Hawaii/Big Island: Mauna Kea – Drive to the Summit

Mauna Kea is the highest point in the state of Hawaii, reaching an elevation of 13,796 ft (m), it’s a dormant volcano. Mauna Kea hosts several observatories due to its clear skies and minimal light pollution, making it one of the premier sites for astronomical research in the world. The summit of Mauna Kea is home to over a dozen telescopes and observatories, mostly NASA. The road to the summit of Mauna Kea is a gravel track that starts at around 9,200 ft (m) and ascends to the summit, gaining well over 4K feet. The road is steep and curvy, but well-maintained. You do need a 4×4 and rental companies technically disallow it. The best part – we started at around +15 C at the beginning of the road and got to -3 C on the top. Brutally cold and windy and snow was everywhere and falling. Snow in Hawaii!
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