Aloha Hawaiʻi Island Forest Users!

Hawaiʻi Island’s trails and many of its natural areas are managed by the Hawaiʻi Island Branch of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNR DOFAW) on behalf of the public. This website is a companion to the statewide Forestry & Wildlife website that provides information specifically for forest users on Hawaiʻi Island. Please use the links below to find information on Hawaiʻi Island recreation opportunities and the places, species, and issues with which we work. E mālama kākou i ka ‘āina.

Explore Outdoors

While some of the areas that Forestry & Wildlife manages on Hawaiʻi Island are restricted access in order to protect our at-risk species & ecosystems, many of the lands we manage can be experienced in person through hiking, riding on equestrian or off-highway vehicle trails, camping, or other uses. Depending on the area and the activities you plan to engage in, you may need a permit. If you’d like to find resources near you, use our web map at the bottom of this page.

An image of a trail linking to Hike Hawaiʻi Island
An image of game animals linking to Hunt Hawaiʻi Island
This is a picture of a tent in Waimanu Valley with White text saying 'camp Hawaii Island'
An image of a person planting a tree linking to Volunteer Hawaiʻi Island

Engage with Us

When interacting with lands and species managed by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, you’ll need to follow our administrative rules, and you may need a permit depending on where you’re going and the activities you plan to engage in. You can contact us for more information, and we also encourage residents and visitors to provide feedback and participate in the process of management. You can attend or read documents from the public meetings of boards, committees, commissions, and councils managed by Forestry & Wildlife staff, and you can also comment on proposed policies.

An image of a forest and stream linking to a page on permits and guidelines
An image of Lehua flowers linking to Oʻahu contact us or report and issue
An image of Pololū linking to Hawaiʻi Island FAQ
An image of a koa leaf linking to Hawaiʻi Island Announcements

Learn About Our Work on Hawaiʻi Island

We are fortunate to be entrusted with the management of some of the world’s most fascinating, unique species, and to work in and manage areas that are truly special. The links below provide educational information about some of the species and places with which we work. You can find more ways to learn on our Education pages.

An image of a shoreline linking to Hawaiʻi Island Lands and Management

An image of an ʻalalā linking to plans and projects

An image of a person hiking by a sign linking to Explore Hawaiʻi Island from Home
An image of a forested valley and a smartphone & app graphic linking to information on the Outerspatial app

Find Reserves and Trails Near You

Use the web map below to find reserves, trails, and campsites in areas that interest you. Click on any feature in the map and if we have more information about that feature, you’ll see a link to that information on our websites. For convenience, the map below shows Forestry & Wildlife resources alongside State Parks and other public areas that aren’t managed by DOFAW, but may be of interest to you. As always, if you find an area you’re interested in exploring, check whether it is open for access and whether you need a permit for the activities you have in mind. If the embedded map below doesn’t display correctly, try opening it fullscreen.