**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**
Monitor local surf and weather reports prior to your park visit.
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[OʻAHU] UPDATED 12/19/24 – Kaʻena Point State Park, Keawaʻula Section: Park CLOSED due to anticipated large surf on 12/20/24 through the weekend.
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[OʻAHU] UPDATED 12/16/24 – Diamond Head State Monument: Beginning January 6, 2025 to July 25, 2025, or upon completion of construction project, the park will close at 2:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, (excluding weekends and holidays) due to a construction project. The last reservation time slot for Parking and Entry and Entry Only during this time will be 12:00 p.m. If you reserved at 12:00 p.m., you must enter the Park no later than 12:30 p.m. or you will be denied entry. Please check back for updates.
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[MAUI] UPDATED 12/16/24 – Mākena State Park - Invitation For Bid For Sealed Bid Proposal To Provide A mobile Food Truck Concession At Mākena State Park on Maui. Any party that may be interested in providing a bid may inspect the concession premises by calling DSP at (808) 587-0505 or contact DLNR-Division of State Parks Property Manager, Ms. E. Keiki Kipapa, by email to [email protected] Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time (HST) except Federal and State Holidays. See Full IFB: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/files/2024/12/SPM25-010A.pdf
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[OʻAHU] UPDATED 11/4/24 – Kaʻena Point State Park, Mokuleʻia Section: The 2024 Kaʻena Point permit and decal is being extended through 2025. You do not need to apply for a new permit now, you will be notified when applications open next year. Take good care of your decal, we cannot replace decals. Please remember to take rubbish bags home, do not leave it a the trash bins.
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[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 11/4/24 – Waimea Canyon State Park/Kōkeʻe State Park: Paving will take place on Waimea Canyon Road leading into Puʻu Hinahina Lookout on Wednesday, November 6 limiting vehicle access into and out of the lookout parking lot from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Pedestrian access will remain open, and vehicles can access the lookout before and after the closure.
State Parks Preparing for Re-Opening Polihale State Park on Kaua’i
Posted on Sep 14, 2020The DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP) is preparing for the reopening of Polihale State Park on Kaua‘i, although no firm date has yet been set. Due to overuse and abuse, the popular beach and camping area was shut down. One weekend, an estimated 1,000 people camped illegally. Reopening will likely happen within weeks, however, if park users do not comply with park rules, it will be closed again.
“Clearly we have management and enforcement deficiencies, made worse by the current pandemic and related fiscal constraints”, said DLNR Chair Suzanne Case. “We will not allow resources to be degraded, so we are asking park users to behave as expected or we will be forced to close Polihale again.”
DSP leadership has been meeting with lineal and cultural descendant families from the area to exchange ideas and formulate short, medium, and long-term plans for improved park management. Some have been granted cultural access to the park area to conduct clean-ups and mālama cultural sites, including burials, located within the sensitive dune system.
Although these families have been caring for the ‘aina for generations, many others are not aware of the cultural significance of the area. It is hoped that widespread adoption of caring for Polihale will lead to much improved compliance.
DSP administrator Curt Cottrell said, “A stewardship agreement is a potential outcome, and would be a welcome augmentation for park maintenance and management. In the near-term, DSP will install clearer messaging of park rules through new signage and printed flyers. 30 new speedbumps have already been installed to discourage speeding and damage to the parkʻs five-mile-long unimproved entry road. A decision on whether to allow overnight camping has not been made.”
Mid-term proposals include a possible permit entry system for all vehicles entering the park. A successful model has been in place for years at Oʻahuʻs Kaʻena Point State Park, where permittees are provided explicit maps of designated roads. They commit to abiding by all rules and are subject to having their access revoked if they break them.
Long-term measures include capital improvement projects aimed at protecting the dunes, enhancing access, parking, and camping areas, as well as adding better educational and interpretive devices to focus on the important cultural and natural resources of the park. Adding toilets near the Poʻoahonu (Queenʻs Pond) area of the park is also critical to protecting the sanctity of this area.
A long-standing issue is the dangerous combination of driving on the beach and camping without permits. Both are illegal activities under State Parks Administrative rules. Cottrell added, “In the future this could be regulated via a permit process or rule change but, for now, park users are reminded that driving on the beach or through the dunes is illegal. To address this issue, DSP is working towards designating certain beach areas at Polihale for restricted transiting, parking, and boat launching.”
Implementing any significant new management measures is a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. State budget woes and hiring freezes have prompted DLNR to encourage kokua from the Kauaʻi community. Cottrell concluded, “We’re trying determine how much people really care about Polihale’ s natural and cultural resources. Reopening with new guidelines is an opportunity to see”
