Photo Credit: Tim DelaVega
hawaii wave

**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**

Monitor local surf and weather reports prior to your park visit.

[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 3/18/24 – Kōkeʻe State Park: The gate to Puʻu O Kila Lookout will be closed to vehicular traffic due to road repairs beginning 3/19/24. The lookout will still be accessible by pedestrians, parking is available at Kalalau lookout.

State Parks Policy For Kalalau Trail Camping Permits Within Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kauaʻi

Posted on May 18, 2010

 4/28/15 – Kalalau Trail, Napali Coast State Wilderness Park is CLOSED due to flash flooding conditions.

In response to public demand and to promote improved public safety, beginning May 19, 2010, permits for Nāpali Coast will be issued for Kalalau only, the preferred destination at the end of the 11-mile Kalalau Trail. However, permits for Kalalau will also be valid for camping at Hanakoa, which is located a little beyond the halfway point of the trail, roughly 6 miles in from the trailhead. Permits specifically for Hanakoa will no longer be issued, but hikers are encouraged to stopover and camp at Hanakoa if they possess a valid permit for Kalalau and they feel the need to break up their trek due to such factors as fatigue, inclement weather, or impending darkness.

“We want visitors to be able to enjoy the premiere destination of Kalalau, but offer everyone the option of stopping at Hanakoa if they feel physically unable to make the entire trail in one day, or if conditions may make the full 11-mile trip too hazardous”, said Dan Quinn, State Parks Administrator.

This new policy will also take the mystery out of the trip planning process for visitors who are unsure whether they can make the full trail in one clip. This provides the flexibility to stop at Hanakoa or continue on to Kalalau without apprehension regarding the legality of a permit. State Parks recently made permits accessible to the public via the internet, and demand for Kalalau permits has been very high.

Permitted campers are cautioned that the new policy is not a license to camp anywhere along the trail. Hanakoa and Kalalau, which contain facilities to support camping activities, remain the only two authorized areas for camping along the trail. The total number of nights that are allowed for camping in the park is still 5 – so a stopover at Hanakoa, going either direction along the trail, counts as one of the authorized nights, and therefore reduces the total number of nights permitted at Kalalau.