It's About to Get Easier to Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — Here's Why
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is making it easier — and faster — to visit by rolling out a digital entry pass travelers can purchase in advance.
The park, which requires visitors to pay an entrance fee to access, is now allowing people to purchase the digital pass up to six months before their trip.
The pass can be purchased on Recreation.gov and does not cost any extra, according to the National Park Service.
"When visitation surges, especially during holidays, weekends and with increased eruption activity, lines to enter the park are long, sometimes stretching to Highway 11," the NPS said in a statement. "The new digital site pass makes the process of entering the park quicker and easier for visitors and park staff."
To access the park, travelers must pay $30 for a private vehicle, $25 for a motorcycle, or $15 for a bicycle or individual pedestrian pass. Each pass is valid for up to seven days. The park also offers a $55 annual Tri-Park pass, which includes access to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, and Haleakalā National Park and must be purchased at park entrance stations.
Due to limited connectivity, the NPS recommends travelers who do purchase a digital pass in advance download it onto a computer or mobile device or print it before getting to the park. And for those who prefer to pay on arrival, visitors will still be able to pay the fee with cash or a credit card at the entrance.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park sits on the Big Island and contains the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes: Mauna Lo and Kīlauea, which erupted to spectacular aplomb in September 2021.
But if travelers can't make it to Hawaii just yet, they can take a virtual tour of the national park complete with 360-degree views and guided by an expert ranger.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.