**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**
⚠️ Always monitor weather reports and ocean conditions before your park visit.
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[STATEWIDE] UPDATE 3/12/26 – All State Parks and Recreation Areas on all Islands, as well as State Park Offices, will be closed as of Friday, 3/13 through at least Sunday 3/15, for public safety. A severe storm is expected to bring flooding rain, high winds, and thunderstorms to most of the State from through the weekend. Please check weather reports and check back frequently for storm closure updates.
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[HAWAIʻI] UPDATE 3/5/26 – ʻAKAKA FALLS STATE PARK: Dept. of Water Supply shut off water in the area until further notice affecting the park.
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[O‘AHU] UPDATE 3/4/26 - KA‘ENA POINT STATE PARK, MOKULE‘IA SECTION, VEHICLE ACCESS GATE: Will REOPEN today [UPDATE 3/12 - temporarily closed due to storm]. You need the 2026 Gold decal adhered to the rear of your vehicle to enter the park, the accompanying permit account provides access to the gate combination online. The 2024-2025 Purple decals are no longer valid. Apply for a 2026 Kaʻena Point Vehicle Access Permit here. All applicants must create a NEW account and apply as a new applicant. We are experiencing significant delays in processing, we appreciate your continued patience. Vehicle access dirt road repairs are occurring to stabilize severe erosion, and armor problem areas with aggregate to reduce erosion and puddling, and improve road stability.
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[KAUAʻI, OʻAHU, HAWAIʻI] 2/10/26 – Wailua River State Park (Kauaʻi), Ahupuaʻa ʻO Kahana State Park (Oʻahu), Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park (Hawaiʻi): All commercial kayak operators must apply for a Rental Vessel Special Use Permit – Commercial Application, each kayak vessel requires a registered decal. Visit State Parks Permits page here and download and mail in the Rental Vessel Special Use Permit – Commercial Application.
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[ALL ISLANDS] UPDATE – 12/12/25: Camping - Reservations for February 1, 2026 and beyond available at https://explore.ehawaii.gov, please create an account on Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi to make a camping reservation.
As Demolition Work Nears Completion – New Plans For Diamond Head
Posted on Nov 5, 2021
Helicopter carrying rubble from the demolition at the summit of Diamond Head
Today, a helicopter made repeated trips from the top of Diamond Head to the crater floor, flying down sling loads of broken concrete and rebar. The rubbish is the remains of two structures that were dismantled this week on top of the highest military fire control station in Diamond Head State Monument. The structures had become a safety hazard as concrete was beginning to fall and visitors often tried to climb on top to get the best photo vantage point.
Most of the park’s military structures were built prior to the first world war, circa 1910, and left a legacy and infrastructure that remains in use today. The Mule Tunnel cuts through the interior of the crater and sees daylight on the other side above Montserrat Avenue.
“The mule tunnel had rails in it initially and the materials needed to build features at the summit were pulled along the rail line by mules,” recounts Alan Carpenter, Assistant Administrator with the DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP). That’s the past and now he wants to focus on Diamond Head’s future which includes the tunnel, now commonly referred to as the Kapahulu Tunnel.
It is one of two vehicle tunnels that enter the crater. Currently everybody comes through the Kahala Tunnel which mixes people with vehicles. “We’d like to spread cars and pedestrians out to make it safer for everyone, so we’re working on plans to reopen the Kapahulu Tunnel as the pedestrian-only entrance to Diamond Head State Monument.
Still several years from becoming reality, Carpenter envisions it, as a way to improve the visitor experience and their safety. “When you exit the tunnel, you have a magnificent vista looking up to the summit and the entire crater. People will pass another set of historic features along the way, so there are a lot of educational and interpretive values.”
Part of the planning will include the creation of a vehicle drop-off area, though DSP finds that many visitors walk from their accommodations in Waikīkī. In addition, the outside entrance of the tunnel will require a connector from the street.
Sooner, than seeing the Kapahulu Tunnel reopened, will be a new reservation system for Diamond Head State Park. Carpenter explained, “It’s kind of the trend now, another nod to adaptive management, to better control the flow of and numbers of people in high visitation areas like Diamond Head. We want to spread people out throughout the day as it can get crowded to the point of insanity at times.”
The park is one of the busiest and most visited attractions in Hawai‘i, due to its unique combination of historical, natural, and outdoor recreation attributes. The roll-out of the reservation system is expected sometime in early 2022.
