Manukā State Wayside
Photo Credit: Sean Newsome

**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**

Monitor local surf and weather reports prior to your park visit.

[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 6/17/24 – Polihale State Park: Queen's Pond access Road is CLOSED June 17-21 (m-f) for rock placement.  Pedestrian traffic should be aware of heavy equipment traversing through the area.  The park remains open - visitors should access via Cane Top access road and points beyond.

[HAWAI’I] UPDATED 6/10/24 –'Akaka Falls State Park is now fully open.  There will be a brief closure later this month (June 24-28, m-f), for additional repair work.

[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 6/18/24 –Kalalau Trail, Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park: Camping permits held back for local residents during summer, see Kalalau Trail site for more information.

[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 6/18/24 – Kōkeʻe State Park: The gate to Puʻu O Kila Lookout will be closed to vehicular traffic due to road repairs beginning 3/19/24. The lookout will still be accessible by pedestrians, parking is available at Kalalau lookout.

[HAWAI'I] UPDATED 6/18/24 -  West Hawaii State Parks to close early on the 4th of July at 5 PM. Parks effected are: Kekaha Kai SP—Mahai’ula section and Manini’owali (Kua Bay) section, Kiholo SPR, Hapuna Beach SRA and Waialea section

Manukā State Wayside

Hours Daily During Daylight Hours
Entrance Fee None
Trail Names
Camping None
Icon CampingReserve Now

Description

A rest stop with an opportunity to picnic among a collection of native and introduced trees. A 2-mile nature hike through the adjacent Manukā Natural Area Reserve offers an experience in Hawaiian natural history.

Manukā Natural Area Reserve

On the flank of leeward Mauna Loa in South Kona, Manukā Natural Area Reserve is a 25,ooo-acre reserve encompassing a wide range of habitats. These include subalpine shrublands and forests, mesic montane kipuka forests, wet montane forests, lowland mesic forests and lowland dry forests.

Recent lava flows add a variety of pioneer vegetation types, as well as uncharacterized and unsurveyed lava tubes. Concentrations of the Hawaiian hoary bat occur in the area. A rare lowland grassland and anchialine pools are included as well.

Natural Communities: 17 total, 3 rare
Native Plants: 187 total taxa, 10 rare
Native Animals: 7 total taxa, 3 rare