Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry Permit Guide 2026

Hawaii · No dogs in the backcountry

By Casey Rowan, Permit Ranger

Last updated

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island protects active volcanic landscapes, from summit calderas to a remote wilderness coast, with backcountry camping areas and cabins reached on foot. A backcountry permit reserves a specific camping area for each night of your itinerary. Popular coastal sites and cabins are limited, so competitive dates can be hard to get.

Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry issues its wilderness permits through recreation.gov, and popular passes sell out ahead of the season. 75% of each backcountry site's capacity opens on a rolling 3-month window (published as 90 days), advancing each morning at 7:00 AM Hawai'i time (10:00 AM Pacific during PDT). The remaining 25% is held for in-person walk-up permits 7 days before entry and is never bookable online. Quota applies year-round. Permit Ranger watches every pass here and alerts you the moment a sold-out date opens.

When permits are released

75% of each backcountry site's capacity opens on a rolling 3-month window (published as 90 days), advancing each morning at 7:00 AM Hawai'i time (10:00 AM Pacific during PDT). The remaining 25% is held for in-person walk-up permits 7 days before entry and is never bookable online. Quota applies year-round.

Fees

  • Reservation: $10 per permit

How to get a Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry permit

  1. Plan your route and choose which backcountry camping areas you want for each night of your trip.
  2. For online reservations, 75% of each site's capacity opens on a rolling 3-month window (published as 90 days), advancing each morning at 7:00 AM Hawai'i time (10:00 AM Pacific during PDT).
  3. Book on recreation.gov the morning your dates open, since sought-after coastal sites can go quickly. Quota applies year-round, so there is no off-season.
  4. The remaining 25% of each site is held for in-person walk-up permits available 7 days before entry and is never bookable online - an option if online dates are gone.
  5. If your online dates are sold out, keep watching - cancellations return capacity to inventory. Permit Ranger can alert you the moment a sold-out Hawai'i Volcanoes site reopens.

Notable trails

Each backcountry camping area is reached on foot via the park's wilderness trails. A few notable routes to the permitted sites:

Top passes in this area

The most in-demand Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry entry points, each with its own detail page.

Frequently asked questions

When do Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry permits open?

75% of each backcountry site's capacity opens on a rolling 3-month window (published as 90 days), advancing each morning at 7:00 AM Hawai'i time (10:00 AM Pacific during PDT). The remaining 25% is held for in-person walk-up permits 7 days before entry and is never bookable online. Quota applies year-round. Exact on-sale details are on the recreation.gov permit page.

What if my dates are sold out?

Cancellations open up all season. Watch the passes you want on Permit Ranger and you get an instant alert when a date you need becomes bookable.

Does Permit Ranger book the permit for me?

No. Permit Ranger alerts you the moment a watched date opens, with a direct booking link, but the booking is always yours to make on recreation.gov.

Plan ahead

Sold-out dates reopen all the time from cancellations and quota drops. Permit Ranger checks recreation.gov around the clock and alerts you the moment your dates open. It never books for you.

Browse Hawai'i Volcanoes Backcountry passes · Book on recreation.gov