Officials with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park say they’re closing two sections of trails due to “episodic unrest.” They basically mean there’s a little too much volcano activity for comfort.
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In a press release, National Park Service officials say the area southwest of Kīlauea caldera, Mauna Iki Trail is closed, and the Kaʻū Desert/Footprints Trail is closed past the Footprints exhibit to the Mauna Iki Trail intersection are off limits.
Recent reports from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory show the summit of Kīlauea volcano remains at “a high level of inflation, and eruptive activity is possible in the coming weeks.” The USGS recorded 86 earthquakes near the summit of the volcano.
The volcano began erupting last month and left a lake of magma. Since then, the park has kept an extra eye on it.
“Safety is always our top priority, and the potential hazards in this region are significant and could include elevated volcanic gases, dangerous lava activity, and damaging earthquakes with very little notice,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh in their press release. “After any potential eruptive activity occurs, park managers will re-evaluate high hazard areas and access.”
As the name implies, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is unique due to having two active volcanoes within the park. Occasionally, guests can safely visit and hike to watch the volcanic activity in the park.
