The two
major volcanoes
of the national park

Mauna Loa

It last major eruption occurred in 1984.One is expected again, likely within the next several decades.

Mauna Loa rises 4160 meters (13,677 feet) above sea level, but if you measure it from its base on the ocean floor, it's 9,400 meters (31,000 feet) tall, which is higher than Mount Everest.

Kilauea

Though considerably shorter than its sibling Mauna Loa, Kilauea attracts more tourists because it is the most active sizeable volcano on the planet.

And, Kilauea is relatively safer in the minds of visitors because it's less likely to cataclysmically blow its top.

Kilauea means "spreading, much spewing" in Hawaiian, which accurately describes what it usually does.

Geology

Mauna Loa and the neighboring Mauna Kea are gently, not sharply sloped as are most of the world's famous volcanoes. This is a geological characteristic of Hawaiian volcanoes.

Learn More

for Hawaii Volcanoes NP - Page 3

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