Rockhounding in Hawaii

1 location in Hawaii checked against the rules of the agency that manages each one: 1 prohibited. Each page gives the permit requirements, limits, restrictions and penalties, with the primary sources it was checked against.

Rules last checked in October 2026

1 Prohibited

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Site Guides

Prohibited

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii, Hawaii·Rockhounding

Taking lava rocks from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is illegal: the park classes lava, Pele's hair, sand and dirt as protected minerals. Hawaii law also bans taking rocks and sand from its shorelines.

In the park, "Pele's hair, Pele's tears, lava of any description, dirt, sand, or other natural mineral resources" are protected minerals, and possessing or removing them is illegal (Superintendent's Compendium; 36 CFR 2.1(a)(1)(iv))
There's no permit for hobby or souvenir collecting; the park says educational collection isn't allowed either, and only scientific research permits exist

Laws That Apply to These Sites

36 CFR § 2.1 Explained: Why National Park Land Bans Collecting

One federal regulation is cited more than any other statute on this site — across metal detecting, beachcombing, fossil hunting, and rockhounding alike. It actually contains two separate bans, not one, and knowing the difference is the reason a metal detector broken down in a backpack is legal to carry across the same ground where using it would be a federal offense.