Division of State Parks

State Parks Expands Managed Parking to Additional Parks

State Parks is preparing for another shift in how visitors access several popular natural and cultural sites. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has confirmed that a new wave of parks located on Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i, and O‘ahu will begin using managed parking and fee systems geared toward improving visitor flow and strengthening long-term resource care.

The change focuses on nonresidents and commercial operators, who will now pay for parking at the four newly added locations. Hawai‘i residents will continue to park at no cost.

The parks joining the program are Wailuku River State Park and Kekaha Kai State Park on Hawai‘i Island, Wailua River State Park on Kaua‘i, and Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside on O‘ahu. While each site has unique visitor patterns and pressures, they will all adopt the same model currently in place at 10 other state parks statewide.

Implement parking management systems help manage traffic, improve safety and reduce vehicle break-ins, as well as make fee payment more convenient. Funds collected through these systems are reserved for maintaining facilities, upgrading park infrastructure, and supporting resource protection efforts.

To run the program, the state selected three companies: Diamond Parking Services LLC will oversee the two Hawai‘i Island parks, Republic Parking Northwest LLC will take on operations at Wailua River State Park, and Pro Park Inc. will manage Puʻu ʻUalakaa State Wayside.

Alan Carpenter, Acting Administrator of the DLNR Division of State Parks, said the initiative advances both visitor satisfaction and stewardship. “We’re always looking for ways to make our parks more enjoyable for both residents and visitors,” he said. “These partnerships allow us to provide more consistent visitor management while ensuring that the revenues collected are reinvested directly into our parks.” Carpenter noted that parking improvements are central to protecting both the experience and the place. “Safe and efficient parking management is an important part of the overall visitor experience,” he said. “These improvements will help us maintain a balance between visitor access and keeping these highly popular parks free and accessible to residents.”