Because of the loss of parking capacity from seismic activity in 2018, and in anticipation of heavy visitation during the holiday season, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will add 20 new parking stalls to the overflow parking lot east of Kilauea Visitor Center.
Construction on the new gravel lot begins this week on previously disturbed land. Impacts to natural resources will be minimal, and there will be no impact to cultural resources. The park plans to open the new gravel lot by Thanksgiving.
The short-term fix adds much-needed parking spaces for visitors. The closure of Jaggar Museum and Kilauea Overlook for safety reasons following the 2018 collapse of the Kilauea summit greatly reduced the number of available parking spots for visitors.
Long-term planning to address parking and post-eruption recovery continues at the park. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/havo/recovery.htm.