Hawaii’s Holei Sea Arch Collapses Into the Pacific
The iconic 90-foot Holei Sea Arch in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, the National Park Service confirmed in an October 1 news release, ending a landmark that had stood for roughly 550 years at the end of the park’s remote Chain of Craters Road.
The arch was still standing on Wednesday, September 23, when the park temporarily closed ahead of Tropical Storm Nolo, but had crumbled by Sunday night, September 27. The National Park Service (NPS) said the exact time of the collapse is unknown and could have occurred while the park was closed during the storm.
A Landmark Long Expected to Fall
The collapse, while striking, was not a surprise. The NPS described the arch’s demise as “the latest transformation of the park’s remote and rugged coastline,” and the cliffs flanking it had shown signs of instability for years.
Earthquakes during the 2018 Kilauea eruption and summit collapse damaged the cliffs near the arch. In January 2020, new cracks and instability prompted the park to close the original viewing area, opening a safer viewpoint farther from the cliff edge in March 2020. Later that year, massive surf from Tropical Storm Darby broke off a chunk of rock from the arch’s lower portion, and the park warned it could collapse at any time.
As the NPS noted on its Holei Sea Arch place page, the formation was always meant to be temporary. “This formation is beautiful, but temporary, and has a limited life span. The sea arch will eventually crumble into the sea,” the agency said. “However, others will replace it as the cliff slowly migrates inland.”
The arch was carved roughly 550 years ago from an ancient lava flow through what geologists call “differential erosion” — the differing hardness of layers of lava worn away by ocean waves. Its name comes from a small endemic plant in the milkweed family.
A Season of Storms
The collapse came amid an unusually active 2026 Pacific storm season in Hawai’i. Nolo, which rapidly intensified into a hurricane on September 24 with winds reaching 155 mph, moved past Hawai’i Island bringing heavy rain and high surf. According to CBS News, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said the Trump administration approved an emergency declaration to provide federal resources for the state’s recovery.
The island chain had already absorbed two major storms. In August, Hurricane Lala washed away about 100 homes, triggered landslides and caused widespread power outages. Hurricane Lowell hit in early September, flooding homes and roads and toppling trees.
As The Guardian reported, experts say the pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific tends to see more tropical storms and hurricanes. Forecasters have warned of a high probability that a “supercharged” El Niño could reach historic intensity, with effects compounded by the broader overheating of the planet.
Officials Warn Visitors to Stay Back
With the arch gone, the National Park Service is urging visitors to stay away from the unstable coastal cliffs, which drop off vertically into the ocean. “Photos on social media show people entering the closed area near where the sea arch once stood, putting themselves and first responders at great risk of falling and drowning off the rough, wave-swept coast,” the agency said. Visitors are required to stay out of closed areas and away from cliff edges that can collapse without warning.
For many, the arch’s absence does little to diminish the destination. As Hawai’i Public Radio reported, a sign posted at the viewpoint before the collapse had already told visitors the arch was a “temporary display of nature’s handiwork.” A dozen cars still lined Chain of Craters Road the day the collapse was confirmed.
Visitor Fahad Shaon told HPR he was glad he made the trip regardless. “The cliffs are really awesome. Even if without the sea arch, I think it’s worth the drive, and it’s worth spending some moments here,” he said.
What’s Next
Geologically, the story is far from over. As the NPS observed, sea arches like Holei are part of a continuing cycle: as the coastline erodes inland, new arches will eventually form in place of the one that was lost. For now, the park’s priority is safety — ensuring visitors respect the closed zones along one of the most dynamic stretches of coastline in the United States.
The collapse also underscores a broader tension facing Hawai’i and other coastal regions: the same ocean forces that sculpt iconic landmarks are increasingly amplified by a warming climate and an energetic El Niño, accelerating the pace at which familiar landscapes disappear.