails through the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Be aware that the eruption could stop before you arrive. Follow the USGS HVO livestream cameras for eruptive activity in real time.

Air Quality. Light or southerly winds cause volcanic gas or "vog" to drift over Kīlauea summit and visitor areas. Exposure to high levels of volcanic gas can cause respiratory distress and illness. Monitor the park's air quality online and if vog levels are unhealthy, explore another area of the park until the air improves. If hazardous air quality persists, the park may temporarily close impacted areas until it is safe to reopen.

Park Programs

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: June 6, 20 and 27. 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.)

Work a Traditional Hawaiian Agricultural Site. Join us in the field working a traditional Hawaiian agricultural and archeological site. A team of University of Hawaiʻi archeologists will be excavating the Kaʻū Field System from the 1400s, located in the Kahuku Unit. The hike is moderate to difficult. What you'll need: long pants, closed-toed shoes, long sleeves, rain gear, a half gallon of water, sun protection, snacks, and lunch. This is a free event, but space is limited and reservations are required. RSVP to e-mail us.
When: Saturdays, June 6 & 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Kahuku Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Haʻi Moʻoleleo: Story Telling. Hālau Nā Leo Haʻaheo O Kona under the direction of nā kumu Bobo Palacat and Aliʻi Keanaaina, will present a wondrous tale through hula, oli and narration. It will include Pele's journey from Kahiki to Hawaiʻi, her time in Kīlauea, and the moʻolelo of Hiʻiaka and Lohiʻau. The hālau will also honor the Hula Maʻi (procreation chants) that inspire the creation of new life and care for the land and its people.
When: Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Kahuku Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Kahuku Kōnane Challenge. A favorite Hawaiian game from ka wa kahiko (the old days) was kōnane. The more you play you realize there are depths and strategies to the game that may not be obvious at first. Come learn its history and play the game. Reservations required, RSVP to e-mail us. Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association will provide a prize for the winner and the runner-up, the last two players standing!
When: Saturday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Kahuku Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Ranger-Guided Programs at Kīlauea Summit. 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

Lava Tube Bridge Replacement. The Nāhuku lava tube bridge replacement is underway. Most of Nāhuku is open during construction but is only accessible one way in and out from the east "exit" end. The rainforest trail to the front of the lava tube, the lava tube bridge and 50 feet into the cave are closed during the replacement. The bridge replacement should be finished by the end of June. The restrooms are open.

Kīlauea Visitor Center (KVC) renovations are more than 75% complete, and KVC is on track to reopen in late 2026. The roof on the large, open-air hālau is nearly finished. Work continues on the restrooms, the overflow parking lot and the interior. The KVC rehabilitation is Phase Two of the park's Disaster Recovery Project that resulted from the 2018 summit collapse of Kīlauea volcano and closed the summit of the park for 134 days.

Make the Welcome Center Your First Stop. While Kīlauea Visitor Center is temporarily closed for renovation, park rangers, the NPS Passport stamp, Junior Ranger books, visitor services and the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store are at the Welcome Center in Kilauea Military Camp (KMC). Take Crater Rim Drive West to the Welcome Center which is about a mile from the park entrance. 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.

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