Categorized | Featured, News

Hawaii national parks free weekend (Jan. 15-17)

Kilauea Iki Crater — a star attraction in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. To hike into Kilauea Iki is to follow in the footsteps of early Hawaiians and Apollo astronauts. (Photo courtesy of National Park Service)

MEDIA RELEASE

In commemoration of the Martin Luther King Day holiday, national parks will waive entrance fees this weekend — Saturday, Jan. 15, to Monday, Jan. 17. In Hawaii, this weekend’s fee-free parks include Hawaii Volcanoes, Puuhonua o Honaunau, and Haleakala.

“It’s a new year,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “If your resolution is to unplug and spend quality time together in the outdoors, where better than a national park in Hawaii? In tough economic times, fee-free days give families an affordable way to enjoy our islands‟ natural beauty in meaningful ways.”

This weekend is the perfect opportunity to join in ranger-guided hikes that celebrate Hawaii Island’s second annual Volcano Awareness Month, an initiative spearheaded by scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Hikes slated for this weekend include:

* On Saturday, meet at the Kilauea Visitor Center by 1 p.m. for a three hour, 2.7-mile hike into Kilauea Caldera.

* On Sunday, meet at Kilauea Iki Overlook by 1 p.m. for a three hour, 4-mile hike through Kilauea Iki Crater.

* On Monday, meet at the Mauna Ulu parking lot by 10 a.m., for a three hour, 3-mile hike through the lava landscape created by Kilauea’s 1969 to 1974 eruption.

The Kahuku Unit of the park is also open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for driving, hiking, and picnicking. A special ranger-guided hike, People and Land of Kahuku, is scheduled for Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For all hikes, carry water and snacks, wear sunscreen and sturdy shoes, and be prepared for cool wet weather.

Mark your calendar — future 2011 fee-free dates include National Park Week (April 16-24), the first day of summer (June 21), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 24), and Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 11-13).

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RSS Weather Alerts

  • An error has occurred, which probably means the feed is down. Try again later.

 

Quantcast