Mauna Kea
Hawaii's highest point at 4,207 m and a world-class astronomy site: sunset above the clouds among the domes of the summit telescopes.
What it is
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on Hawaii's Big Island. It rises 4,207 m above sea level and more than 10 km from its base on the ocean floor. For Native Hawaiians it is a sacred mountain. Dry, thin air and very dark skies have made the summit one of the world's best observatory sites, with about a dozen telescopes, including Keck, Subaru and Gemini North.
When and how
The access road leaves Saddle Road (Route 200). Spend at least 30 minutes at the Visitor Information Station, at 2,800 m, to acclimatize. Above it only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed, as the pavement soon turns to steep gravel. The summit is open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset; for stargazing, head back down toward the station. Children under 13, pregnant women and people with heart or lung conditions should not go beyond the station.
Tip
Check your rental agreement, since not every company allows driving on Mauna Kea, or join a guided tour.
Photos and video
More in this country
SightUnited States · 2020
Clown Motel
A motel in the mining town of Tonopah, Nevada: more than 2,000 clown figures in the lobby and an old miners' cemetery right next door.
NatureUnited States · 2018
Dead Horse Point
A Utah state park near Moab: a 600 m drop to a bend of the Colorado River, red canyons to the horizon and bright blue evaporation ponds.
SightUnited States · 2020
International Car Forest, Goldfield
A desert art site in Nevada: dozens of painted cars and buses planted nose-down in the ground. It sits off US-95, the same road as the Clown Motel.