Mauna Kea State Recreation Area

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamFebruary 5, 2026 · Updated October 10, 2026

Mauna Kea State Recreation Area, renamed Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area in 2019, is a local park on Saddle Road on Hawaiʻi Island, run by the County of Hawaiʻi since about 2014. It is not part of Hawaii’s state park system. The County lists camping, a playground, restrooms and ADA-accessible facilities.

Quick Facts

Location & Getting There

Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area is at 44-5400 Daniel K. Inouye Highway, the Saddle Road across Hawaiʻi Island. The County of Hawaiʻi lists it under Waimea in the Hāmākua district. The park’s coordinates are 19.7491, -155.5263.

Things to Do

Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area lies on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road) in the Hāmākua district of Hawaiʻi Island. The County of Hawaiʻi lists camping, a playground, restrooms and ADA-accessible facilities, and it offers permitted lodging here in a bunkhouse and cabins. Permits require a fee and can be bought online or at the county permit offices in Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Source: County of Hawaiʻi Department of Parks and Recreation, as of October 2026.

Visitor Tips

This recreation area is run by the County of Hawaiʻi as Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area, so state park fees and DLNR permits do not apply. Respect Hawaiian cultural sites — never remove rocks, sand, or artifacts.

Explore More Hawaii State Parks

Mauna Kea State Recreation Area is a county park today, not a state park. Discover Hawaii’s state parks in our Best State Parks in Hawaii guide, or use our Park Finder to search by activity, location, or features.

Wildlife & Nature

Mauna Kea SRA — at 6,500 feet elevation on Mauna Kea (13,796 ft) — the tallest mountain on Earth measured from its oceanic base (33,500 ft from seafloor to summit — taller than Everest). The mountain’s subalpine shrubland and cinder cones support nēnē, palila (critically endangered honeycreeper), and wēkiu bugs (summit-dwelling insects found nowhere else on Earth).

Nearby Attractions

Mauna Kea Summit — 20 miles uphill — home of the world’s premier astronomical observatories. Hilo — 30 miles east. Saddle Road — through the park.

Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Kalopa State Recreation Area (within about an hour’s drive) or Akaka Falls State Park (within about an hour’s drive).

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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