Department of Land and Natural Resources

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR

SUZANNE D. CASE CHAIRPERSON

For Immediate News Release September 14, 2015

MAKAPU‘U TRAIL FULL CLOSURES START THIS WEEK
Closures Scheduled for September 15 – 23 (Weekdays Only)

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of State Parks will close the Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail and parking lot at the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline for seven (7) weekdays, starting tomorrow, Tuesday September 15 through Wednesday, September 23. The trail will be open during the weekend of September 19 and 20, however visitors should be aware that the trail will be rough and unpaved.  

The schedule for the trail closures is as follows:

– Tuesday, September 15 through Friday, September 18

– Monday, September 21 through Wednesday, September 23

During the weekdays, visitors will not be able to access the parking lot or trail and are advised to hike elsewhere.

On the weekends, the parking lot and trail will be open during regular park hours on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays; 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.).  

The 7 days of closure in September are necessary while the asphalt pavement of the road is removed and the new asphalt surface is laid. The reconstructed retaining walls along the road have been completed, the new culverts under the road have been installed, and the drainage ditches are being repaired. Work continues on the new lookouts and the uppermost lookout will remained closed until the renovations are completed.

“It is exciting to see all the new improvements along the Makapu’u Trail taking shape and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to complete this project by the end of September. We have been able to accommodate the public’s use of the trail during much of the construction work but for public safety, we must close the trail during the road paving” said Curt Cottrell, newly-selected State Parks Administrator.

The project will not affect the Makapu‘u Lookout along Kalaniana‘ole Highway. The Kaiwi shoreline will remain open during the project, but during the trail closures, people must enter from the Sandy Beach end of the park as the parking lot for the Makapu‘u Trail will be closed.

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Media Contact:
Deborah Ward
Communications Specialist
(808) 587-0320