Trails to Kilauea’s East Rift Zone partially reopen in HVNP
Park rangers in Hawaii Volcano National Park reopened part of Kilauea volcano’s East Rift Zone over the weekend, but areas east of Makaopuhi crater remain closed due to volcanic and wildfire-related hazards.
Maunaulu parking lot, Puʻuhuluhulu and Maunaulu have reopened. Napau Trail is open to the junction with Naulu Trail, which also reopened.
However, Napau Trail past Makaopuhi crater, Napau campground and Napau crater all remain closed due to hazards that include scalding steam vents, new ground fractures, burning vegetation and fire-weakened trees, fresh pahoehoe lava crust that can cause serious cuts, and rough, uneven terrain that can cause falls.
Napau crater and most of the campground were inundated by lava during four eruptive episodes between Sept. 15 and Sept. 20. A wildfire ignited by the eruption burned about 90 acres of forest and continues to smolder in the remote area.
Only one campsite remains at Napau.
Kilauea is not currently erupting. According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, lava flows from the September eruption covered two-thirds of Napau crater floor, and about 156 acres in the crater and areas just west of Napau.
