Kīlauea Point Lighthouse & National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
Nestled on a rugged, lush, vividly-green peninsula 180 feet above sea level on Kauaʻi’s north shore sits Kīleaua Point Lighthouse & National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The 52-foot iconic lighthouse rests atop a steeply carved cliff and was constructed in 1913. Today, it is a must-see historical landmark for both lighthouse and bird enthusiasts alike. (1)
Kīlauea Point NWR sits on 199 acres with a 568-foot bluff and was established in 1985. (2) The Refuge is home to large populations of resident, migratory, threatened, and endangered seabirds and works to ensure the protection of their natural habitats.
The History of Kīleaua Point Lighthouse
- On May 14, 1908, Congress passed a request for a $75,000 construction order for a lighthouse on Kīlauea Point to guide ships coming to shore from the west.
- Construction began in the summer of 1912, and materials were first winched up a shoot, then later by a boom derrick 90 feet up onto a ledge, and then up to a loading platform.
- It was soon discovered that they had to dig down 11 feet into the lava rock to reach solid rock, resulting in a lighthouse basement.
- The lighthouse has a tower lantern room, spiral staircase, and a four-and-a-half-ton revolving lens that was first illuminated on May 1, 1913, signaling a double flash every ten seconds visible up to 21 nautical miles.
- The lighthouse station, which included three keeper’s dwellings (where the lighthouse head keepers lived), was completed on February 2, 1915.
- On June 28, 1927, Lieutenants Maitland and Hegenberger attempted the Army’s first transpacific flight from Oakland, CA, to Oʻahu. They lost a radio signal 200 miles from Oakland, and 26 hours later, they were lucky enough to see the light from Kīlauea Point Lighthouse and circled it until morning, when they flew 100 miles to Oʻahu and landed safely.
- In 1930, two 80-foot radio towers were built, along with a generating plant to generate electricity and provide directions and signals to ships and airplanes.
- On December 7, 1941, the lighthouse went black with the attack on Pearl Harbor and remained dark until the end of World War II.
- 1976 marks the end of the double flash marine and air signals at Kīlauea Point Lighthouse.
- Kīlauea Point Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 18, 1979.
- In April 2009, a $1 million campaign was launched to raise money to restore the lighthouse. Work began in 2012 and was completed in 2013, just in time to celebrate Kīlauea Point Lighthouse’s 100th anniversary.
- In 2013, Kīlauea Point Lighthouse was renamed Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse in honor of Hawaiʻi’s long-time senator who passed in 2012. (3, 4)
Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
This must-see destination, especially for avid bird lovers, blends the beauty of nature, education, history, and conservation efforts. The NWR team of staff and volunteers work to preserve the coastal ecosystem’s native flora and fauna at the Refuge, providing a safe haven for resident and migratory seabirds.
Kīlauea Point NWR provides shelter to thousands of Kauiʻi’s most magnificent seabirds, including: the nēnē (Hawaiian Goose) ʻā (Red-footed Booby), mōlī (Laysan Albatross), ʻiwa (Great Frigatebird), koaʻe kea (White-tailed Tropicbird), koaʻe ʻula (Red-tailed Tropicbird), ʻuaʻu kani (Wedge-tailed Shearwater), ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian Petrels), and ʻaʻo (Newell’s Shearwater). (5)
Kīlauea Point NWR is part of the Nihokū Ecosystem Restoration Project created in 2012 by a partnership of several government and non-profit groups interested in preserving the native species of Hawaiʻi. (6) Friends of Kauaʻi Wildlife Refuges says:
The project was developed in 2012 to provide a predator-free nesting area for ʻaʻo (Newell’s Shearwaters) and ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian Petrels), Hawaiʻi’s only two endemic seabirds, and enhance existing breeding colonies of mōlī (Laysan Albatross) and nēnē (Hawaiian Goose). (7)
Visit Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse & National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
Don’t miss your chance to visit the beautiful grounds of Kīlauea Point Lighthouse and National Wildlife Refuge. Here, the historical wonders of the past meet the critical ecological demands of the present to preserve a promising future for Hawaiʻi’s diverse plants and seabirds.
Reservations
- Reservations allow access to the exterior of the lighthouse grounds, Kīlauea Point NWR, and the Visitor Center.
- The grounds are open for public visitation Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., except for Federal holidays. Please visit the website for the most up-to-date schedule.
- Reservations are required for all visitors age 16 and older ($10/ticket + $1 booking fee) to visit the Refuge. Tickets must be booked online (visit https://www.kauairefuges.org/plan-your-visit to purchase tickets).
- Several discount passes are available, so check the website to see if any apply to your reservation.
Directions
The Refuge is located within Kīlauea town at the end of Kīlauea Road. From Līhu‘e, drive north on Kūhiō Highway for approximately 23 miles to the town of Kīlauea, turn right on Kolo Road, then left on Kīlauea Road and drive 2 miles to the Refuge entrance.
(1, 3): https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=139
(2, 5, 7): https://www.kauairefuges.org/kilauea-point-nwr
(4): https://www.kauairefuges.org/history-lighthouse