Mauna Kea
Volcano · Hawaii County, Hawaii
A dormant shield volcano on Hawaii Island and the highest point in the state at 13,803 feet. Measured from its base on the ocean floor it rises 30,610 feet, a dry prominence rivalled only by Everest, and on that basis some authorities have called it the tallest mountain in the world. Its summit carries a major concentration of astronomical observatories, and it is among the most sacred places in Hawaiian tradition - which is why development on it has been contested for decades.
Mauna Kea Access Road, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States
⚠ ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS ON THIS MOUNTAIN CHANGE AND THE OFFICIAL PAGE IS THE ONLY RELIABLE SOURCE - management has shifted in recent years and any guidebook, blog or older description should be treated as out of date. The Visitor Information Station on the access road keeps its own hours. ⚠ THE SUMMIT ROAD ABOVE THE STATION IS STEEP, PART-UNPAVED AND FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE ONLY, AND MOST RENTAL AGREEMENTS PROHIBIT IT. Conditions close the road for snow and ice, which happens on a tropical island more often than visitors expect.