Mauna Loa Lookout

Mauna Loa Lookout is a drive-up overlook at 6,662 feet (2,031 m), at the end of Mauna Loa Road. It looks down toward Kīlauea and its older lava flows, with the ocean in the distance on a clear day. This is not Mauna Loa's remote summit; that is a separate, strenuous backcountry destination. The drive takes about an hour from Kīlauea Visitor Center on a narrow, one-lane paved road, so plan for a proper detour rather than a quick roadside pullout. Low cloud can swallow the panorama, so check visibility before making the climb. For a photo, put Kīlauea's broad flows in the foreground and the distant ocean behind them when the horizon is clear.

The octagonal stone shelter was built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Its heavy stone walls and timber roof are a fine example of the rustic park architecture of that era. Pause at the interpretive panels before heading along the short paths nearby.

The surrounding subalpine woodland includes koa, māmane and ʻōhiʻa. Endemic birds live in this high-elevation forest, including the ʻiʻiwi.

A short path leads to a protective exclosure for endangered Mauna Loa silverswords. You can look at the plants and read about them without entering the enclosure; the small detour adds something living and fragile to a stop otherwise focused on the view.

The Mauna Loa Trail starts at the lookout and heads into rough, jagged lava toward the mountain's upper slopes. It is a backcountry route, not an extension of the short lookout walk; overnight trips require a permit. There is no drinking water at the road-end trailhead. The lookout itself has parking, a restroom and a picnic table, so bring water with you from lower in the park.