Mauna Loa is somewhat of an enigma for visitors – it looms large all around, but how do you actually get on 'Long Mountain'? The answer is simple: drive up Mauna Loa Observatory Rd. This unsigned road starts near mile marker 28 on Saddle Rd, almost opposite Mauna Kea Access Rd and next to Puʻu Huluhulu. Delivering kicking views, the single-lane, 17.5-mile asphalt road ends at a parking area just below the Mauna Loa Observatory (11,150ft).
