Nature
Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve is a protected high-elevation area on Mauna Kea’s southern slope, extending across volcanic terrain from about 10,000 to 13,000 feet. Established within Hawaiʻi’s Natural Area Reserves System in 1981, it is important for both its alpine environment and its archaeology. Near the summit, the Mauna Kea Adz Quarry, or Keanakākoʻi, supplied basalt for prehistoric Hawaiian stone tools and is regarded as the world’s largest primitive quarry. The broader landscape includes shrines, trails, rock shelters, and petroglyphs. The reserve also contains rare tropical permafrost, Lake Waiau, and habitat for the rare wēkiu bug.
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Paauilo, Hawaii · United States