Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island

Hawaiians have a long history as astronomers themselves, utilizing the stars for wayfinding to sail across the Pacific. But modern science and ancient traditions don't always align. Maunakea is an extremely sacred and significant place to Hawaiians. It's been called Maunakea, meaning "white mountain" in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian language, since at least 1823. Before that, ancient Hawaiians called it Mauna a Wākea, "mountain of Wākea," to signify it as the first-born mountain son of Papa and Wākea, the Hawaiian gods who were the progenitors of the Hawaiian people. The mountain is still considered home to the gods and a shrine for worship.

For much of Hawaiian history, only high-ranking aliʻi (royalty and chiefs) and kāhuna (priests) were permitted to ascend to the summit of the mauna, or mountain, because of its sacred status. Most Hawaiians today believe that the mauna shouldn't be used for anything more than gathering food and cultural practices. They do not believe that telescopes and observatories should be allowed, while others support the continued progression of astronomical studies. In 2019, thousands of Native Hawaiians and allies blocked the summit road for months to prevent construction of a Thirty Meter Telescope. Advocacy and the fight for land rights continue to this day.

Regardless of where you may fall on this issue, it's important to understand just how precious this space is and how fortunate we are to be able to access it. Never hike off-trail, do not remove anything (e.g., rocks, plants), do not play loud music and always be respectful of where you are.

There are a handful of options for visiting Maunakea – joining a tour group that takes you to the summit, renting a 4WD vehicle and driving to the summit yourself, or driving to the VIS. Primary activities include stargazing, hiking, biking and viewing sunset.

Hiking and biking on the mauna are exciting challenges that many athletes enjoy. It's extremely important to check conditions before setting off on a trail — never attempt either of these activities in poor weather conditions. For your safety, always use the buddy system.

Everyone exploring the mountain and heading up to the summit is required to stop at the VIS first for a minimum of 30 minutes in order to acclimate to the altitude. You must complete a Registration Form and drop it off with the Rangers or the drop box at the VIS if there are no Rangers present. You also need to check out when you leave. Your form will remain in the box until you come back to fill in your end time and sign off.

Hikers are legally required to stay on designated trails, including Summit Road, Lake Waiau, Humuʻula Trail and Poliahu. Bikes are only allowed on designated roadways, particularly Mauna Kea Access Road and gravel roads, and are also required to fill out a Registration Form. Be sure to download Maunakea maps before heading out, since you will likely lose phone signals.

The best way to enjoy stargazing on Maunakea is to join a guided tour. While the cost may seem high, it's really the only drawback. Tour guides handle everything from picking you up from your hotel (or close by) to providing warm clothes. Some tours also include meals, drinks and telescopes. The best part is that all tours are led by highly knowledgeable guides. Jon Knight, an interpretive naturalist guide for Hawaiʻi Forest & Trail, said he's led nearly 3,000 trips since 2006. Tour guides like Knight share the history, ecology and culture of Maunakea. You'll also learn about the observatories and surrounding areas throughout your tour.

Make sure your tour operator is permitted to conduct activities on the mauna. Hawaiʻi Forest & Trail, Arnott's Lodge, Hawaiian Eyes Tours, Super Vacation Hawaiʻi, Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, Taikobo Hawaiʻi and Robert's Hawaiʻi Tours are the only operators with official permits. All of these tours sell out very quickly, so book early when you are planning your trip.

Stargazing Tours

Arnott’s Lodge: Book Tour

Hawai'i Forest & Trail: Book Tour

Hawaiian Eyes: Book Tour

Mauna Kea Summit Adventures: Book Tour

Taikobo Hawai'i: Book Tour

Visitor Information Station (VIS)

Free, open daily

The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy at the VIS is run by the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Center for Mauna Kea Stewardship. The lack of oxygen at the summit causes your vision to be less acute, so you can actually see more stars with the naked eye at the VIS than you can at the summit. Just above the cloud line most nights, this subalpine shrubland and dry forest offers a unique ecosystem to explore. Although tour groups stop at the VIS for 30 minutes before proceeding to the summit in order to acclimate to the altitude, they don't spend time exploring the VIS since they don't want to lose anyone. This is a good reason to visit the VIS on your own.

If you take a short hike, just past the VIS through the gate past the picnic tables, you'll arrive at the Maunakea silversword garden. Don't miss the opportunity to see this beautiful plant that glistens in the sun — it's endangered and can only be found on Maunakea.

When it's time for the sun to start setting, most visitors make their way to the Puʻukalepeamoa Trail, also known as Sunset Hill, on the west side of the Access Road. The hill is fairly steep, but it's not too difficult of a climb, especially if you've spent time acclimating to the altitude already. Even if you make it only halfway up the hill, this is a beautiful vantage point to watch the sunset.

Once the sun is down, you'll want to head back to the VIS before it gets too dark. There, staff lead a laser-guided presentation, point out constellations and answer questions. In addition to exploring outside the VIS, inside you can watch educational videos, explore educational displays, shop at the First Light Bookstore and just hang out and enjoy the stars. Though the VIS operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., you are not required to leave the area at any particular time, as long as you follow the rules of no camping, sleeping or starting fires.

While, sadly, the VIS no longer provides hot cocoa, a new restaurant just opened on Saddle Road in early fall 2026. ʻUmeke's Saddle Stop at the Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area serves hot drinks, hot food and snacks perfect for a picnic on the mauna.

Local tip: White light — from a cell phone, for example — disrupts your natural night vision. If you have a red head lamp or flashlight, bring that to use instead of using your phone light. At the VIS, they only use red light at night.

Parking: Free and abundant

While driving to the summit yourself can be thrilling it can also be a bit terrifying. I highly recommend joining a tour group or staying at the VIS, especially if it's your first time. Not only do the tours provide everything you need, the guides are also better equipped to make decisions based on your safety. Additionally, not everyone can visit the summit. Children under 16, pregnant women and anyone with medical concerns should not venture higher than the VIS.

If you do decide to drive to the summit, the first thing you will need is a 4WD vehicle. Most standard car rental facilities do not allow renters to take their vehicles to the summit — if you do, you'll likely be in violation of your rental agreement. Look for smaller outfitters who specifically rent Jeeps with 4WD and for individual renters on apps like Turo.

To make the drive, you'll need to add a couple of extra steps:

1. Your vehicle must be clean, with no mud or debris.
2. You must have at least a half tank of gas — the nearest gas stations are approximately 35 miles away.

These requirements will be checked by the guard's station at the VIS, where you must spend at least 30 minutes acclimating to the altitude before you can drive to the summit.

Once there, you'll be able to enjoy sunset and a few minutes of stargazing before having to head back down. Note that the only restrooms available in the evening are portable toilets. The summit area closes to visitors 30 minutes after sunset and stays closed until 30 minutes before sunrise. If you want to continue stargazing, you can move down to Park 2 (between the summit and VIS) or return to the VIS.

Parking: Limited to designated spaces and pull-offs, can accommodate 30 to 40 cars.

Familiarize yourself with the rules and safety guidelines before you arrive.

• Altitude sickness — I highly encourage everyone to drink plenty of water before, during and after. You'll be going from sea level to a minimum altitude of 9,200 feet (2,800 meters) at the VIS and a maximum altitude of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) if you continue up to the summit. This does take a toll on your body. Dehydration and altitude sickness can lead to headaches, fatigue, disorientation and other symptoms. If you have asthma, be sure to bring your inhaler.
• Dry climate — I also like to bring along Chapstick and nasal spray, as I tend to be more affected by the dry air and dust.
• Sunscreen — If you're visiting the mauna during the day, be sure to bring sunscreen, as the solar radiation is more intense at higher altitudes.
• What to wear — Dressing appropriately is important, as well. While tours typically provide parkas, you'll also need pants, close-toed shoes, a long-sleeved shirt or sweater and gloves.
• Charge up — Make sure to fully charge your phone and camera and download astronomy apps and maps ahead of time. I forgot to update my app and I couldn't get enough signal to do so while I was on the mauna.
• Check weather conditions — Either by calling the weather hotline (808-935-6268) or visiting mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/current/road-conditions. It's important to note that Mauna Kea Access Road may be closed due to weather conditions or road work, so it's always best to double-check before going.

• Hāmākua Coast — About 1 hour. Waterfalls and coastal drive.
• Hilo — About 1 hour. Visit downtown for farmers market, shopping and restaurants.
• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park — About 2 hours. Do this on a separate day — it takes a full day and will be too much of a change in altitude to combine with Maunakea on the same day.