Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Loses Its Arch
The 90-foot Hōlei Sea Arch at the end of Chain of Craters Road has collapsed. Advisors selling Big Island volcano days need to update itineraries and client expectations.
One of the standard photo stops on a Hawaiʻi Island volcano day is gone. The Hōlei Sea Arch, a 90-foot lava-rock arch on the coast of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, has collapsed into the Pacific, the National Park Service said on 1 October.
For advisors, the practical point is simple: any itinerary, tour description or client brochure that promises the arch is now out of date.
What happened
According to the NPS, the arch was still standing on Wednesday 23 September and had collapsed by the night of Sunday 27 September. The exact time is unknown; it may have fallen while the park was closed for Tropical Storm Nolo. Popular Science dates the arch’s formation to about 550 years ago.
The collapse was a long time coming. The NPS says the 2018 Kīlauea eruption and summit collapse damaged nearby cliffs. In January 2020 new cracks and instability were documented, the original viewing area was closed, and a safer viewing area farther from the cliff edge opened in March 2020. The NPS also notes that Tropical Storm Darby had broken a chunk from the arch’s lower section.
The park’s message to visitors is unchanged: “Visitors are required to stay out of closed areas and away from cliff edges which are unstable and can collapse without warning.”
What it means for the day
The arch stood near the end of Chain of Craters Road, the drive that descends from the summit area through lava fields to the coast. Its loss removes the traditional turnaround payoff, but not the reason to make the drive: the descent, the lava flows and the sea cliffs remain.
Read next · Destination IntelligenceThe AGO's Big 20273 min →The park is also in the middle of a two-year construction project to repair or remove damaged buildings and infrastructure at the summit, which may affect access to some facilities. Check current conditions before a client visit.
There is a more interesting story to tell here, too. The arch is a reminder that this is one of the most actively changing landscapes in the United States. Clients who want geology rather than a postcard view are well served by a guide who can explain what happened, and why the coastline will keep moving.
For advisors
- Update collateral now: remove the arch from itinerary text, photos and any tour descriptions you have sent to clients for upcoming trips.
- Reframe the drive: sell Chain of Craters Road as a summit-to-sea geology route, ideally with a private naturalist or volcanologist-led guide.
- Manage expectations: tell clients already booked that the arch has gone before they arrive, not at the viewpoint.
- Check conditions: confirm road access and summit construction closures on the NPS conditions page before each departure.
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