**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 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 The 2024-2025 Purple decals are no longer valid.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.
Nine Hikers Cited for Tresspasing on 22nd Anniversary of Mother’s Day Tragedy at Sacred Falls
Posted on May 11, 2021Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) regularly patrol Sacred Falls State Park, though each Mother’s Day for the last 22-years, their efforts take on extra importance and meaning.
On Mother’s Day, May 9, 1999, eight people were killed and nearly three dozen were hurt when rocks tumbled down the waterfall’s steep cliffs. The victims were caught off-guard, as it’s impossible to predict when rockfalls will occur, not only at Sacred Falls, but at many of Hawai‘i’s highly sought-after waterfalls. 
Just 10 days ago, two men were hurt when boulders unexpectedly landed in the pool below Lulumahu Falls in the restricted Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. One of the victims was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
“Though Sacred Falls has signs everywhere, including numerous ones with a QR code connecting to a video, people still come, putting themselves at risk as well as the lives of emergency responders,” said DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla. “Sacred Falls State Park was closed for good reason after the 1999 tragedy. There is simply no way, for anyone, to accurately predict when rocks and boulders will fall. You are gambling with your life,” he added.
While most reputable social media sites, at the urging of DLNR, have removed mentions of and directions to Sacred Falls in recent years, typically each visit by DOCARE officers results in people getting cited.
Last year on the anniversary, one officer, who responded to the 1999 accident, noted that getting a ticket and a court date, is a lot better than getting hurt or killed. He noted that numerous mothers lost their children in 1999 and some of the victims could have been raising their own families now.
The names, ages, and hometowns of the nine people cited today will be released when available.
