Wahiawā Freshwater State Recreation Area
Photo Credit: DUDEK

**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**

Monitor weather reports before your park visit!

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[KAUAʻI] – UPDATE 9/16/25: West Kauaʻi Park Units – State Parks is recruiting for a Park Maintenance Supervisor II for the West Kauaʻi Park units, including, Kokeʻe State Park, Na Pali Coast Wilderness Park, Paʻulaʻula State Historic Park, Polihale State Park, Waimea Canyon State Park, and Waimea State Recreational Pier. See position description here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/hawaii/jobs/5060650-0/park-maintenance-supervisor-ii-kokee-kauai

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[OʻAHU] – UPDATE 9/11/25: Kaʻena Point State Parks - Mokuleʻia Section – Kaʻena Point Vehicle Access Permits Closed for 2025.  Purple 2024 permits valid through 2025. Please create an account on Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi at https://explore.ehawaii.gov/Web/. You will need an Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi account to apply for a 2026 Kaʻena Vehicle Access Permit, please create an account. Continue to check the Kaʻena Point State Park website for 2026 permit application updates.

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[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/

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[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. 

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[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.

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[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.

Wahiawā Freshwater State Recreation Area

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    Hours

    Summer: 7:00am to 7:45pm

     

    Winter: 7:00am to 6:45pm

     

    Summer Hours Begin on April 1st

    Winter Hours Begin the Day After Labor Day
    Entrance Fee None

    Description

    Enjoy picnicking along the wooded shore of Wahiawa Reservoir (a.k.a. Lake Wilson). Year-round shore and boat fishing.  Check with the State DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources for applicable fishing restrictions. No swimming or water skiing. Boating is only for fishing purposes. Boat ramp at the park.

    History of Past Planning Efforts

    The Wahiawa Freshwater Park Master Plan, which laid out the building blocks for development of the current park, was prepared in 1975. Construction of the park was completed in 1978.

    To view the master plan report, Click Here —> Wahiawa Fresh Water Park Master Plan

    To view images of the current park, Click Here —> Wahiawa FWSRA Images and Overview

    In 2019, the University of Hawai‘i Community Design Center (UHCDC) completed the Lake Wilson: Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area Study and Proof‐of‐Concept Design Report. UHCDC has played an instrumental role in informing preliminary discussions about the park’s future and increasing community awareness about the potential for Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area. Innovative ideas for the redesign of the park envisioned comprehensive redevelopment across the property, with a fishing lodge for overnight accommodations, 750-seat outdoor amphitheater, disc golf course, piers, and boardwalks for shoreline fishing access, and wetland restoration and drainage improvements to support water quality. Although this report does not represent State Parks’ authorized plans for future park developments, it provides a good framework for community involvement and awareness of the potential for innovations in park improvements.

    We would like to acknowledge that UHCDC was the recipient of a 2021 Honor Award in the Research and Communication category from the Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for the work represented by their 2019 report. A link to view the report is below.

    To view the report, Click Here —> UHCDC Conceptual Plan Page

    Park Improvements

    Improvements are already underway for the Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area! Design is in progress for a new 25-stall parking area, new sitting areas and rain shelters, and educational signage highlighting the natural and cultural resources within the park. Construction of this is anticipated to begin in early 2022.

    A public planning process to identify additional improvements is also in progress. The outcome of this process will be a conceptual site plan that will be used to prioritize investments in facilities and park management over the next 7-10 years.

    To view the Open House information circulated in May 2022 , Click Here —> Virtual Open House LINK

    Comments received from the May 2022 open house event are being used to gauge the community’s reactions to the preliminary ideas and provide direction to refine and prioritize future improvements. A draft conceptual site plan is expected to be completed in Summer 2023, with preparation of an environmental assessment in early 2024.

    Opportunity for public input on the draft conceptual site plan will follow as part of the environmental review process. This includes future advisory committee meetings and a presentation to the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board during preparation of the environmental assessment.