Can I drive to the summit of Mauna Kea?

Q: Can you drive up to the MaunaKea summit? Yes, but not with any car and only during daylight hours. On the road from the visitor center to the summit only 4WD vehicles are allowed, and the summit is off-limits from half and hour after sunset. Read more about driving to the summit here.

Is it difficult to drive up Mauna Kea?

The road to the summit, with asphalt and gravel sections, is called Mauna Kea Access Road. It’s a 14,7-mile narrow road built in 1964. It can be dangerous, particularly in bad weather. This is one of the toughest drives in the world.

How do you drive down Mauna Kea?

“Use four-wheel drive, and low gears on the way down,” he said sternly through the open window of our SUV, as we checked in at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station, 9,200-feet above sea level. “If you ride your brakes, you won’t have any left when you get back down here.”

Do you need an SUV on Big Island?

Re: Do we need an SUV to go around the big island? No, a SUV is not required.

How long does it take to drive Maunakea summit?

about 2 hours
Please check Summit Road Conditions before you come! Maunakea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is a high possibility.

Is road to Maunakea open?

After months of blockage, visitors can now drive up Mauna Kea Access Road. Visitors to the Island of Hawaiʻi will be happy to hear that Mauna Kea Access Road, which is the only road up to the summit of Mauna Kea, is once again open to the public.

How long does it take to drive Mauna Kea summit?

How far can you drive up Mauna Loa?

The Mauna Loa access road is an 11-mile scenic road climbing Mauna Loa up to over 6000 ft.

How far can you drive up to Mauna Kea?

14,000 feet
Maunakea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is a high possibility.