Hawaii is home to some of the most amazing sunsets in the world, but Mauna Kea takes the cake for the best vantage point to gaze off into the horizon as the sun slowly sinks away. From a perch above the clouds, it’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience to feel like you’re standing in the on top of the world, above the clouds.
Differing from the classic beachfront Hawaii experience, a trip up to Mauna Kea will wow in a completely different fashion. Being at the summit of any mountain is a humbling feeling, but the cultural significance of Mauna Kea makes this adventure even more special.
Big Island is known for its biodiversity, and nothing showcases that like going from a sandy beach to a snowy mountain top in right around two hours. Throw a jacket in with your bathing suit and add Mauna Kea to your Big Island bucket list!
Visitor’s Information Center (VIS)
Cool your jets and acclimate to the altitude at a refreshing 9,200 feet. Mauna Kea is unique in that you can start your morning with your toes in the water and be almost 14,000 feet up in the air about two hours later. This is some serious elevation change for a body to accustom itself to, so if you’re planning on going all the way to the summit, a stop at the VIS is highly recommended to mitigate any potential altitude sickness.
Even if you do plan to go to the summit to watch the sunrise or sunset, the telescope viewing is done at the VIS. While you can see the stars well at the top, you may actually see them a bit better at the lower elevation as the decreased oxygen present at the summit can make your vision slightly less acute.
Jacket? Pack It!
Even in the summer months, it is cold at the top of Mauna Kea. While you don’t usually think of throwing a jacket in your luggage when you’re headed to Hawaii, if you’re planning on visiting Mauna Kea, bringing a jacket is a must! Keeping with the theme of warmth, you will want some closed-toe shoes and pants on as well. If you’re planning on being up there for a while or doing any amount of hiking around, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a chapstick with SPF, extra water, and a snack are all highly recommended.
Getting to the Summit
Drive
For the bold, a 4WD or AWD vehicle is required to make the climb up the access road to the summit of the mountain. Before you embark up the steep leg from the VIS to the top, a ranger will check your car to ensure your car has the capacity to make it both up and down as well as the gas (at least ½ a tank). If you’re renting a car and are considering taking it to Mauna Kea, check with the rental car agency to ensure you are permitted to do so, as some specifically state they do not want their vehicles taken up to the summit.
Tour
If you prefer someone else do the driving, there are daily tours, which transport guests from their hotel in Hilo or Kona out to Mauna Kea. These tours usually include dinner, a parka and gloves to ensure warmth is a priority at the top of the mountain, and some guided star-gazing at the visitor’s center.
Hike
If you opt for the hiking option, know this is NOT recommended for casual, spur-of-the-moment hikers. The 12-13 mile round trip loop requires packing enough water (1-2 gallons) and sustenance for the 8 hour hike as well as appropriate layers. It is not uncommon to encounter winds or rain while making the trek.
The packing list for a hiker is a bit more comprehensive than the casual viewer. Consider also bringing a flashlight, compass, hiking poles, and aspirin (mild altitude sickness can result in a headache). Additionally, depending on the time of year, a dust mask may be helpful in the early morning hours to help pre-warm the air as you breathe. This can help reduce some of the burning-in-your-lungs sensation that can happen when hiking in cold, dry climates. Check the weather before you go!
Not For Everyone
The trek to the summit is not for everyone, even if you’re considering driving. Children under the age of 13 are affected more significantly by the changes in altitude and as such are discouraged from going. Additionally, pregnant women as well as individuals with any cardiac or respiratory health concerns should refrain from pursuing the higher altitude vantage point.
Most importantly, you should NOT plan on visiting Mauna Kea within 24 hours of scuba diving. The adaptations your body makes to tolerate the pressure changes whilst diving require time to acclimate before they can adjust again to tolerate the altitude of the mountain. You don’t want to end up with “the bends”!
Tacky Tourist
Mauna Kea, in particular the summit, is considered a very holy place. At the top of the mountain there is a “true summit” area, and it is extremely disrespectful to go wandering over to this region of the summit. This summit area is set apart from the general area that tourists gather, but there is not much signage warning wandering tourists away. To avoid making this mistake, know this “true summit” area is the first hilltop you see to your right as you reach the top of the mountain. It has a small altar-like structure, you can see from afar.
In this same vein, trail etiquette is above averagely important if you elect to do any hiking. Do not go wandering off the trail and largely try to leave your footprint on this volcanic mountain as small as possible.
Bye Bye Baby
After the sun has set, rangers usher everyone back down the mountain as the cars’ headlights can negatively affect the telescopes’ performance. On the way down, there are three parking lots you can pull into. These are useful for a few reasons. First and foremost, the descent is steep, so you will be giving your breaks a workout. Allowing them to cool down in a parking lot for a few minutes is highly encouraged. This brake cool-down break is the perfect opportunity to lay down on the ground and look up at the stars. There is no light pollution, and it is a breathtaking view on a clear night.
Did You Know
Mauna Kea towers 13,796 feet above sea level; however, it is actually, the tallest mountain on the planet. While it’s height is certainly impressive, at just under 14,000 feet, one might mistakenly assume it’s not even the tallest mountain in North America. This isn’t wrong per se, but it does discount where Mauna Kea sets her roots. The 13,796 feet above sea level is truly just the tip of the iceberg as she stretches another 18,900 to reach the ocean floor. When you consider the height in total, Mauna Kea is a staggering 32,696 feet tall!
Onto Your Next Great Adventure
If you loved the volcanic mountain that is Mauna Kea, Hawaii Volcano National Park is the next must visit stop on your Big Island road trip. Big Island is comprised of six volcanoes, but Kīlauea is the only one that is intermittently active. Definitely worth checking out, but especially if she is currently erupting!
written by McKenna
If you look up diva in the dictionary, you will find a picture of McKenna Lee. Loud-mouthed and overly opinionated she may have the biggest personality (read: attitude) of us all. McKenna is in college at FSU, but her passion lies in her small business Mack Swimwear and running her small group through church. She lives for days spent in a bathing suit, and tries to go surfing in every new beach town she visits.
2 replies on “On Top of the World at Mauna Kea”
[…] you loved the volcanic landscape in the Hawai’i National Volcano Park, Mauna Kea is the next must visit stop on your Big Island road trip. Big Island is comprised of six volcanoes, […]
[…] of the Waipi’o Valley, you must head south to keep exploring. In a world above the clouds, Mauna Kea offers an unparalleled view of the stars. Even further south, the Hawaii Volcano National Park […]