No group permits for cabins are needed. Go to Hawaiʻi County Camping to make a Mauna Kea Recreation Area cabin reservation.

Seven (7) or more people who belong to the same organization, association, club, joint venture, trust, partnership, corporation, non-profit or otherwise, organized for a specific purpose. For the purposes of this rule, a group's members shall not all belong to the same family or be related through blood or marriage.

You need both. The group approval confirms your group status. Once the group has been approved, applicants can proceed with a bunkhouse reservation to obtain a lodging permit. ALL adults will be required to enter their ID numbers (Driver's License, State ID, etc.) in order for the lodging permit to be issued.

The maximum stay at any bunkhouse is six (6) consecutive nights during the period of January 1 through December 31 of each year.

Each specific group may rent a bunkhouse no more than once (1 time) during the period of January 1 through December 31 of each year. This provision shall apply to all groups, even those that rent a bunkhouse for fewer than the maximum six (6) consecutive nights. However, this provision shall not apply to the group's members, who may belong to other groups.

Check-in time for holders of a bunkhouse lodging permit shall be 3:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. daily. Keys may be obtained at the park in accordance with provided instructions. Permittees who fail to check in by the 8:00 P.M. deadline will forfeit all fees assessed for that night and use of the bunkhouse for that night.

Check-out time for holders of a bunkhouse lodging permit shall be 9:00 A.M. Permittees shall leave all bunkhouse and dining/recreation hall keys in the designed drop box located at the front entrance of the Headquarters Building. Failure to return keys no later than 9:00 A.M. on the date of check-out will result in forfeiture of the security deposit.

Hawaiʻi residents: two hundred forty dollars ($240) per bunkhouse or portion thereof per night.

Non-Hawaiʻi residents: four hundred eighty dollars ($480) per bunkhouse or portion thereof per night.

A refundable security deposit of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the overnight use of each bunkhouse shall be paid in full on the date the reservation for a lodging permit is made.

The site features two (2) bunkhouses. No more than twenty-four (24) individuals, including children and infants, shall be allowed to share each bunkhouse. All overnight users of the bunkhouses must belong to the same group.

Permits may be issued up to six (6) months in advance of the first occupancy use date. They must be obtained at least forty-eight (48) hours before the first occupancy use date check-in time.

No. Even with a group approval you will not be able to purchase a lodging permit on site. Lodging permits need to be purchased at least 48 hours in advance online or in person at one of our Park & Recreation permit offices. A non-refundable processing fee of ten dollars ($10) shall be applied to the cost of all lodging permits obtained at a Department office. This fee shall not be applied to lodging permits obtained online.

Not at this time. There are vending machines, two that sell drinks and one that sells snacks. The nearest public eatery, gas/service stations, and stores/markets are approximately 30 miles away. Be prepared and plan ahead.