More trails at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park have been reopened following the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
More trails at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park have been reopened following the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
Uekahuna bluff at the rim of Kilauea’s caldera has been reopened to the public, along with a half-mile of both Crater Rim Drive and Crater Rim Trail connecting the Kilauea Overlook to the Uekahuna parking lot.
“We are so pleased to welcome the community and visitors back to Uekahuna, one of the most remarkable and revered sites in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,” said Superintendent Rhonda Loh in a statement. “Data from multiple post-disaster assessments indicate the areas do not pose an immediate risk as long as people stay on trail and stay away from the cliff edges. The National Park Service will continue to closely monitor the area, and respond as necessary to any changes.”
When the park shut down in 2018 during the eruption, a section of Crater Rim Drive dropped into the crater during the summit collapse, and the area remained closed to the public ever since out of concerns for its structural integrity.
Since then, the National Park Service has installed new railings to keep visitors away from hazards such as sinkholes and undercut cliff edges, while voids and cracks have been filled in.
Jaggar Museum remains closed, although public restrooms near the museum have reopened.
