Travel forums for Kauai. We hike a lot and this was a pretty difficult hike. Maybe it was worth it to them. The newsystem is based aroundmanagingaccess toHaena State Park, aka "the end of the road," as well as the attractions of the Napali Coast beyond it, includingthe Kalalau Trail, Hanakapiai Falls, and Kee Beach. Reservations can be easily made online by visiting . We were able to book shuttle rides and entry passes about 5 days out (booked Saturday for Thursday entry). If you do drive your car there, the fees for the park are as follows: Entrance fees: Hawaii residents: Free . To put it simplyits paradise. Hena State Park-how and when are you able to buy a pass and parking voucher? There is also a separate passthat goes to other locations on the northshore. Check traffic and drive times before you go Kauai has mostly two-lane roadways as well as one-lane bridges that can slow down the flow of cars. First came the 2018 floods that devastated the area, followed by the benefits from reduced tourists numbers during the pandemic. If you do not want to take the shuttle for whatever reason, your other option is to drive yourself. If on the other hand, youd like to get a taste for the rainforest and sea cliffs (and dont mind getting some exercise in), the hike to Hanakpai beach is a must-do. IMPORTANT CHANGES IN PARK MANAGEMENT AND ACCESS ARE NOW IN AFFECT. However, hiking beyond Hanakapiai Beach requires a camping permit for the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park from the State Department of Land and Natural Resources. People can obtain the permit 90 days in advance and can't stay longer than five nights. Expect delays in reaching the upper areas of the park, including Awaawapuhi Trail, Kalalau Lookout, and Pihea Lookout and Trailhead. My advice is if you are only in Kauai for a week, do not burn a day on this hike. Do we need a pass to see this attraction? We got a shuttle from the airport to our lodging in Princeville and a shuttle from the Waipa Parka and Ride to the state park and back, but we're stuck on getting rides between our lodging and the park and ride. The new system is designed to reduce the overcrowding issues the area endured for many years. During the summer, the permits will quickly sell out. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But the effort is well with it if you are able to swim in the chilly pool through the flowing waters dropping from 300 feet above. Keep in mind though that Uber does not really operate in North Shore, and there is no phone reception/internet in the park to call for pick up. See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. It is fully open and without restriction. Also forget about trying to get there on high tide on any given day. They also accept Kauai Bus passes as a hop-on pass (no reservations), which is great because Kauai Bus passes can also be used throughout the entire island. Given the short window of time I'd be ready to order the morning and afternoon at the same time in separate transactions. These links do not cost you anything and help provide the necessary funding to maintain this website. You can attempt to get them here. I'm sure if you went on a holiday or a weekend you'd see more cars parked in the lot. Drive to the western end of the Kuhio Highway on Kauais northern shore to find this park, tucked between lush ridges overhanging the ocean. Parking reservations are only good for the time slots indicated. A Parking Reservation (Parking Reservations grant Park Entry for driver and passengers). To make a cancellation call during normal business hours 8:AM-5:PM 1-409-744-5466 or email at galvestonlimo@gmail.com. Walk-ins permitted. At the end of the road is Ke'e . H'ena State Park is located at the northwestern extent of Kuhio Highway on Kauai's north-shore. If its swimming and/or snorkelling that you are after, dont let the name fool you: its only Kee beach that you want. As a result, reservations are required for those that wish to visit the park. You can buy your parking reservation and park entry here. It also makes it harder for people who want to visit the beach park. The state is seeing big improvements at Haena State Park's lush valleys after cracking down on illegal campers in Kalalau. Thats the main reason why we opted to use the shuttle instead of using our rental car. Planning a trip to Haena State Park is a test in patience, but those willing to endure it will be greatly rewarded. Kauai forums. The state has basically told tourists to stay away. This seems obvious to me, but since Kauai locals and residents have to work, go to school and have everyday obligations like anyone else, it makes perfect sense that the parking isn't full. These days it is home to a pristine beach; beautiful towering mountains; a small waterfall; some illegal squatters, and a small campground for visitors wanting to reconnect with mother nature. Here is my advice: Haena State Park is a sliver of paradise and I feel very fortunate and thankful to have had the chance to see it for myself. Please also review the Aloha Pledge, which offers helpful guidelines to make your visit to the Haena area a more positive one. . Not really a rule, but we recommend that those wanting to explore Haena State Park take advantage of the new Kauai North Shore Shuttle! Kauai Advice 3:26 pm. Ft. 5055 Kapiolani Lp, Princeville, HI 96722. Re: Haena 12:30 PM parking. In this guide I cover everything there is to see and do, as well as all the logistics from permits to transportation that you need to consider for a smooth and enjoyable visit. 93% of travelers recommend this experience. We currently have 52 rental properties to choose from, all of which are fabulous choices! May just have to go only there or the big island in future for true hawaii. Kauai's North Shore and Hanalei Bay. This includes reserving your timeslot. Following our hike, we spent time at Ke'e Beach, which is a great beach for swimming and snorkeling. Visitors will be strictly limited to 900 each day to preserve the pristine nature of this world famous area. Starting in 2019, to protect cultural and natural resources from overuse, Haena State Park is now subject to daily visitor limits and requires advanced paid reservations to enter the park, as well as for parking inside the park. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. This review is based on reserving travel to Haena and I am happily looking forward to visiting in July. However, this is recommended if you're not carrying camping or hiking gear. Jenz99. Both Hena State Park and Npali Coast State Wilderness Park were closed from April 2018 to June 2019 following severe flooding on the north shore of Kauai. There is a limit of 900 visitors per day. UPDATE: Since the Kalalau Trail has reopened in June 2019, overnight parking is no longer allowed at the trailhead or along the road. I wouldnt blame you for spending your day at the park not going any further than this! [OAHU] UPDATED 4/12/22: Sand Island State Recreation Area WATER OFF,camping and comfort stationsCLOSED. In 2018, historic flooding on Kauais north shore severely damaged roadways and key infrastructure, leading to the closure of the highway west of Hanalei, access to Haena State Park and the Kalalau Trail. Entry reservations will be required for everyone in the vehicle and parking reservations will no longer cover all passengers in the vehicle. Park Activities. These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Compare now on Rent By Owner We plan to visit Ha'ena State Park mid September and found the parking passes all sold out. It is also helpful to try for entry only and find alternate transportation. 90% of travelers recommend this experience. Beach Location: Just past the 8 mile marker on Hwy 560 you'll find beach access for the best snorkeling. There are lifeguards, restrooms and showers available. H'ena State Park has a 900 visitor per-day limit. I strongly encourage visitors to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines and to review the Aloha Pledge which provides comprehensive information to ensure they have a positive experience in Haena.. Advanced reservations are required to visit Haena State Park and beyond. [KAUAI] Kkee State Park - Beginning TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2023, road repair work will be conducted along Kkee Road between the meadow/lodge area and the first Kalalau Lookout. Those with permits to camp overnight at the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park/Kalalau Trail beyond Hanakapiai must either use the shuttle service or arrange for private drop off. If you want to continue hiking along the Kalalau Trail past Hanakpai valley you need to purchase a camping permit for Npali Coast. We just want to hike in and enjoy the views. We strongly recommend you to review their site BEFORE making reservations. 91% of travelers recommend this experience. I've also been outta luck on parking too often not to be. I believe 7 names can be entered for a single vehicle. [OAHU] UPDATED 4/12/22: Sand Island State Recreation Area WATER OFF,camping and comfort stationsCLOSED. Use reef-safe sunscreen (or even better, no sunscreen at all use a rash guard instead); keep your distance and dont interact with wildlife, especially protected species; dont step on the reef. This is what a tropical island should look like. This is a BETA experience. Expect delays in reaching the upper areas of the park, including Awaawapuhi Trail, Kalalau Lookout, and Pihea Lookout and Trailhead. We only had our hiking and snorkeling geat with us, which worked out perfectly. Hanakpai Beach & Waterfalls: In order to hike to Hanakpai beach & Hanakpai falls visitors need to purchase a Park Entry Reservation or Day-use Parking Reservation for Hena SP. In the 20th century it used to be home to native Hawaiians living off taro farming, which sadly is no longer the case. Alternatively, you may use, The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas. We will use this opportunity to perform road grading, back filling, downed tree removal, and sand removal from the shower. This 10-mile route hugs the coast and ends at the state park. HA'ENA Employees have turned away over 700 cars the past two Sundays at Ha'ena State Park. It appears Hawaii Tourism doesn't want people to visit Kauai yesterday. :) ENJOY!Part 1: https://y. Most beautiful beach and adjacent hiking trail! Parking reservations are only good for the time slots indicated during purchase. Clearly they are blocking the parking and park entry pass option to non residents. Although it had not rained that day, the trail was very muddy, and slick and steep so not just muddy shoes but serious fall hazard. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, these days. Traffic on the north shore is an issue. There were lots of people there, but we could safely traverse the trail without constantly stopping and starting when meeting people. 3. Kalalau is a remote valley only reachable via kayak or on foot. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The emergency construction phase of the Hanalei Hill project has been completed as of 10/15/2021. Shuttle service daily from Waip to H'ena State Park (map below). Explore different ways to experience this place. The four-bedroom condo, which Nicole had bought for $625,000, sat empty for more than two years after the killings before finally selling for $595,000 in 1997. You can take a public bus to Hanalei and then a cab to Kalalau trailhead. Get Directions - 22.221603, -159.579744. Residents in St. Louis recalled July 14, 1954, as the day "they were just cooked ." 14 / 50. Due to the distance and coarse sand that can be . Seeaosite for updates. Note: A separate permit is still needed for thosecamping on the Kalalau trail. Nothing happens quickly. Has anyone had any success getting tickets in the last month? We took the shuttle and people brought in their coolers, beach chairs etc. 3 Baths. View from the Cliff Trail. Now, the numbers will be limited to 900. Parking is limited to 70 slots for visitors and they require advanced timed parking reservations (there are morning, afternoon and evening slots). 2 Beds. Answered: Just wondered about the status of the road widening in front of the Coco Palms. Yes. A valid camping permit for Npali Coast SWP is needed to hike. A Day-Use Reservation will allow you to: Visit Ke'e Beach. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If you are looking for information not covered in this guide, feel free to drop a comment with your questions and Id be glad to help you out! trying to avoid the long drive to the shuttle start place in the early morning. No parking available so we were forced to reserve the shuttle from Waipa. Keep out us non-residents. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Why split time between north side and south side if only going to be there for one week? Kauais north shore with its quaint villages, winding roads over single-lane bridges and pristine beaches will transform you to a place and time of old Hawaii. Closure of these parks enabled the Division of State Parks to ensure better protection of the resources, mitigate decades of impacts to Henas rural community, provide better on-site management and ultimately provide a higher-quality visitor experience through implementation of new park management strategies per the Hena Master Plan. End of Kuhio Highway Hwy 56, Kauai, HI 96714, $$$$ American Spanish Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Asian Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options. This is an amazing hike! They can be purchased here. The only way to Ha'ena State Park is Hawaii Route 560, also known as the Kuhio Highway and is the only road on the north shore. For the first time since the historic rainfall and flooding in April 2018, the section of highway between Hanalei and Kee Beach has reopened to the public. Lots of people do what you are proposing so if you want a parking spot at Haena Beach Park you need to get there very early. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Kalalau trail permits are extremely hard to come by. Answer 1 of 13: First time coming to Kauai end of October and and been reading the posts (awesome info btw) and one question keeps coming to my mind. To access this little beach from Lihu'e, take Kuhio Highway and head north (hwy 56 and 560). The park also offers beach-related activities including shore fishing and swimming at Ke'e Beach. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can still visit Haena State Park via the shuttle. Website by Digital Mantis, Napali Coast State Wilderness Park Permit, Advertising Policy and Affiliate Disclaimer, The Pros and Cons of Travel Trailers: Everything You Should Know, Review: Taku Seattle by Chef Shota Nakajima, The Pros and Cons of Class B RVs: Everything You Should Know. The road to get to Haena State Park is narrow, meandering over one-lane bridges and mountain stream crossings, past the openings of the wet and dry caves, and leading to perfect white sand beaches with crystal clear water lapping gently against the shoreline. To make your reservation, visit gohaena.com. Ha'ena State Park (Kauai) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. Driving the Road to Hana is a great way to see all the different landscapes of Hawaii. Im hearing a lot of stuff like this for non residents (tourists). ~ Trusted by Millions of Hawaii Visitors Annually ~. They also sell out quickly and can be secured up to 30 days in advance. When you book your shuttle ticket, it automatically includes the entry permit to the park, so you get everything you need with a single reservation. The shuttle would alleviate all the hassles. You still need reservations to get into the state park. The parking ticket is also valid for Kokee State Park. This opportunity is limited, as there are only 100 parking spots, and they sell out quickly. Find Vacation Rentals, Condos, and Resorts in Wainiha, Hanalei, Hawaii, USA. Haena State Park's new visitor rules. The park will REOPEN by 3:00 PM on Friday 3/3/23. State of Hawaii residents are not subject to the new park fees or reservation system.