Manukā State Wayside
Photo Credit: Sean Newsome

**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**

⚠️ Always monitor weather reports and ocean conditions before your park visit. 

[KAUA’I] UPDATE 6/23/26

The Puu Hina Hina Parking Lot remains closed due parking lot striping.

[MAUI] UPDATE 6/22/26

‘Iao Valley State Monument: Will be CLOSED until July 17, 2026 for safety improvements.

Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area: Polipoli cabins and camping areas are CLOSED until further notice.

[O’AHU] UPDATED 6/18/26

There will be an early closure at 5PM HST on Saturday July 4, 2026 for Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside (ʻUalakaʻa Trail) due to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Fireworks Prohibited in the State Parks\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"

[HAWAI’I] UPDATE 6/17/26

There will be an early closure at 5PM HST on Saturday July 4, 2026 for the West Hawaii State Parks (Kekaha Kai (Manini Owali & Mahai’ula), Kiholo, Hapuna SRA (Hapuna & Waialea) due to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Fireworks Prohibited in the State Parks\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"

[KAUA’I] UPDATED 5/27/26

Kalalau Trail from mile marker 2-11 after Hanakapiai Valley, will be CLOSED for a feral animal control hunt from June 1-4. The 2 miles of the trail from Keʻe beach at Haʻena State Park to Hanakapiai falls will remain open during this time.

Puʻu Hinahina parking lot will be CLOSED for road work from May 25-29 and again from June 15-19.

Koke’e State Park camping will be CLOSED for campground improvements. Construction to begin May 2026 and extend through Spring 2027.

Pāʻulaʻula State Historic Site: CLOSED for construction.

[O’AHU] UPDATED 6/10/26

Heʻeia State Park partial parking lot road closure due to landslide and upcoming stabilization work.

Wahiawā Freshwater State Recreation Area: Portions of the park which access the reservoir (Also known as Lake Wilson) will be closed Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 1 a.m. the park will remain open to visitors for onshore activities, but lake access via the boat ramp, reservoir banks, and reservoir shores will not be allowed until further notice.

Ka’ena Point State Park, Mākua Section has REOPENED to beach access. The Keawa’ula section remains CLOSED due to road repairs and damage due to the recent Kona Low storms. The Mokule’ia vehicle access road has REOPENED to valid permit holders - note some roads previously accessible have been closed due to storm damage - heed all road signs. 

[MOLOKAʻI] UPDATE 4/20/26

Pālāʻau State Park: Pālāʻau Wayside Pavilion and Campgrounds remain CLOSED until further notice.


[HAWAI’I] UPDATED 4/10/26

Notice to bidders for Mobile Food Truck Concessions opened today for certain Hawai’i Island parks. More information at: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/announcements/mobile-food-truck-concessions-hawaii/

Akaka Falls State Park: Water and comfort station CLOSED, park open with portable toilets.

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