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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Facts

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Facts
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a 323,431 acre park located on the island of Hawaii in the United States. The park includes two active volcanoes, rare plants and wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. The active volcanoes were scared to Natives in Hawaii, who believed the caldera in Kilauea was the home of the goddess Pele. The first western visitors to Kilauea were English missionaries in 1823. In the 1840s it became a tourist destination. In 1916 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established. It is the 11th national park in the United States. It was the first national park in the country to be established in a territory.
Interesting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Facts:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is located in the Ka'ū and Puna districts of Hawaii.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.
An additional 115,788 acres were added to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2004, which brought it to its current 323,431 acre size.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has 7 ecological zones. These include alpine, subalpine, upland forest, rain forest, mid-elevation woodland, lowland, and seacoast.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two active volcanoes. These include Mauna Loa - the most massive subaerial volcano in the entire world, and Kilauea, which is considered to be one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
There are 59 endangered species living in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. These include, among others, the Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawaiian goose, Hawaiian petrel, and hawksbill turtle.
Plant diversity at the park is so diverse there are 1000 different species found in its borders. Of these 1000 plant species, 90% are found only in the park's region.
Sea turtles are the only native reptile in Hawaii. They exist in abundance on the island of Hawaii and in the park.
There are several locations within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that are listed on the National register of Historic Places. These include Wilkes Campsite, Whitney Seismograph Vault No. 29, Volcano House, Puna-Ka'u Historic District, Kilauea Crater, Ainapo Trail, Ainahou Ranch, and 1790 Footprints.
In 1790 a group of warriors and their families were present when Kilauea erupted. Footprints left by many of the victims who were killed are able to be seen still today at 1790 Footprints in the park.
There are 66 miles of paved roads in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. There are also 155 miles of marked trails in the park.
123,100 acres of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are designated as Wilderness. There are an additional 7,850 acres of potential wilderness and over 121,000 acres of eligible wilderness in the park.
The active volcanoes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park continue to resurface the land because the lava continues to flow. This results in a constantly changing environment.
More than 2.5 million people visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park each year to experience the ever-changing landscape.
Elevation in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park varies from 0 to as much as 13,667 feet at the summit of Mauna Loa.


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