“You have a great chance of spotting a Hawaiian goose on your visit. ©Wunson/Shutterstock.com The nēnē is Hawai’i’s state bird, a native goose that’s unique to the islands.”
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
🇺🇸 United States
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park of the United States, located on the island of Hawaiʻi in the state of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. The park provides scientists with insight into the development of the Hawaiian Islands and access for studies of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, glimpses of rare flora and fauna, and a view into the traditional Hawaiian culture connected to these landscapes. The indigenous people of the park, Kanaka Maoli, believed in living a life that did not take up resources. Volcanic eruptions are seen as sacred.
The park was originally established on August 1, 1916, as Hawaii National Park, which was then split into this park and Haleakalā National Park. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987. In 2012, the park was depicted on the 14th quarter of the America the Beautiful Quarters series.
Portions of the park, including the visitor center, reopened to the public on September 22, 2018. As of 2026, most of the park is open; however, some road segments and trails are still closed to visitors. The Jaggar Museum and buildings of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory were too damaged by the 2018 events to be used further and were torn down in 2024. Eruptive activity, ground collapses and explosions in the park ceased in early August 2018, and the lull in eruptive activity at Kīlauea continued until an eruption on December 20, 2020, at the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Since then, the crater has been intermittently eruptive with lava fountains and flows, though the activity has not been on the scale of the 2018 events.
19.340° N 155.643° W
🦜 Nature
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
Recent sightings in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
LIVEiNaturalistSighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a dayavg 13 year-round
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Kilauea Military Camp Welcome Center
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Kīpuka Puaulu Trail
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19.366° N, 155.217° W
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Formely Hōlei Sea Arch viewpoint
Essentials
Climate
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
What visitors say
Your review
Before you go
What animals can you see in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
234 species
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has 234 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are ʻApapane (over 90%), Warbling White-eye (about 90%), Kalij Pheasant (about 80%), Hawaii 'Amakihi (about 70%) and Northern Cardinal (about 70%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Mongoose (about 30%); among reptiles, Jackson's Chameleon (about 50%); among amphibians, Common Coqui (about 50%).
When is the best time to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for wildlife?
May–July and October
In those months the park's 12 most-seen species average about 70% on a given day, against about 60% in August–September and November–April.
Can you see a Hawaiian Goose in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Yes
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Hawaiian Goose sighting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on a given day, based on 822 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January, August and October–November (about 50%).
Can you see a ʻApapane in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Yes
Over 90% of wildlife watchers report a ʻApapane sighting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on a given day, based on 1,973 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is April–June and September–February (over 90%).
Can you see a Hawaiian Hawk in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Yes
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Hawaiian Hawk sighting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on a given day, based on 317 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is April and September (about 40%).
Can you see a 'Oma'o in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Yes
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a 'Oma'o sighting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on a given day, based on 464 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is October (about 70%).
Where in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is wildlife easiest to see?
Around Kilauea Iki 2
The richest sighting zone is around Kilauea Iki 2, followed by Kilauea Military Camp Welcome Center and Kīpuka Puaulu Trail, ranked by how many of the park's headline animals visitors can expect to see in each. See the zones on the map.
Is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park good for wildlife watching?
2.5 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park rates 2.5/5: 336th of 340 parks worldwide and 58th in North America. 16 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.