There are two drive-in campgrounds at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: Nāmakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki. In addition to campsites, there are also 10 rustic camper cabins offered at Nāmakanipaio Campground.
Front Country Camping
Below is a quick rundown of these campgrounds. For more detailed information, click on each campground name.
Sites at Nāmakanipaio Campground, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park / NPS file
Nāmakanipaio Campground offers 16 tent-only sites. While there are no specific ADA accessible sites, the description for this campground indicates that each site is “moderately accessible.” No RVs or trailers are allowed at this campground.
This campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables and barbecue pits. Campfires are permitted in the barbeque pits only. If there are more than 2 people in your party, you can expand to 4 people per site with another tent. Maximum stay is 7 days.
There are also 10 rustic camper cabins available at this campground which are always in high demand. The cabins sleep 4 (1 double bed and 2 bunk-style twin beds) and have a picnic table, an outdoor barbecue grill and an outdoor firepit. The nightly cost for a cabin is around $55 plus tax.
A Nāmakanipaio camper cabin, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park / NPS file
Operated by Hawai'i Volcanoes Lodge Company, reservations are required for the cabins and can be made here or by calling 844-569-8849. Campsites are $15 per night and payment may be made at the self-pay station. You can even rent a tent if you don’t have one with you.
A site at Kulanaokuaiki Campground, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park / NPS-Jay Robinson
Kulanaokuaiki Campground offers 9 tent-only sites for $10 per night, payment of which may be made at the campground’s self-pay station. Three campsites are wheelchair accessible and the vault toilet is accessible. No RVs or trailers are allowed. No water is available and campfires are not permitted, but fueled camping stoves are allowed. This campground is subject to closure when the area is dry and during times of high fire risk. No dogs or pets are allowed at this campground to protect endangered nēnē.
Camping Outside The Park
If you can’t get a campsite at either campground, there are county and state campgrounds located outside of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Thedyrt.com lists what they consider the best camping near the park.
Backcountry Camping
In addition to Hawai’i Volcanoes’ two front country campgrounds, there is also the option of backcountry hiking and camping. There are seven backcountry locations and a permit is required. Click here to see the locations and how to obtain a permit.
