Best Tent Camping near Hilo, HI

Recent Tent Reviews near Hilo, Hawaii

57 Reviews of 20 Hilo Campgrounds

• 

  Sharon N.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 3, 2017

  Kalopa State Rec Area - Hawaii

  "Coolest" place to camp

  I live on the island, but down at sea level. I had always wanted to come up and camp here because the nights are cool and the tent site is in the woods. Some times we need to escape the heat. :) It is a small location that needs to be reserved in advance. The cost is different for residents and visitors. We stayed at the tent sites, but have heard good things about the cabins. There are three tent sites, with a men and women bathroom and large shared pavilion. I liked how the sites have raised and covered places you can pitch your tent under in case it rains. Make sure you bring a mattress of some sort as the shelter floor is concrete. Also bring mosquito spray they like this campsite as well.

  We met the others camping that night and had great conversation under the shared pavilion. There are also a couple really lovely hiking trails to explore during the day!

• 

  Kristen P.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 16, 2018

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  10 miles from anything you are used to (except a bathroom 😂)

  This camping site is great! It’s 10 miles inside the volcanos national park. At the end of the drive there is parking for about 4 vehicles and a very clean and nice structure housing a pit toilet with paper. No running water, no fires allowed. Camping stoves ok. There are I believe 10-12 sites some right off the lot some farther out ours was up over a hill so you could not see any other sites or the lot from our location. There was a picnic table in each site. You pay at the gate (we got the year pass) and then $10 a night you put it in the bash box on site and put the receipt at your site if you happen to love for the day. We both tent camped and put up hammocks. You are in the shadow of Laura loa volcano and when we went you could see the glow of the main crater from our site however with the recent activity I am pretty sure the level may be too low now.

  We hikes for a half hour towards the crater glow in the night to get to a ridge to look out over the valley. The moon was bright enough you didn’t need flashlights. It’s very windy at night and the temp drops. I had a sleep mat in my hammock and slept in sweats with a blanket and Summer sleeping bag. Our hammocks were swaying in the wind all night.

  One of the best sites was the moon setting behind Mauna Loa just before sunrise and then watchingbehr sure from purple to pink to red as the sun came up from behind us and cast colors on her. A few miles farther on the drive you will reach a dead end with a pavilion and an incredible view of the Pacific.

  Its close enough to hilo we left our site for the day and went to the hilo parks to swim than did all of the volcano park activities in the early evening.

• 

  Sharon N.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 8, 2017

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Walking distance to Volcano crater!

  A friend came to visit from off island and I had to take her to see Volcano National Park. We tent camped one night at this campground. It has toilets and a large pavilion, that we utilized to cook and eat under due to early morning rain. The night we stayed was verily quiet with not many other campers. I paid in the onsite dropbox with a check, but I am sure there is a way to probably pay online. Unfortunately there are no shower facilities.

  The all time highlight is that when it got dark we made the 15-20 minute hike up to the Jagger Museum overlook/observatory to see the glowing lava in the crater.

  The campground is technically outside of the national park and if you hike in there is no park fee.

• 

  Sharon N.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 3, 2017

  Isaac Hale Beach Park

  Sunsets and Fishing

  Decided to check out the road south of Pahoa and happened to find this park/campground. I bought the permit online with my iPhone and we picked a tent site. The camping area has little to no trees, so enjoy the sun. It is directly across the street from the ocean where there are many people enjoying the waves and fishing. It's not a beach and not really a good place to swim. There was a nice playground close by and water for kids to play around in.

  The bathhouse was pretty clean, but I found the general area to be loud with noise of other campers being so close. It kind of had a party campground feel, if you like that sort of thing. I normally enjoy quieter environments. However, the sunset and the sound of the waves couldn't be beat.

  There was no fire pits, but there were grills and picnic tables.

• 

  Christy K.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 25, 2015

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Nice grassy open area and very clean

  We stayed here Thanksgiving night prior to spending a day in Volcanoes national park. Given the holiday, everything was closed in town so make sure you bring some food and supplies. It was also pretty quiet and felt very safe.

  In the middle of the night we woke up to RAIN! And if anyone knows rain in Hawaii is HARD - so make sure you are prepared if you decide to camp in Hawaii.

  This is a great way to be close to the volcano park to get an early start.

  There is a paystation on site and restrooms, firepits and picnic tables.

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 26, 2022

  Kulanaokuaiki Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Away from the crowds

  If getting away from the crowds is on your list at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, then this primitive camping area is one of the places to do it. This lovely primitive camping area has 9 designated sites, 1 pit toilet that was kept clean and well-stocked, and an ADA accessible paved path that accesses many of the camping sites. The sites are a short walk from the parking area so you have to carry your gear to the site. There is no water available at the campground so be prepared. Water is available at the visitor’s center up the hill about 7 miles away.  

  The campground offers expansive views of Mauna Loa and the surrounding area including some pretty cool night-time glow of the eruption in Kilauea crater. One of the great benefits of camping in the park is the proximity to many hiking trails, but also to some of the better night time viewing. The popular Kilauea overlook is packed like a rock concert as soon as the sun goes down. Parking is a disaster, and the overlook is simply too crowded. If you can wait until around 9-10pm until you arrive you can have a much easier time finding parking at the trailhead and space along the overlook. Then it’s just a short drive back to your tent, and not an hour’s drive back to your hotel in Hilo. Just outside the park is Volcano Village with a small market and gasoline station for groceries and limited camping supplies. For something specialized like camping gas we had to drive to a hardware store outside of Hilo. The Volcano House Lodge near the park visitor’s center offers two restaurants with the same menu, one is more of a bar and grill, the other a sit down style. 

  Hiking is extensive in the park, and many trails will carry you far from the crowded center of the park, but be sure to be prepared with layers, water and snacks. Hiking across the lava flows offers no discernable trail except for the regularly spaced ahu stone piles(cairns) which are the only way to navigate. Should the weather turn or fog roll in, visibility can be greatly reduced. Cycling is also a great activity along the park roads, but be ready for a great deal of elevation change.

  Note:  This campsite is NOT free. It was $10 per night.

• j

  jake C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 7, 2021

  Apua Point

  Amazing Hike-In Camping

  It’s about a 7 mile hike, so bring loooottttsss of water but it’s one of the quietest back country camping spots in Hawaii you will find. It’s right by the beach. Bring sunscreen, water, first aid, all the regular supplies for a hike. As always practice LNT.

• 

  Christy K.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 25, 2015

  Punalu`u Beach Park

  Camping by a Black Sand Beach

  If you are like me, you want to see the black sand beaches when visiting Hawaii. This is one of the nicest, biggest parks of black sand. There are tide pools and swimming so it is a popular park for daytime beach going.

  The campground is NOT in the sand - you are on a grassy area next to the beach so you can sleep to the sound of the crashing waves without the hassle of sand.

• 

  SwitchbackKids

  Legend

  

  Jul. 3, 2017

  Kulanaokuaiki Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Unique camping experience on the Big Island

  For a chance to camp among the unique lava landscape of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Kulanaokuaiki Campground is a great opportunity.

  Although most people visit Hawaii for the luxury and relaxing beach setting, Hawai’i Volcanoes shows a very different side of the Big Island. Camping at Kulanaokuaiki allowed us to immerse ourselves into the park and access some of its greatest sights.

  The most important thing to note about this campground is that there is no water here. They do offer pit toilets, but you’ll have to be prepared with food, water, and supplies. Also remember that this small campground (only 9 sites) is first-come, first-served only, so arriving early will be important in securing a site for the night. Although the campground used to be free, there is now a $10 fee per night (as of November 2016)

  The campground itself is a very unique setting: you’ll walk among old lava flows to get to your site. The sites are spaced out nicely, offering great sunset views and quiet wake-ups.

  Other highlights from our time in the park include: learning about the myths and legends surrounding the volcanoes, seeing the “glow” from the Jaggar Museum, attending intriguing ranger programs, watching the sunset from midway up Mauna Kea, and driving the Chain of Craters road to hike short trails and see the lava destruction path. 

  You can read much more about our two days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Hawai’i Volcanoes)

• 

  Dave G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 5, 2017

  Punalu`u Beach Park

  Wonderful Introduction to Hawaiin Camping

  We stayed here for two nights and greatly enjoyed quiet and near solitude of the beach park. We arrived in the dark to several locals who call the park home. We were hesitant about the situation, but after chatting with some of them, we discovered that they were very friendly and down to earth. After waking up and exploring the park, we found some sea turtles on the beach and continued walking around the various trails. We felt very comfortable here and will gladly return when we come visit Hawaii again!

• 

  Laura H.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 1, 2016

  Waimanu Campsite

  Phenomenal!!!

  Waimanu Valley is a state campground for backpacking. It starts out at Waipio Valley lookout and continues 9 miles up to the next valley over. It's a moderately strenuous hike with a pack on your back! Be prepared with water filter, rain gear, mosquito repellant and everything else you need for backpacking. Check the weather in advance because there are two stream crossings that can get rather dangerous if it rises. Otherwise this is the most fantastic paradisiacal campsite on a beach you'll find in Hawaii! Less people than the popular Kalalau on Kauai. Research this one a ton and get permits far in advance!

• 

  Rolf M.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 1, 2023

  Wild Blue Water Ranch

  Destress from the rest! Awesome!

  Beautifully nestled on a section of gorgeous Big Island coastline this immaculately presented ranch was a place we could take a break from our hectic roadtrip and destress. We relaxed wondering the property picking and eating papaya, coconut, strawberry guava to name a few. One of the highlights was our sea turtle watching from the point where we saw at least ten turtles feeding and swimming in the crystal clear waters. Our hosts were nothing short of awesome and welcoming in the use of the beautiful pool from which you could look out to the sea and have wifi access. Looking back on our three weeks touring the four main islands of Hawaii, our stay at Wild Blue Water Ranch was by far the best value for money, hospitable and enjoyable drive-in camping experience we had! Totally recommended!

• 

  Christie L.

  Traveler

  

  May. 27, 2018

  Isaac Hale Beach Park

  Nice for hanging out with friends: not a family spot

  It has more of a party feel that you would want to go with friends. Its a lot louder then the other campsites. Your friendly neighbors will invite you to tent hop. Its a cool scene. Theres a theral spa, and it's across the street from a small beach- not suitable for surfing, but its nice to rake a dip and cool off. I would go back for a birthday or a celebration and it would be a great time!!

• 

  Sasha W.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2018

  Hawaii County Park Kolekole Gulch Park - TEMPRORARILY CLOSED TO CAMPING

  Beautiful, just like Hawaii

  My family and I visit Hawaii every other Christmas. I know, spending Christmas without snow may seem weird to some people, because we always have a white Christmas where I am from (Washington State). But honestly, we love going this time of year because it isnt as busy. We love either camping, staying at my families condo, or doing a combo of both. We visited Kolekole Beach Park when we came last Christmas, and it was great. It was super clean, which we really loved. There was also some great small cliffs that we could jump off of- the whole family loved doing this. It almost feels like you are in a "jungle" only because of the greenery and trees. Not to mention the weather is pretty muggy. My family and I had a picnic here, and played in the water for the day. They didnt have any life guards on duty just FYI. Weirdly, there were a lot of cats around? Not sure why? but thought this was interesting. The park is a little hard to find, we drove past the sign and had to turn around. It's a pretty small, spray painted sign. We hiked in the morning before we came here, which was beautiful hike overlooking the water. Highly recommend!!

• 

  Dave G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 5, 2017

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Arrived and Left in Awe

  We were able to snag a walk up site right at check out time, which is when you should arrive if you want to camp here. The campground was full by dinner time. The huge upside of this campground is the proximity to the Jagger Museum and the inner caldera of the volcano. You can hike from the campground to the caldera overlook and if you get lucky with a cloudy night sky, you'll be treated to a fiery display with the volcano glow lighting up the sky. The only downside of this campground is that there are no showers for tent campers. Definitely not something that would prevent us from returning.

• 

  Denice S.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 15, 2016

  Kulanaokuaiki Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Camping and Hiking beautiful lava

  If you like to hike, bike, camp with turtles or see lava, Volcano National Park is a must. VNP sits between Kailua-Kona and Hilo and if you do the drive from Kona, you will have a nice drive through the mountains and travel through little villages, mostly supported by the farming industry, specifically macadamia nuts and coffee. There are many local places you can visit during your journey. You can sample different kinds of coffee and I believe that we passed a few wineries, but it wasn’t what I was keeping my eye out for. While driving to VNP, if you think you need any supplies, stop in one of these villages. There are a few that have a larger grocery store, but once you get to Volcano (the town VNP is located) there is one small gas station store and a true value hardware (which has a little bit of everything).
  There is an entry fee into VNP, but it is good for 7 days. The first thing you come to in the park is the Visitor’s Center. There are restrooms and water fountains located within the visitor’s center. There is also a walk through information area and a gift shop. The Rangers there are knowledgeable and if you want to find out where your best chance to view lava flowing is, listen to the rangers talk given by the 3-D park map. They have a ranger who speaks about the park and the lava flow every half hour or so. There are several hiking trails in the park, some more touristy then others. If you want to do the touristy hikes (which are generally short and easy, but offer great things to see), do them early in the morning, (get started by 8:00am) and you will beat the tour busses. We did the Thurston Lava Tubes first thing in the morning, before 8:00am. It was helpful that we were still on Pittsburgh time as we were up early that morning. There were only 2 people on the trail, which is really just a walk through the lava tube. It is less than a half mile and a very easy walk. This is one of the first hikes on the Chain of Craters Drive and by 11:00 the surrounding parking lots will be full…with lots of busses. Driving the Chain of Craters Drive you will pass many trail heads and areas of interest. Most of it is old lava flows, which are identified by the year of the flow and the dead crater. The landscape is vast and very cool. You can look at the hillside of the volcano and see the distinct path of each lava flow.
  We also hiked the Sulphur Banks Trail. This trail is a paved/boardwalk trail that is about a mile. The hike is easy and you will get to see many steam vents. The trail also had lots of wild life as in birds and little critters and the Sulphur banks were very colorful. There were a few people on this trail. It is on the Chain of Craters Drive but it is at the end of the loop road if you start at the visitor’s center. It is one of the first trails you get too if you start on the Chain of Craters Drive and drive towards the Jagger Museum. Make sure to stop the Jagger Museum it is the best place to see the current active lava crater on Kilauea. As of today, 9/13/2016 you should be able to see the glow of the lava lake inside the crater. The lava was not flowing when we visited the park but you could still see the steam coming out of the crater. It was a beautiful site to see at night…pictures would do it no justice. We attempted to hike the Kilauea Iki trail which is a 4-mile loop trail that crosses a lava crust at the bottom of an inactive crater. As we started the decent into the crater the trail was overtaken by a group of high school students, had to be 300 students. We waited for them to pass us on the steps down, but they just kept coming and, kids are not our thing, so we headed back up off of the trail. We drove to the end of the Chain of Craters Drive. There is a small visitors center and restrooms at the end. From here you can do some lava hikes. That day (December 15, 2015) we were told if there was any lava flowing it would be about a 5-mile hike from the end of the road. We started to do this hike (we were also told that there were doubts that it was flowing) but after about a mile in we turned back. It was about 90 the day and the hike takes you across hardened lava fields. We decided not to do the 5 miles just to be disappointed. From the end of the road you get an incredible view of the ocean and you can see the Holei Sea Arch. You can also pick up the Puna Coast Trail that takes you along the coast which affords ocean front back country camping. In some cases, with sea turtles. It is a pack in, pack out camping experience and although there are designated camping areas along the trail, there are only rustic facilities. There are many other trails in the park, enough to write a book. We did not do any of the higher elevation trails as when we were there it was very cold near the top of the hike and we were not equipped with the proper gear for a hike in those conditions.
  You can camp in most areas of the park as long as you have a back country permit. The permits are free and you apply at the ranger’s station near the visitor’s center. They will ask you for emergency contact info and your trip plans. They also provide you with a phone number to call to let them know when you have completed your hike. If you do not leave a message on this line, they will contact your emergency contact. There are two organized campgrounds in the park. Namakanipaio, which is at a higher elevation. I cannot comment on this site as the area was closed due to falling trees that needed maintenance. From what I have read this campsite offers a few more facilities than the other campground, Kulanaokuaiki. Kulanaokuaiki is kind of located in the middle of the park. The access road is off of the Chain of Craters Drive and it seems to go on forever through the lava fields. The road is not great, but we were in a little car and did not have any issues. The road is a dead end that provides a scenic vista looking towards the ocean.
  Kulanaokuaiki, has several campsites that are on raised gravel/sand beds and provide picnic tables. There are also some marked walk-in sites over the hill from the designated ones. I can only imagine the view of the crater and the night sky from these sites was more spectacular than from the site we had chosen. At night you could see the glow and the steam from the crater. Right before dawn the skies cleared up and there were millions of stars. They looked so close that you could reach out and grab one. There was an immense amount of fog surrounding the area and it was very cold. Once the sun started to rise it started to rain which created a beautiful rainbow across the sky and over the crater. There are restroom facilities and an emergency call phone at the campsite, but that is about it. You will still need to pack-in and pack-out everything that you need. We visited the park for 2 days and it was not enough time to really take in the beauty of the park and all it has to offer. If you can afford a third day to explore the park, you will not be disappointed.

• 

  Annie E.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 13, 2022

  Soil to Soul - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Peace on Earth

  I found this place on Craig’s List. It was for sale when I arrived and has been updated since then. It is such an amazing spot.

• 

  Aubrey G.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 25, 2022

  Arnotts Lodge and Hiking Adventures

  Centrally located in Hilo, city camping!

  Surprisingly there are few places to camp on this side of the island. Unless you have a car it's almost impossible to get to them with your luggage. Hot showers, wifi, and plenty of common areas for eating, relaxing, etc. Children under 7 not allowed. No stores or restaurants in walking distance. So many birds and other loud creatures singing all night long. Overall a great stop but not quite what we were looking for.

• 

  Jen T.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 12, 2022

  Moon Garden Farm Getaway

  Beautiful

  Beautiful and peaceful campsite. The bathrooms and showers are super clean with warm running water. The outdoor amenities are a nice touch, I enjoyed playing with the disc golf and walking around the pond in the morning. The grassy road during the rain gets slippery if you don’t have 4 wheel but we never got stuck. I just hate how much we tore up the grass, made me feel bad every time we returned to camp. There are 4 dogs roaming around and for the most part they minded their own business. If you wake up early enough you can get a beautiful sunrise over a cattle farm. If we ever visit again, we’d love to stay here again.

• 

  Ashley F.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 17, 2023

  Mango 🥭 Hale

  Piece of Pardise

  Ashley here with The Dyrt. I want to give a warm welcome to your host, Keoni. This land is absolutely breathtaking. Hot showers, bathrooms, 15 minutes from the ocean and the property is covered in fruit trees..what else could you ask for? Book your stay today and come back to leave them some love! ❤️

• 

  Ashley F.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 18, 2023

  Treehouse.Farm

  A Very Special Place

  Ashley here with The Dyrt. We'd like to welcome your host, Ed. This special place is located in the forest. "Your site is steps away from Cannabis plants in various stages of growth. The site has a fine gravel floor with a solar panel roofing to protect you from the rain. This site is private and includes access to the outdoor bathroom which includes a hot shower and toilet." Give them a try and come back here to leave them some love!

• 

  Jake C.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 21, 2023

  Lava Rock Glamping

  Glamping in the forests of Hawai'i

  Jake from the Dyrt here!  We are so excited to welcome the Lava Rock Camp to the Dyrt!  They have a history of creating memorable experiences for guests, and we can't wait to see everyone share their highlights on the Dyrt!

• J

  Jennifer H.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 6, 2023

  Aloha Acres

  Aloha Acres is awesome!

  The property was easy to find, gorgeous and super convenient to all of the things we wanted to do on the Big Island.

• J

  Jennifer H.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 21, 2024

  Aloha Acres

  Peaceful paradise

  Convenient location, beautiful property and warm and welcoming hosts.

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 26, 2022

  Napau Crater Backcountry Camp — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Camping on the Edge of a Ancient Crater

  We spent two nights at the Napau Crater backcountry camp. The hike-in was remarkable with many sections crossing extensive lava flows and through sections of tropical rainforest. The campsite itself had a small pit toilet but no water- so we carried in 18 liters for our multi-day adventure. Let’s just say the hike-out was a bit lighter. 

  We did find several puddles along the trail that must have been created by feral pigs in the park, where we could have filtered water– but I wouldn’t count on them. Additionally, these are watering holes for wildlife so we shouldn’t be competing with them for water, so plan on packing in the water. We had the whole place to ourselves, we didn’t see any hikers until day three when we were on our way out. It was a lovely break from an island that can seem overwhelmed by visitors sometimes. 

  Hiking across the lava flows offers no discernable trail except for the regularly spaced ahu stone piles(cairns) which are the only way to navigate. Should the weather turn or fog roll in visibility can be greatly reduced. Backcountry permits were available at the backcountry office near the visitor’s center and the ranger was incredibly helpful. Water was also available there so you can fill up on your way.

• 

  Christine N.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 17, 2019

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Great day trip

  lots Of trails for a variety of levels

• 

  Karrieanne W.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 13, 2018

  Nāmakanipaio Campground — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Closed due to volcanic activity

  I love camping at this spot. Namakanipaio has wonderful views the Milky Way, and used to have a great view of the glowing lava lake. It was a short hike to Jagger Museum, that now is being consumed by the caldera. With daily earthquakes in the area, it is no longer safe. you can not even stop in the highway in that area. Hopefully it will open again in the future.