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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

A spectacle, sublime and even appalling, presented itself before us. We stopped and trembled. Astonishment and awe for some moments rendered us mute, and, like statues, we stood fixed to the spot, with our eyes riveted on the abyss below.
— William Ellis
Sacred Cauldron
Pay respects to the goddess Pele in her ancient home at Kilauea as she continually shapes and burns the earth with her molten self. Let your awe wash over you at the base of Earth’s creation — ever present as the past shapes the future.
The park in Hawai'i encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth's largest volcano at 19,999 cubic miles, Mauna Loa.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, shows the sheer power of volcanoes ability to shape and re-shape our land. These processes rewrite the shape of the land. Coupled with the special human history and rare ecosystems found here, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is a special place in America to be sure.

In addition to Mauna Loa, the park includes Kilauea, the world's most active volcano, which offers scientists insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and visitors views of dramatic volcanic landscapes.

Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park was designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.

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