Drive Mauna Kea Summit Road, Big Island, Hawaii

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Mauna Kea Summit Road (known as John A. Burns Way) provides access to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy (at elevation 9,300 ft / 2,835m) then climbs Mauna Kea past the Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserveto the height of 13,780 ft (4,200m) at grades averaging 17% making this the third highest public road in the United States. The road is 14 miles (23 km) long, of which the first 6 miles (to the Onizuka Center) and the last 3 miles (4.8 km) are paved. Puʻu Wēkiu is the highest point in Hawaiʻi at 13,796 ft (4,208m) and is home to Poliʻahu, Goddess of Snow. Mauna Kea Observatory on the summit, an ideal location for astronomical seeing, is under the jurisdiction of the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy. Driving from sea level to the top of Mauna Kea Summit Road provides the greatest elevation gain possible by car in one state.

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