An observation deck at Kīlauea’s summit has reopened in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Steeped in centuries of Hawaiian tradition, Uēkahuna allows visitors to look across the caldera, into Halemaʻumaʻu crater and gaze upslope to the summit of Mauna Loa,
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 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.
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.
Although Jaggar Museum will not be rebuilt, the renovated Kīlauea Visitor Center, which is slated to reopen by summer 2026, will accommodate visitor services.
Photo credit: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
