**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**
Monitor weather reports before your park visit.
•
[STATE PARKS] — UPDATE 11/19/25: Upcoming Parking Fees at Select State Parks -Starting soon, Hawai'i State Parks will begin implementing parking fees for visitors at four high-use parks: [KAUA'I] Wailua River State Park, [O'AHU] Pu'u 'U'ala Ka'a State Wayside, [HAWAI'I] Kekaha Kai State Park, and Wailuku River State Park. These changes will support ongoing maintenance, cultural and natural resource protection, and improved visitor services. Additional details, including official start dates and rates, will be shared in the coming weeks.
•
[KAUA'I] - 11/14/25: THE KALALAU TRAIL has REOPENED.
•
[OʻAHU] – UPDATE 11/12/25: Kaʻena Point State Parks - Mokuleʻia Section – Kaʻena Point Vehicle Access Permits: We anticipate Ka’ena applications to open at the end of December 2025.
•
[OʻAHU] – UPDATE 10/3/25: Sand Island State Recreation Area – Comfort stations are CLOSED until further notice due to a transformer issue impacting the pump. Portable toilets are available at each comfort station. Camping has continued to be CLOSED for construction from August 30th, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
•
[O’AHU] - UPDATE 9/10/25: Mālaekahana State Recreation Area-Kahuku Section - State Parks is issuing a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals for parties interested in developing campgrounds. More info: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/announcements/malaekahana-state-recreation-area-rfq-rfp-2026/
•
[MOLOKA’I] - UPDATE 8/29/25: Pala’au State Park Pavilion: Due to continued renovation work, the pavilion and camping is CLOSED until further notice.
•
[KAUA’I] - 7/11/25: VISITORS TO WAIMEA CANYON AND KŌKEʻE STATE PARKS CAUTIONED TO EXPECT DELAYS AND LIMITED PARKING.
Beginning July 14, 2025, Waimea Canyon Lookout with be closed for construction of safety improvements through early December, 2025. This closure, in addition to several overlapping roadwork projects by both DOT-Highways and DLNR-State Parks, will cause delays, impact traffic patterns, and restrict overall parking capacity in these two popular parks through the end of the year. DOT work is continuing on Waimea Canyon Drive, while work on portions of Kōkeʻe Road from the Kalalau Lookout to Puʻu o Kila lookout will be starting the same week. Visitors can drive as far as the Kalalau Lookout, where improvements will also be initiated on July 17, with limited parking available. We urge patience and driving with care as these various improvements are ongoing. Local visitors are encouraged to enjoy these parks and lookouts on weekends, when most work will be suspended. Waimea Canyon Lookout will be closed for the duration of the project including weekends.
•
[KAUAʻI] - UPDATE 3/21/25: Pā‘ula‘ula State Historic Site - Due to construction improvements, the park closure will begin starting March 24 until further notice.
Parking Fees to Begin at Makena State Park
Posted on Dec 13, 2019UPDATE: [1/6/2020] – Parking fees are now in effect at Makena State Park.
(Kahului, Maui) – Following the introduction of paid parking this year at several State Parks (Hā’ena State Park and Kōkeʻe-Waimea Canyon State Park, Kaua‘i), the DLNR Division of State Parks will institute paid parking at Mākena State Park beginning the first week of January 2020.
State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell commented, “As with most of our other parks, Hawai‘i residents with a valid State of Hawai’i Driver’s License or State of Hawai’i Identification Card will not have to pay and for non-residents we believe parking fees are nominal and in-line with what parks in other states are charging.”
At Mākena State Park, non-residents will pay $5.00 to park. Commercial vehicles registered with the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission will pay $10.00-$40.00 depending on the number of passengers the vehicle can carry. Parking will continue to be on a first-come, first-served basis. There are three lots at Mākena and a roaming ambassador will be on site to monitor parking and to assist visitors.
Three electronic pay stations are being installed and visitors can only pay by credit card either at the pay station or by phone. Cottrell concluded, “The vast majority of our 52 park units do not currently impose parking or entrance fees. However, at a number of parks (see list below), it is necessary to improve our funding stream for additional management capacity for both the specific park units and the Hawaii State Park system. There is a huge backlog of deferred maintenance and improvements to enhance quality. It is important to note that Hawai‘i residents do not have to pay for parking or entrance to park units, except at Diamond Head State Monument.”
HAWAI‘I STATE PARKS FEES FOR VEHICLES at Makena State Park
Non-Commercial Vehicles
- Non-Hawaii Resident Vehicles = $5.00
- Hawaii Residents = Free
Commercial Vehicles
- 1-7 passenger vehicle = $10.00
- 8-25 passenger vehicle = $20.00
- 25+ passenger vehicle = $40.00
