Best Time to Visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
SeptemberBest month to visit
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Visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes in September
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, January is the most crowded month (~1.2× the average month) and September is the quietest.
Annual visits
1.9M
2025
Busiest month
Jan
1.2× avg
Quietest month
Sep
0.8× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+11.4%
More photos of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Busy | 41 Poor | 79°F / 65°F | 11.0 h |
| February | Average | 52 Fair | 80°F / 65°F | 11.4 h |
| March | Average | 62 Good | 80°F / 66°F | 11.9 h |
| April | Average | 77 Excellent | 80°F / 67°F | 12.4 h |
| May | Quiet | 84 Excellent | 82°F / 68°F | 12.9 h |
| June | Average | 69 Good | 83°F / 70°F | 13.2 h |
| July | Average | 59 Fair | 84°F / 70°F | 13.1 h |
| August | Average | 62 Good | 85°F / 71°F | 12.7 h |
| September★ best | Quiet | 79 Excellent | 84°F / 70°F | 12.1 h |
| October | Average | 68 Good | 84°F / 70°F | 11.5 h |
| November | Average | 59 Fair | 82°F / 69°F | 11.1 h |
| December | Busy | 44 Poor | 81°F / 67°F | 10.8 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00518600, ~14.2 mi away).
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About visiting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a National Park in HI and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 1.9 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 11.4%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: January is the busiest month at about 1.2× the park's average month, while September is the calmest at roughly 0.8× — a 2-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 25% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 78°F in August down to about 72°F in January, with the wettest stretch in October. About 12 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the January rush. Daylight ranges from about 10.8 hours in midwinter to 13.2 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $30, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,680 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa - and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Weather & conditions
The weather the summit of Kīlauea (~4000' elevation) varies daily and may be rainy and chilly any time of the year. Temperature varies by elevation. At the summit of the volcano, temperatures may be 12 to 15 degrees cooler than at sea level. The coastal plain at the end of Chain of Craters Road is often hot, dry, and windy with the possibility of passing showers.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is Hilo International Airport (ITO), about 49 mi (2 hr 17 min drive) away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo International Airport (ITO)Best for flights | 49 mi | 2 hr 17 min | Hawaiian Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) | 97 mi | 3 hr 30 min | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, Island Air, KLM |
| Kahului Airport (OGG) | ~125 mi (straight-line) | — | Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, Island Air |
| Lanai Airport (LNY) | ~139 mi (straight-line) | — | Island Air, Malta Air, Mesa Airlines, United Airlines |
| Molokai Airport (MKK) | ~164 mi (straight-line) | — | Island Air, Lauda Europe, Malta Air, Mesa Airlines, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Hilo International Airport (ITO) — about 2 hr 17 min from the park.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $30, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The park is busiest in January (about 1.2× the average month) and quietest in September.
January is the busiest month at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, running roughly 1.2 times the park's average monthly visitation.
September is the quietest month at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, at about 0.8× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park recorded about 1,877,854 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+11.4%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park averages about 78°F (August). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Hilo International Airport (ITO) is the closest airport to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, about 49 mi (2 hr 17 min drive) away.
There is no airport inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Fly into Hilo International Airport (ITO) and drive the rest of the way — about 2 hr 17 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Beach water quality near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Ho‘Okena water qualityGrade A · 28 mi · HI
- Honaunau Bay water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · HI
- Miloli‘I Beach water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · HI
- Manini Point Co. Pk. water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · HI
- Kahalu‘U Beach Co. Pk. water qualityGrade A · 37 mi · HI
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.