Mauna Loa Eruption 2022: The Eruption Has Ended!
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Are you planning to head to the Big Island to see the Mauna Loa Eruption 2022?
The good news is our family has a trip booked for the Island of Hawaii in January. The bad news is volcanologists (a word I love to use) speculated Mauna Loa may stop erupting in a couple of weeks.
They were correct. The Mauna Loa eruption that began on November 27th, 2022 is believed to have stopped as of December 12th, 2022. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory when asked if the eruption was officially over said, “sometimes a difficult question to answer.”
But, they do confirm the volcano is no longer producing lava. All 2022 lava flows appear to be inactive.
In a coincidence that is baffling volcanologists, the Kilauea eruption also looks to have stopped. After filling the caldera with 28 billion gallons of lava since September 29th, 2021, over the past 24 hours, it appears the lava lake is completely crusted over.
All this means that there is no more red glow or lava flow viewing presently on the Big Island.
I’m hopeful the calm eruption will start again in the new year as Mauna Loa continues to inflate. We shall see as the eruption of 2022 was amazing based on the pictures.
Mauna Loa Eruption: What You Need to Know
News outlets report thousands of volcano tourists are flocking to the Big Island to see Mauna Loa. I’m not seeing the spike in the Daily PAX Dashboard, but I don’t doubt that people are heading over to get their selfie with the lava.
Hawaii’s Governor and Mayor of the Island of Hawaii say it is safe to travel to the Big Island. More safety info is below.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reduced the Mauna Loa Volcano alert level from Warning to Watch, as of December 10th, 2022. The reduced lava amount is resulting in a minimal to no red lava viewing.
Fissure 3 continues to erupt but with a greatly reduced output of lava and gas emissions. Above 10,000 feet, outbreaks of lava continue. The reduction in the alert level signifies no risk to communities downhill of the volcano. As the volcano is starting to inflate, it may mean there are more eruption opportunities to come.
If you are traveling to Oahu or Maui, you can squeeze in the Big Island for the day with an all-inclusive day tour that takes you to the Big Island and drives you to Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park. Learn more here: Big Island Day Trip from Oahu or Maui.
If you don’t want to fight the Mauna Loa viewing traffic, have a local Big Island Guide show you both erupting volcanoes on a day trip guided tour with the best tour company on the island.
Get The Big Island Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Hawai’i (Big Island).
Mauna Loa Eruption 2022 Viewing Locations
The Mauna Loa eruption of 2022 has ended. Below were the viewing locations for the lava flow. I’m keeping this information below for now, in case the eruption begins again in a few weeks.
You may have missed the eruption, but see below for our things to do on the Big Island lists and our famous Big Island Wayfinder Itinerary!
A popular, and close location, to view the eruption from Mauna Loa is along Saddle Road, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Route-200). The highway is called Saddle Road as it traverses the sides of Moana Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes.
The Gilbert Kahele Recreational Area (click for directions) is open with parking and restrooms.
There is a new viewing route available off Saddle Road.
The entry to the 4.5-mile, one-way route through Pōhakuloa Training Area land is directly across from Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area, with its exit at a junction point on the highway just before the Pu‘u Huluhulu volcanic cinder cone near the Maunakea Access Road
Visitors are allowed to park on the side of the road, but only on the right side, and are limited to 90 minutes.
Note, there is no stopping between mile markers 16 and 31 at any time for safety and traffic control reasons on Saddle Road.
See the USGS eruption map for details on the lava flow.
Mauna Loa Road, the summit area, and high-elevation areas (past the first cattle gate) of Volcanoes National Park have been closed. These areas were not normal visitor areas to Volcanoes National Park, they were more for backcountry hikers.
You can view two eruptions at the same time (weather dependent) by visiting Volcanoes National Park at Kaluapele (Kilauea Caldera), the main entrance for Volcanoes National Park.
The National Park Service has an Eruption Viewing Page that gets updated on the best viewing locations of Kilauea with distant views of Mauna Loa’s glow at night. Below is a summary of viewing locations at Kaluapele with my thoughts on the locations.
Please note, as fissure 3 is not producing as much lava, the glow of Mauna Loa from Kilauea is very weak or not present at this time.
- Kīlauea Overlook is the best location for ease of access and the view. The overlook is 2.3 miles from the main visitor center along Crater Rim Drive. Walk 1000 feet from the parking lot to see the crater from 1 mile out. You may see a sliver of the lake but the draw is the bright, red glow. The drawback is this will be the busiest spot.
- Overlook near Keanakākoʻi Crater is the best for a dramatic view of the lava lake. The overlook is 3.3 miles from the main visitor center along Crater Rim Drive. Park at the Devastation Trail parking lot for a 2-mile walk to the overlook. The eruption is 0.5 miles out from the overlook. The drawback is the long walk may not be best for young kids and parking is limited to 58 spaces. You will be rewarded with the most private view of the caldera.
- Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge) is the best for ease of access and for being the least crowded. Located at the main visitor center, the eruption is 2-miles away. You can see the lava lake as the surface plates churn. The drawback is you are 2-miles away, the farthest of the three viewing locations.
See our video below for details as we view the caldera at dusk from Kilauea Overlook, walk Devastation Trail, and even view the caldera from Kupina’i Pali.
Tips for Viewing Mauna Loa Eruption
- Wear warm clothes! The volcano viewing locations are over 4,000 feet in elevation so it will be cold. Sturdy, closed-toe shoes, a rain jacket, and a headlamp are recommended. Weather can change rapidly.
- The best viewing is before sunrise or past sunset. The park is open 24 hours so you can go at any time. Park Rangers recommend viewing before sunrise as it is the least busy. Peak viewing times are 5 to 9 PM, which Rangers say to avoid.
- Seeing Mauna Loa from Kilauea depends on clear skies, so adjust your expectations.
- Areas are closed for a reason. To protect the environment and yourself from harm, respect roped-off areas, and closed signs.
Mauna Loa Lava Flow
Per my new favorite webpage from the USGS, the lava flow is as follows.
The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa continues, with two active fissures feeding lava flows downslope. Fissure 3 remains the dominant source of the largest lava flow. The fissure 3 lava flows are traveling to the north toward the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road) but have reached the relatively flatter ground and have slowed down significantly as expected.
The slow-moving and predictable (so far) path of Mauna Loa’s lava flow is not presenting hazards to residential or commercial buildings at this time. But, the flow is about 3 miles from Saddle Road so the County of Hawaii is prepared to close the road.
On November 29th, Mauna Loa was spewing 148-foot-high lava fountains, and 65 to 82 feet a couple of days later. The flow was moving at 0.08 MPH (130 meters per hour) but has since slowed down as it reached flatter land and is spreading out more as of December 2nd, 2022.
That is good news for residents as Saddle Road is the main commuter artery between Hilo and Kailua-Kona. A shutdown of the road would make current traffic worse. It experienced rush hour traffic before it had a rubber-necking view of flowing lava.
Hawaii Air Quality Watch
Air monitoring locations across the state report that air quality has remained normal even with Mauna Loa’s eruption. Officials are continuing to monitor as conditions can change fast.
An eruption can produce vog, sulfur dioxide, and ash in the air. Folks with asthma or chronic respiratory disease should pay close attention to air quality conditions. A face mask does not provide protection from sulfur dioxide or vog.
What is vog? The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network defines vog as the following:
“Vog is hazy air pollution caused by volcanic emissions, which are primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas. As SO2 is released from the summit and eruptive vents, it reacts in the atmosphere with oxygen, sunlight, moisture, and other gases and particles and, within hours to days, converts to fine particles, which scatter sunlight, causing the visible haze that is observed downwind of the eruption.”
Is vog dangerous? Historically, vog levels have been low and have posed a low or negligible risk to residents.
Things to Do on the Big Island During Mauna Loa Eruption
If you’re heading over to the Big Island for the holidays and/or to see the eruptions, then make sure you know what else to do!
First off, our Big Island Wayfinder Itinerary is a fan favorite. The download-and-go itinerary has six excursion days that will take you across the island. Plus, we share where to stay, the best beaches, and our favorite places to eat.
Get The Big Island Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Hawai’i (Big Island).
Check out our articles for more things to do on the Big Island.
- Big Island Travel Guide
- 21 Incredible Things to Do on the Big Island
- 11 Best Big Island Beaches
- 12 Epic Things to Do in Kona with Kids
I also updated our Things to Do in Hawaii During Christmas (by island) with the latest schedule of events. You can also get 19 Tips for Visiting Hawaii During the Holidays, but the book early option has passed.
It is also whale season on the Big Island! See our favorite tours and activities for whale watching tours.
I am hopeful Mauna Loa continues to be a peaceful eruption. Past performance does not predict future results so stay safe out there if you plan to visit or if you live on Hawaii. No one likes to mess with Pele.