Accessibility Statement

Effective date: August 29, 2026
Last updated: September 6, 2026

Volcanoes Hiking Guides wants guests to have clear information about accessing our website, booking an experience and participating in a guided hike.
 

Accessibility needs differ from person to person. Trail conditions, meeting locations and the physical requirements of each experience can also vary. If you have an accessibility need that may affect your booking or participation, please contact us as early as practical. We will discuss your needs, the selected experience and any practical adjustments that may be available.
 

Contact us about an accessibility request
 

Website Accessibility

We are working to make our website easier to understand, navigate and use for people with disabilities. Our accessibility priorities include:
 

• Clear headings and page structure

• Descriptive links and buttons

• Alternative text for meaningful images

• Readable text and appropriate color contrast

• Information that does not depend on color alone

• Clearly labeled forms

• Keyboard-friendly controls

• Support for browser zoom

• Mobile-responsive layouts

• Captions or text alternatives for meaningful video content

• Clear instructions and error messages

We continue to review and improve the website, but it has not undergone a comprehensive independent accessibility audit. We do not currently claim conformance with a particular version or level of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and we cannot guarantee that every page or third-party feature is free from accessibility barriers.
 

If you have trouble accessing part of the website, please let us know. We will make a reasonable effort to provide the information through another practical method.
 

When reporting a website-accessibility problem, please include:
 

• The page or feature you were using

• What you were trying to do

• The problem you encountered

• Your device, browser or assistive technology, if known

• The format or communication method that would help
   

Third-Party Websites and Booking Tools

Some features on our website use independent services, including FareHarbor, mapping services, review platforms and social-media websites. These services operate their own websites and accessibility systems.
 

If a third-party booking feature creates a barrier, or if you need to discuss an accessibility requirement that cannot be adequately explained during online booking, please contact us directly by phone or email.
 

Although we cannot control the accessibility of independent websites, we can help provide information about our experiences and discuss a practical way to proceed.
 

Accessibility of Our Hiking Experiences

Our guided hikes take place in natural volcanic environments rather than controlled indoor spaces. Accessibility depends on the selected experience, the route available that day and current conditions.
 

Depending on the route, guests may encounter:
 

• Uneven lava, rocks, roots or mud

• Slopes, steps or narrow sections

• Limited seating or resting places

• Extended periods of walking or standing

• Wind, rain, heat or changing weather

• Volcanic gases or strong natural smells

• Changing light and crowded viewpoints

• Route changes caused by closures or other conditions
   

A shorter experience is not automatically wheelchair accessible, step-free or suitable for every mobility need. Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not currently represent any of its guided hiking experiences as fully step-free or wheelchair accessible.

Contact us before booking if you would like to discuss the terrain, estimated walking requirements, meeting location or other physical features of an experience.
 

A private hike may provide greater flexibility for pacing and rest stops, although route accessibility and particular adjustments cannot be guaranteed.
 

Compare our private hiking experiences
 

Discussing Your Accessibility Needs

You do not need to provide a complete medical history or diagnosis. It is more helpful to tell us what you need and what types of terrain or activity you can comfortably manage.
 

Useful information may include:
 

• Your comfortable walking distance

• Whether you can manage uphill and downhill sections

• Whether steps or uneven surfaces present a barrier

• Whether you use a wheelchair, walker, cane or another mobility aid

• Whether you need regular rest breaks

• Whether standing for extended periods is difficult

• Any communication, sensory or orientation support you may need

• Whether a support person will accompany you
   

Discussing an experience with us does not constitute medical advice or medical clearance.
 

Accessibility Requests and Possible Adjustments

Accessibility requests are considered individually. Depending on the request, current conditions and available options, a practical adjustment may include:
 

• Helping you compare available experiences

• Discussing a more suitable available route

• Adjusting the pace where practical

• Allowing additional rest opportunities

• Providing written information

• Providing clearer verbal descriptions

• Discussing a private experience where appropriate

• Agreeing on another practical communication method
   

A particular adjustment cannot be guaranteed until we understand the request and the experience involved.

Some requests may not be possible if they would conflict with park rules or closures, require access to a restricted area, fundamentally change the experience or create a safety concern that cannot reasonably be addressed.
 

Guests Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Guests who are blind or have low vision are welcome to contact us before booking.
 

Depending on the route and individual request, we can discuss options such as:
 

• Clear verbal directions

• Descriptions of changing terrain

• Verbal descriptions of major landscape features

• Advance explanations of obstacles or transitions

• The use of personal mobility aids

• Participation with a support person
   

The suitability of an experience depends on the actual route, terrain, pace, exposure and current conditions rather than a person’s disability alone.
 

Guests Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Please tell us which communication method works best for you. Depending on your request and the available options, communication may include:
 

• Email before the hike

• Written meeting and preparation instructions

• Face-to-face communication

• Written notes

• A preferred communication technology

• Another method agreed upon in advance
   

Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not currently have a standing arrangement with an ASL interpreter or professional interpretation provider. If you require an interpreter or another outside communication service, contact us as early as practical so the request and available options can be discussed.
 

Sensory and Cognitive Considerations

The hiking environment may include wind, rain, volcanic gases, strong natural smells, changing light, crowded viewpoints, uneven surfaces and unexpected route changes.
 

Please contact us if you would benefit from:
 

• Clear, step-by-step instructions

• An advance explanation of the experience

• Additional time to process information

• Predictable breaks where practical

• Information about crowded locations

• Information about strong sensory conditions

• Another communication or sensory consideration
   

Natural conditions cannot always be controlled, but advance communication can help you understand what to expect.
 

Service Animals

The National Park Service defines a service animal as a dog individually trained to perform work or tasks for a person with a disability. The work or tasks performed must be directly related to the person’s disability. Emotional-support, therapy, comfort and companion animals are not considered service animals under this definition.
 

Guests planning to participate with a trained service dog should contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides before booking so we can share current route information and discuss:
 

• Route and trail conditions

• Wildlife and environmental considerations

• Water and preparation needs

• Current park conditions or restrictions

• Other practical considerations
   

You are not required to provide service-animal certification, a special identification card or a special vest.
 

A service dog must remain under its handler’s control. A leash, harness or tether should normally be used unless the handler’s disability prevents its use or it would interfere with the dog’s trained work. In that situation, the dog must remain under control through another effective method.
 

Advance contact helps us prepare and share relevant route information, but it is not a requirement to provide service-animal certification or identification.
 

Emotional-support, therapy, comfort and companion animals remain subject to applicable pet rules.

For current requirements, review the National Park Service guidance for service animals.
 

Support Persons

If someone regularly assists you with mobility, communication or another disability-related need, please contact us before booking.

Booking, pricing and capacity arrangements involving a support person are considered individually because the appropriate arrangement may depend on the selected experience and the support required. Please contact us before booking so the available options can be discussed before payment.
 

Support persons must follow park rules, route requirements, guide instructions and applicable safety requirements.
 

Equipment

Depending on the selected experience, Volcanoes Hiking Guides may provide ordinary hiking equipment such as backpacks, trekking poles and rain jackets.
 

These items are not specialized accessibility equipment. Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not currently provide wheelchairs, adaptive hiking equipment or other equipment specifically designed for disability access.
 

If you use personal mobility or accessibility equipment, contact us before booking so we can discuss the equipment and anticipated terrain.
 

Meeting Locations, Parking and Restrooms

Parking, restroom access and the path between the parking area and meeting point vary by experience. Many of these facilities are operated by the National Park Service or another land manager rather than Volcanoes Hiking Guides.

If you have a specific parking, restroom or mobility requirement, contact us before your hike. We can discuss the current meeting arrangements and direct you to the latest available information.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not provide hotel pickup or guest transportation. Guests must arrange reliable round-trip transportation to the confirmed meeting location. Rideshare and public transportation may be limited or impractical in and around the park, so both arrival and return transportation should be confirmed in advance.
 

The National Park Service maintains current information about accessible facilities and visitor areas on its Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park accessibility page.
 

Some visitor facilities and short paths within the park may be described as accessible by the National Park Service. However, an accessible facility or visitor area is not necessarily part of the selected hike, and its accessibility does not mean that the complete guided route is wheelchair accessible.
 

Accessibility and Safety During a Hike

A disability alone does not determine whether someone can participate. Relevant considerations include the selected experience, individual functional needs, current conditions, essential route requirements and any practical adjustments that may be available.
 

During the hike, please tell your guide promptly if you:
 

• Need assistance

• Need a rest

• Become unwell

• Cannot continue at the current pace

• Encounter an unexpected accessibility barrier

• Become separated from a support person or service dog
   

Where practical, the guide may adjust the pace or another part of the experience based on current conditions and the needs of the group.

Read our FAQs about preparation and participation
 

When to Contact Us

Please contact us as early as practical when an accessibility request requires advance planning. We will also consider requests made closer to the experience date to the extent reasonably possible.
 

There is no fixed advance-notice deadline. However, contacting us early gives us more time to understand your needs and discuss available options.
 

Accessibility Assistance and Feedback

Please contact us if you:
 

• Need help accessing website content

• Encounter a problem with a website form

• Need information in another practical format

• Want to discuss the accessibility of an experience

• Need to request an adjustment

• Encounter an accessibility problem during booking or a guided hike

Email: volcanoeshikingguides@gmail.com
Phone: (808) 491-9022

For email requests, please use the subject line:

Accessibility Request
 

Please include the experience or webpage involved, a brief description of your request or the barrier you encountered, and your preferred way for us to contact you.
 

Please share only the information reasonably necessary for us to understand your request. Do not send complete medical records or other unnecessary sensitive information through the website form, ordinary email or text message.

Read our Privacy Policy
 

Updates to This Statement

We may update this Accessibility Statement when our website, booking tools, experiences, meeting arrangements or accessibility practices change. The latest revision date will appear at the top of this page.
 

Additional Resources

• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Accessibility Information

• Service Animals in National Parks

• ADA Guidance on Website Accessibility

• ADA Guidance for Businesses Open to the Public