How Many National Parks Are in Hawaii? | Two, Not Nine

Hawaii has two designated national parks—Haleakalā and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes—but nine National Park Service units in all.

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Two is the answer to how many national parks are in Hawaii: Haleakalā National Park on Maui and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaiʻi. The larger numbers that appear online count other places managed by the National Park Service, including historical parks, historic sites, a memorial, and a national historic trail.

The counting rule changes the result. Hawaii has two formally designated national parks, eight NPS park units when the separately classified trail is left out, and nine current NPS directory entries when Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is included.

National Parks In Hawaii: The Official Count

Hawaii has two places whose formal designation is National Park. Haleakalā National Park and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are the only names that belong in a strict national-park count.

The broader National Park Service family is larger. Federal sites can carry titles such as National Historical Park, National Historic Site, National Memorial, or National Historic Trail while remaining part of the same National Park System.

The Two Parks With The National Park Designation

Haleakalā National Park protects two very different parts of Maui: the high volcanic summit district and the coastal Kīpahulu district near Hāna. The summit reaches 10,023 feet, while the Kīpahulu side has rainforest, streams, and coastal scenery. The National Park Service notes that the two districts are not connected by road within the park, so visitors plan them as separate outings.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park lies on the island of Hawaiʻi and includes Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. The park stretches from volcanic summits to the coast, with crater views, lava fields, native forest, petroglyphs, and sites tied to Native Hawaiian culture. Conditions can change with volcanic activity, weather, and closures, so the park’s current alerts should be checked before driving in.

Hawaii’s Nine National Park Service Units

The current Hawaii directory contains nine National Park Service entries across four islands. Only two rows carry the formal National Park designation.

The current National Park Service list for Hawaii labels Haleakalā and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes as National Park. The other seven entries have different formal designations, and Ala Kahakai is classified as a trail rather than a park unit in some agency totals.

Why Do Some Lists Say Hawaii Has More?

Hawaii’s conflicting national-park totals answer different questions. The number two counts only places formally named National Park, while eight counts the state’s NPS park units without the national historic trail, and nine counts every entry on the current Hawaii directory.

The word park causes most of the confusion. The National Park Service often uses parks as a convenient umbrella term for the units it manages, but Congress gives each unit a legal designation. Pearl Harbor National Memorial belongs to the National Park System, for example, but it is not a national park by title.

Older articles can add another mismatch. A list may predate a designation change, omit Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, or mix federal sites with Hawaii state parks. Diamond Head State Monument, Waimea Canyon State Park, and Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park are major protected places, but they do not belong in the federal National Park Service count.

Which Islands Have National Park Service Sites?

Four Hawaiian islands contain the nine current NPS directory entries. The island of Hawaiʻi has the largest cluster, which makes it the simplest choice for travelers who want several federal sites in one trip.

• Island of Hawaiʻi: Five entries—Ala Kahakai, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, Kaloko-Honokōhau, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, and Puʻukoholā Heiau.
• Oʻahu: Two entries—Honouliuli and Pearl Harbor.
• Maui: One entry—Haleakalā.
• Molokaʻi: One entry—Kalaupapa.

Kauaʻi and Lānaʻi have no National Park Service units. Both islands still contain state parks, reserves, and other protected land managed by agencies outside the NPS.

Where To Base A National Park Trip

The island of Hawaiʻi offers the highest concentration of NPS places, but its sites are spread between the Hilo, Kona, and Kohala sides. Hilo and the Volcano area work well for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, while Kona gives easier access to Kaloko-Honokōhau and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau. The Kohala coast is closer to Puʻukoholā Heiau.

For a trip centered on Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, compare lodging around Hilo here:

Haleakalā National Park requires a separate Maui stay. A statewide trip covering both designated national parks normally involves inter-island air travel because the parks sit on separate islands.

The Count To Use

The correct count for Hawaii is two when national parks means places whose official title ends in National Park. Use eight when referring to Hawaii’s NPS park units while treating Ala Kahakai as a separate national trail, or nine when counting every current Hawaii entry in the National Park Service directory.

• Strict national-park count: 2.
• Broader NPS park-unit count, excluding the trail: 8.
• All current NPS Hawaii directory entries, including the trail: 9.

For most readers asking the plain question, two is the correct answer: Haleakalā National Park and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.