Mauna Loa Observatory — Mauna Kea View

The Mauna Loa Observatory sits at 11,135 feet on the north flank of Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth by volume. This NOAA camera looks across the saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, capturing a view that's nearly always above the trade-wind cloud deck. The observatory has been continuously monitoring atmospheric composition since 1957 — including the famous Keeling Curve measurements of atmospheric CO2 that document long-term climate change. The camera position above the marine cloud layer gives consistently spectacular views. Sunrise typically reveals an ocean of clouds below, with the summit of Mauna Kea (13,803 ft) visible across the saddle and the slopes of Mauna Loa rising behind the camera. The air is exceptionally clear and dry — the same conditions that make the summit of Mauna Kea one of the world's premier astronomical sites. On clear nights, the Milky Way is brilliantly visible. Weather patterns at this elevation are very different from sea level. Snow occasionally falls on Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea during winter storms — surprising visitors who associate Hawaii only with beaches. Volcanic activity from Mauna Loa, which erupted most recently in late 2022 after nearly four decades of quiet, can produce visible fume and incandescence at night when active. The 2022 eruption sent lava flows down the volcano's northeast flank, briefly cutting the Mauna Loa Observatory access road. Nearby attractions include Mauna Kea's summit road — accessible by 4WD only above the Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet — Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to the south, the historic Ainahou Ranch, and the Saddle Road that crosses between Hilo and Kona at over 6,500 feet elevation.