Have you ever heard of snow-capped peaks in Hawaii? There’s no way it could ever snow in somewhere so tropical, right? Well, put all your preconceived notions about the Hawaiian islands aside, as I tell you a little bit about the volcano named Mauna Kea on the Big Island.
Mauna Kea is a volcano which is one of the six who’s eruptions formed the island.
As of today, it is dormant but this massive mountain stands at 13,803 feet above sea level and actually extends all the way down to the ocean floor almost another 20,000 feet!
This makes it the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak.
Because of the high altitude, it is no stranger to snow and below freezing temperatures. The climate at the summit is not suitable for many life forms.
Venturing to the summit is to step into a world devoid of the lush greenery and vibrant ecosystems that define much of Hawaii.
Instead it offers a stark, otherworldly landscape where the air is thin and temperatures frigid.
Luckily for all the adventurers out there, you’re able to drive to the summit to experience this surreal environment. It’s one of the best things to do on the Big Island!
In this post I’m going to tell you how you can get to the Mauna Kea summit and everything you need to know before visiting to prepare you for this one of a kind adventure.
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Best Time of Year to Visit Mauna Kea
Anytime is really a good time to drive to the summit, but if you want to see snow (like I’m sure most of you do) your best chance to see snow at Mauna Kea is between the months of October-April.
However, there have been reports in the past of light snow in July but that is not very common.
If you’re looking for snow you can have snowball fights with, sled, or make a snowman, you must visit the volcano in the winter months.
Important Information for Visiting the Mauna Kea Summit in Winter
Something to keep in mind when planning your trip to the island in winter, is that sometimes the access road going to the top can get hazardous due to snow, ice, and heavy winds.
When conditions are this bad, park rangers are forced to close the access road to the summit for the safety of the visitors.
You can check this website to find out if the road is open or closed when you are planning to go.
It can be tricky because the weather up there can be quite unpredictable. Blizzards can occur later on of what was once a bright sunny day.
You might need a little bit of luck on your side in terms of weather if you only have a short time to spend in Hawaii.
I was living on the island for four months, January through April, and every time I tried to go to the summit, it was closed. I didn’t get to go until mid April and thankfully there was still plenty of snow on the ground.
Best Time of Day to Visit
Without a doubt, you will want to be at the summit of Mauna Kea for either the sunrise or sunset.
If you choose to go in the middle of the day, not only will the sun be intense since you’re at such a high elevation, but you will be missing out on a beautiful and one of a kind experience.
The summit stands at nearly 14,000 feet, so you are literally above the clouds. When the sun sets, you’ll be watching it slowly fade behind the clouds from above.
Most people who visit are going for sunset, and you can clearly see the appeal. It is arguably the best place to watch the sunset on the entire island.
How to Get to the Mauna Kea Summit
There are a few different ways you can go about getting to the summit which I will outline below:
Drive Your Own 4×4 Vehicle
You can drive yourself, but only if you have a vehicle suitable for off-roading.
If you are renting a car you MUST read in the rental agreement that it is okay for you to take the car up to Mauna Kea before doing so.
Many car rental companies have included in the fine print that they do not want the customer to take the car to the summit because of the elevation and the off-roading. You do not want to be stuck paying any kind of fine because you failed to check this beforehand.
Luckily, since I had been living on the island for months, I made friends with some locals who had a truck and had driven up multiple times before. I was able to hitch a ride with them and a few other friends and it was an unforgettable experience.
If you’re driving yourself to the summit, you can type in Mauna Kea Visitors Center into your Apple or Google Maps and it will take you right where you need to go.
If you’re coming from Kona, expect about a 1.5 hour drive to the summit. From Hilo, it’s a little closer, only about 1 hour and 10 minutes to the summit.
A Mauna Kea Tour Service
If you can’t find a rental car provider who permits you to drive on Mauna Kea Access Road, you could also go with a tour company that uses sprinter vans to haul visitors up to the summit and back down.
Here is a list of a few popular companies:
Since I’ve never done this I’m not quite sure who would be the best to go with, but the ones I’ve listed all have positive reviews and seem to be the most popular.
The only downside of booking a tour is that they can be pretty pricey. Most of the tours range around $300 including taxes and fees.
However, some tours do provide you with food and some provide you with winter gear included in the price.
Depending on which one you book, you can expect the tour to be around 7 hours including pick up, driving to the volcano, and drop off.
Most companies will offer a Mauna Kea sunset tour since it’s the most popular time of day to visit.
You should take some time to decide which tour service would best to suit you and your trip. The good thing about having multiple options to choose from for a tour like this, is that if the day you want is all booked up, you can just look into a different company.
Do note that these tours are weather permitting. If you have a tour booked and they close the access road that day you will unfortunately be refunded and have to pick a different day to go if you can.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking on the Big Island is actually very common for locals as the island is a relatively safe place.
But as for hitchhiking to Mauna Kea, I’ve known some friends who drove to the Visitor Center (which you don’t need 4 wheel drive to get to) and started asking around to everyone if they have space in their car to take them up to the summit.
I’m sure this would totally work depending on the situation because most of the people visiting the volcano seem to be generally good hearted people who are there to see one of the most unique places on the island just like you.
If you feel comfortable asking people for a ride to the summit and you aren’t on a tight time schedule, I say go for it.
But of course there is no guarantee that you’ll make it to the summit if you only plan on hitchhiking. That has to be a chance you’re willing to take.
Do I need a Permit for Mauna Kea?
No, you do not need a permit to drive to the summit of Mauna Kea. It is completely free to visit (if you have your own 4×4 vehicle).
If you’re driving yourself, you do not have to make any reservations either. You can drive up whenever you want as long as the road is open.
Things to Know
- You can only drive to the Visitor Center before off roading begins
- The access road sometimes closes in the winter months due to ice and hazardous conditions
- Park rangers WILL be checking each car to make sure you have 4WD and that you are in the correct gear before letting you go to the summit
- Plan on waiting at the Visitor Center for at least 30 minutes to let your body adjust to the elevation change; park rangers will ask you to make sure you’ve waited the allotted amount of time as well
Tips Before Going
- Bring plenty of water and some snacks with you
- Maybe bring Tylenol or Ibuprofen incase of altitude sickness headaches
- Pack layers of clothing (including hats, gloves, warm socks, etc)
- Use the bathroom at the Visitors Center because there isn’t one at the summit
What to Expect Driving to the Summit
The access road leading from the Visitors Center to the summit is 6 miles of bumpy off-roading.
It is a two lane gravel road with very sharp corners. There is no guardrail at any point on this drive.
If you drive yourself, you will have to drive slowly and carefully.
Once you arrive at the summit, there is a large parking lot so you shouldn’t have to worry about parking at all. It is free to park.
Prepare for Cold Weather
I’ve already touched on this a little bit earlier but no matter which season you go, it will be cold at the summit.
Even if it’s 90°F where you’re staying on the Big Island, expect it to be at least 40 or 50 degrees colder at the top of Mauna Kea. Especially at night and when the sun goes down, temperatures will drop even more.
It will feel frigid at the summit. This is due to being at such a high elevation.
You’re going to want a coat or heavy jacket, gloves, hat, warm socks, etc.
I remember seeing people wearing shorts and sandals at the summit who looked like they were freezing. So please don’t be this person. You want to be comfortable, so if you’re planning on visiting the summit on your vacation, at least bring a hoodie and pants.
They might have hoodies for sale at the Visitors Center depending on when you go but I wouldn’t count on that being your only way to get warm clothes. Plus, I’m sure they’re expensive.
Combating Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness is a very common occurrence for visitors going up to Mauna Kea. Altitude sickness can cause feelings of nausea, lightheadedness or dizziness, headaches, and feeling tired or fatigued.
The best way to prevent altitude sickness is by drinking plenty of water before driving to the summit, and throughout the few hours that you spend there.
It is essential that you pack plenty and even extra water with you before setting out. It will also help to have some snacks just in case.
I even got struck with a mild case of altitude sickness after I had been on the mountain for a while. It was nothing too serious, but I did feel a little lightheaded and queasy at times. I just made sure to rest for a moment, drink more water, eat a light snack and then I was able to continue on my adventure.
Things to Do at Mauna Kea
Other than just driving to the summit and viewing the insane landscape, there are a few other attractions that bring visitors to this volcano. I will outline these below:
Hiking
If you have the time, I highly recommend taking the short hike to Lake Waiau.
Just a few minutes before you reach the summit, you’ll see a trailhead on your right for the trail to Lake Waiau.
This is only a 1.4 mile hike on relatively flat land, but this will surely feel like an intense workout due to the low levels of oxygen. Prepare for it to feel hard to breathe and to take frequent breaks.
This trail takes you through the desolate cinder volcanic landscape and to a serene lake called Lake Waiau. This is an extremely sacred body of water to the Hawaiians and even today rituals are still practiced here.
Fun fact: In the 1880’s Queen Emma, the wife of the famous Hawaiian King Kamehameha IV, actually conducted a ceremonial bath in this lake because she believed the waters were healing and cleansing.
The lake is centuries old and is so mysterious in the fact that no one knows exactly how it got there.
It is believed that there are clay minerals at the bottom of the lake which prevent the water from draining through the porous lava rock. The lake is primarily fed by snow melt.
This is a very unique hike to do that I totally recommend if you come adequately prepared with warm clothes, plenty of water, and have the time.
It’s important to treat this area with respect and to leave no trace.
Mauna Kea Observatory
As you begin to come upon the summit, you will see several futuristic dome shaped telescopes and observatories scattered across the barren landscape. This is all part of the Mauna Kea Observatories.
These are some of the most powerful and productive telescopes in the world and nearly a quarter of all US observations made by astronomers are from here.
It’s pretty impressive that this volcano can be such an amazing access point for scientists where we can peer deeper into our solar system.
If you’re interested, you can plan your trip to the summit on a day where you can get free tours of one of the main telescopes: Gemini North.
NOIRLab provides no charge Mauna Kea telescope tours bi-weekly every Thursday. You can click here for more info.
I will say, these observatories do put a damper on the volcano’s deserted natural landscape. The observatories and telescopes make it look like you’re driving into some kind of other space-age world.
There have been protests in the past led by the Native Hawaiians in an attempt to protect this sacred mountain and prevent the building of new, bigger, and more powerful telescopes.
You can read more on that, here.
Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour
Many people who travel up to the summit for sunset have in their minds that it would be an awesome place to stargaze.
And it is, but you will only be able to stargaze if you specifically book a Mauna Kea stargazing tour.
Not very long after the sun sets, there are park rangers who come up to each car and begin to usher them off of the summit.
This is because the astronomers need it as dark as possible so they can get the best look at the night sky. Car headlights can interfere with the photographic images of the telescopes.
Most of the people who were at the summit for sunset (including us) drove down to the Visitors Center to stargaze. The stars probably weren’t as good as they would be up at the summit but it is still a great place on the island to see the stars.
That will conclude my complete guide to visiting Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii! Everything from sunset tours, telescope tours, stargazing tours, hiking trails, there is something here that will peak everyone’s interest.
No matter how you get to the summit, you’re sure to have a once in a lifetime experience. It’s truly magical! Enjoy every minute of it.
I hope you found this post helpful and were able to take away some valuable information for planning your trip to this sacred volcano.
Thank you for reading!
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