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Steam Vents

Hawaii County, Hawaii · Near Honaunau-Napoopoo

19.4210°N, 155.6200°W · 12,526 ft

Hot 55°F air · Good soaking weather 12,526 ft Open Hike National Park Service

Researched & maintained by Armen Suny · Updated September 2026

Steam Vent: Not a Soaking Spring

Steam Vents is a steam vent, not a traditional hot spring. These geothermal features can be extremely dangerous. Boiling water, toxic gases, and unstable ground are common hazards. Do not attempt to soak.

Aerial view of the ground around Steam Vents

LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Steam Vents

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Hot steam vents high in the alpine reaches of the park, Hawai'i Volcanoes, reached by way of the North Pit Trail in Hawaii County. The record gives no number for the heat, only the word hot, and there is no water to get into. Honaunau-Napoopoo lies about sixteen miles away. Access is listed as open.

Location

Get Directions →

Reaching the vents takes a walk of close to five miles from the North Pit Trail, at well over twelve thousand feet. Cold for the islands. The yearly average runs in the low forties, with around a foot of snow and moderate rain on top of that. All of it is Park Service land. The record says nothing about the footing or what the vents look like.

A long day at altitude with no reward of a soak at the end, because there is no pool and no measured water temperature. Snow is possible. No best months are on record, and no campground. Ask the park about trail conditions before committing to the distance.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Steam Vents.

Setting: Gentle slope; The ground tilts gently up to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby: 145 ft above the spring; Within a quarter mile, to the northeast

Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Monthly Climate

39°

Jan

38°

Feb

39°

Mar

41°

Apr

42°

May

44°

Jun

45°

Jul

45°

Aug

44°

Sep

43°

Oct

41°

Nov

39°

Dec

Annual Precip: 34.7 in Annual Snow: 12.3 in

Current Conditions

55°F

Clear N 0.0 mph 72% Good soaking weather

Tuesday 53° Low 39° Mostly Cloudy 11% precip

Wednesday 54° Low 41° Mostly Sunny 2% precip

Thursday 53° Low 41° Partly Sunny then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms 43% precip

Friday 52° Low 40° Mostly Cloudy then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms 16% precip

Saturday 52° Low 40° Mostly Cloudy 1% precip

Data from National Weather Service

Very High Altitude Advisory 12,526 ft

Steam Vents sits at 12,526 feet, well above 10,000 ft, where the air holds roughly 30% less oxygen than at sea level. Altitude sickness (headache, nausea, dizziness) is a real risk, especially when combined with the dehydrating effects of hot water. UV exposure is approximately 50% stronger than at sea level. Acclimate for at least 24 hours before soaking, drink extra water, and descend if symptoms worsen.