Release Date: May 28, 2025
Contact: Jessica Ferracane, Public Affairs Specialist
(808) 985-6018; jessica_ferracane@nps.gov 

Kīlauea summit viewing area reopens in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi – An observation deck at Kīlauea volcano’s summit that provides panoramic views of the caldera has reopened in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Photos available.

Called Uēkahuna, the highest point on Kīlauea is a wahi pana (legendary place) steeped in centuries of Hawaiian tradition. Here one can look across the caldera, into the ever-changing Halemaʻumaʻu crater, gaze upslope to the summit of Mauna Loa, and watch koaʻe kea (white-tailed tropicbirds) soar above the crater walls.  

The area has been closed since May 2018, following two large earthquakes, a catastrophic eruption and summit collapse that triggered thousands of smaller earthquakes over a four-month period. The park’s historic Jaggar Museum and two buildings used by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory were badly damaged and removed. Deconstruction began in April 2024 and is now complete. 

Although the buildings are gone, the observation deck and historic stone walls, once crumbling and riddled with fractures from the 2018 earthquakes, are repaired. An outline of the former Jaggar Museum footprint includes stones from the original columns to commemorate the historic building. And a new USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field station is being built near the historic ballfield by Kilauea Military Camp, further away from the rim of the caldera.

“We are delighted to welcome everyone back to Uēkahuna,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We deeply appreciate how understanding the community and park visitors have been during the construction process, and mahalo those who provided feedback on the options.” 

A new path now connects the observation deck to Crater Rim Trail along the rim of the caldera, and the area is replanted with native shrubs, grasses and trees near the observation deck. A historic stone bench was restored, and several new benches that replicate the historic look have been added.  

The restrooms and comfort station at Uēkahuna will reopen once the new water tank is complete and passes inspection, projected for later this summer.

Uēkahuna is deeply revered by generations of Native Hawaiians who were the first to observe and interpret the volcanic processes within Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and an important site for western science ever since Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912.   

Jaggar Museum will not be rebuilt. Instead, the renovated Kīlauea Visitor Center (KVC) will accommodate the lost visitor services provided at Jaggar Museum.  KVC is slated to reopen by summer 2026.  

Visitors are urged to stay behind the stone walls and post-and-cable barriers at Uēkahuna and elsewhere along the caldera rim for their safety. Steep and unstable cliff edges along Kaluapele drop approximately 500 feet to the crater floor.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported on April 17, 2025, that Kīlauea is currently at a WATCH alert level with an ORANGE aviation color code. Recent precursory activity indicates the onset of episode 18, characterized by spattering bursts and lava overflow from the north vent.

• Episode 18 activity: Episode 18 began on April 16, 2025, with spattering bursts occurring every 10-20 seconds and lava overflowing from the north vent, reaching approximately 100 meters before activity ceased. The main fountaining phase is expected to start soon. 1 2
• Current hazards and observations: The eruption has been ongoing since December 23, 2024, with significant glow and strong degassing from both vents. Hazards include volcanic gas emissions and windblown volcanic glass affecting nearby areas. 

Kīlauea Volcano Update (April 3, 2025)

• Current Status:

  • Alert Level: WATCH

  • Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

  • The ongoing eruption at Halemaʻumaʻu crater (Kīlauea's summit) entered Episode 16 on April 2, 2025, with lava fountaining stopping by noon HST.

  • The eruption began on December 23, 2024, and has had 16 episodes of varying lava fountaining intensity.

  • Expected Next Activity: Based on inflation data, a new lava fountaining episode is expected within 7-10 days (April 10-13, 2025). Further updates will refine the prediction window.

  • Eruption activity is confined to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, with no significant activity in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

• Recent Observations:

  • The cessation of lava fountaining (Episode 16) occurred at 12:03 p.m. HST on April 2.

  • Gas emissions are high but have decreased slightly from the fountaining levels, with sulfur dioxide (SO2) being the primary component. The plume is blowing northward.

  • The volcano has been undergoing summit inflation, indicating magma re-pressurization and suggesting that another fountaining episode may begin in the next week (April 10–13, 2025).

  • Pele's Hair and volcanic glass fragments remain present around the summit area, with wind potentially spreading these hazards.

• Volcanic Hazards:

  • Gas emissions (including SO2 and vog) pose health risks, especially downwind.

  • Pele's Hair—fine volcanic glass—can irritate skin and eyes and be dispersed by wind.

  • Rockfalls, ground cracking, and wall instability around the summit and caldera remain significant hazards, particularly near the closed area of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

• Rift Zone:

  • Seismic activity and ground deformation are minimal in the East and Southwest Rift Zones.

  • Sulfur dioxide emissions from the rift zone are below detection limits.

• Expected Next Activity:

  • Based on inflation data, a new lava fountaining episode is expected within 7-10 days (April 10-13, 2025). Further updates will refine the prediction window.

• Additional Information:

  • Cameras and sensors have been temporarily offline due to damage sustained during high fountaining events on March 26, 2025.

  • Continued monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and local Civil Defense.

Episode 15 of the volcanic eruption concluded on March 26, 2025, leaving orange glow from cooling lava visible at night. The condition of the vents after this episode is notably different from previous eruptions. The south vent continues to degas weakly, while the north vent, largely filled with tephra and spatter, has been inactive and shows little glow, suggesting possible blockage. Overall, vent glow is much reduced compared to earlier episodes.

Tiltmeter measurements at Uēkahuna (UWD) and Sand Hill (SDH) recorded deflation during the eruption, followed by inflation during the pause. Seismic tremor decreased sharply after the eruption, though it returned intermittently on March 27 at lower levels.

Gas emissions, especially sulfur dioxide (SO2), remain elevated, but conditions like weak winds are causing lingering vog in the area, complicating measurement efforts. Additionally, volcanic glass (Pele's Hair) and small tephra chunks have been found around the summit and surrounding areas.