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    Hā'ena State Park

    4.3 (44 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 5:30 pm

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    Shirley N.

    I read the only way you can view Napali Coast was from Haena State Park via Kalalau Trail (excluding by air or sea). But you either needed to secure a parking spot reservation or take a shuttle to get to the state park. I went online and found a park & ride reservation availability for the following day. I made a reservation for the three of us for the Waipa park & ride shuttle. I had a choice of 6:20 am or 11:20am. My hotel concierge said go with 6:20am to beat the heat. It's a good thing I took her advice. Pros: * a parking attendant guides to to the next available parking spot at the park & ride. * you check in 10 minutes prior to your timed reservation * You'll be the first ones out on the trail. * the Waipa park & ride offers four hop on and off points of interest- we passed as we were tired from our hike. * bathrooms at the start of the Kalalau Trail * water dispenser by the bathroom * shuttle every 20 minutes Cons: * mosquitoes and plenty of no-see-ums * the Kalalau trail is very wet and muddy due to intermittent rain * it's a steep grade from the get go * more hikers as the day progressed This is my full disclosure- we hadn't planned on doing any hiking. We didn't pack hiking boots or walking sticks. We made it to the scenic lookout which is only 1/2 mile up. Round trip it took us 2 hours. But we got our photo shot.

    Ashley H.

    Three stars because of the reservation process is ridiculous. We didn't even get reservation but we're driving through towards the evening one day and magically there was a parking spot. We only hung out for 30 minutes or so I'm sure this wouldn't have worked out for us if we wanted to visit all day. It was beautiful but so many other beaches that you don't have to deal with reservations.

    Like out of a dream!
    Aubrie R.

    Yes, I absolutely woke up at 3:00 AM PST 30 days before our visit to get these passes. And I'd do it again. And you should too. The hike is WILD! BRING WATER. Views for days. DAYS. The beach is incredible! Lifeguards, and some of the best snorkeling ever. Decent bathrooms, outdoor showers and places to change inside.

    Shuttle Driver
    Rowel D.

    GoHaena Shuttle - Disappointing Experience Kauai is full of aloha spirit, but unfortunately, our ride with GoHaena didn't reflect that. We were really looking forward to a smooth and welcoming shuttle experience, but the driver we had was unexpectedly rude and unprofessional. Whether you're a visitor or a local, kindness goes a long way -- especially when you're representing such a beautiful place. I hope the company can better train their staff in hospitality and communication, because the journey matters just as much as the destination. Not the memory we hoped to make in paradise. #GoHaenaShuttle #KauaiExperience #DoBetter

    Abhishek S.

    Best state park in Kauai i have been to. The Kalalau trail was such an amazing experience. The trail is at coastal edge for most part and goes through rain forest. It provides mesmerizing views of ocean. In 2 miles it takes you to Hanakapi'Ai beach which was a surreal experience. It was so good to go in water there. Trail continues to go to Hanakapi'Ai waterfall but we returned. Keke beach is also very picturesque. You have so much to do in Haena state park you cant go wrong with. Make sure you have reservations in advance as that is mandatory.

    Ke'e beach
    Zabrina W.

    Reserved 4 spots for my family for the shuttle and admittance to the park 2 weeks prior to my trip to the island. It was fairly easy to do online. All 4 passes were $130. This park is absolutely beautiful and amazing and it begins right away. There are caves, a snorkeling beach, hikes etc. we pretty much enjoyed Ke'e beach for a few hours which is so picturesque. One thing with this beach is that you must be careful because it is full of slippery rocks prior to entering the actual beach.

    View of Na Pali coast
    Julie E.

    We reserved the shuttle from Waipa park and ride and hiked around 4 miles. Took around 2 hours. The easiest option is to get off at the shuttle and walk down to the beach, Ke'e. Easily accessible even with kids. Nothing is ADA about this state park. We started on the Kalalau trail and made it to the very top. We didn't go down to the beach as we knew whatever we walked down we'd have to walk back up. The trail is essentially lined with rocks which were wet and very muddy in spots. Expect to slip and slide. Not treacherous incline but trail is rated hard. Take it slow and go as far as comfort allows. Really grippy hiking boots helpful as well as hiking poles. If you don't have poles, try to walk along rock face walls and hold on while you go down. Not heavily populated but expect to see people frequently. We saw whales spouting in the ocean and spectacular views of the Na Pali coast. We ended at Ke'e beach. Note you can make multiple stops heading out like tunnels beach, the cave, a resort and market. We decided to take the shuttle back and drive in on another day for these as the shuttles returning in the afternoon are PACKED. Only way to get on would be to grab a not full shuttle entering the park and ride it to exit. We didn't want to risk it. It was around 2:30pm and the last shuttles come at 5:40pm.

    Andrea W.

    Managed to snag a parking reservation just a few days before (there was a cancellation), and got there just before noon for the 12:30PM ticket - was let in early (there were plenty of parking spots left). Started around noon for the Hanakāpīai Falls hike, got to Hanakāpī'Ai Beach in about an hour. Not too bad of a hike although there is a lot of downhill, implying lots of uphill on the way back. Got to the Hanakāpī'Ai Falls from the beach in about an hour as well, path wasn't muddy at all, water crossings had big rocks which were convenient, not too difficult, went by some bamboo clusters as well which was cool. Waterfall was very tall, not many people there (a group of 5 and a group of 2, the latter left soon after I was there). Water was refreshing, glad I went. Hike back to the beach was 45 minutes, and then hike back up to the parking lot took about an hour (I was going quite fast though, passed a lot of people). Shaded on and off which helped, bring enough water especially on hot days. The hike between the beach and the waterfall has a lot of coverage, but the hike from the beach to the parking lot not so much. Moving time for parking lot to waterfall and back was about 3 hours 45 minutes, although the person checking tickets said it usually takes 5-6 hours (not sure if he meant including spending time at the beach and waterfall though). Went snorkeling a bit afterward in Ke'e Beach, water was warm, smooth sand and very few rocks on the ocean floor, saw some fish closer to the rocks on the side. Nice spot, appreciated the showers! Definitely well worth it, would recommend! Reserve early otherwise you might not get a spot!

    Crystal K.

    This is a beautiful State Park. We spent the afternoon hanging out here with our kids, and they had tins of fun. They never made it into the water, but my husband sure had fun in the ocean. The water is so nice, and bright blue, unlike most beaches on Oahu. What I really liked was that the restrooms were really well kept with lots of toilet paper, locked up yo prevent theft. I also thought it pretty great that the showers were blocked off giving some privacy to those cleaning off after their beach adventure. Aaaand, also I like that the trash cans were kept in a trough like box to prevent them from becoming an eyesore when filled. It's always interesting visiting other islands and noticing all the differences from one another in even the littlest things that keep our home looking good. I believe there could be a little more effort taken on Oahu to keep that island looking in top shape even if it's difficult with the sheer number of people that not only live there, but visiting all the time. On another note, another pretty cool thing was being able to see the amazing dry cave right across the street!

    beware the expensive, non-refundable parking permits
    Andrew H.

    The areas accessed from this park are incredible: Kalalau Trail Ke'e Beach Hanakāpī'Ai Beach Kalalau Beach And I shall review them separately. This park itself though, is a disaster. Bureaucracy run amok. What to visit the park? You need to pay for a permit. Want to backpack in the park? You need to reserve a permit, months in advance. Want to PARK in the park? You also need a permit for that, a separate permit. You can also reserve those in advance. Want to change or cancel your permit to park? Sorry, no refunds, no exceptions, ever. Want to avoid parking in the park by taking a shuttle? You have to pay to reserve that in advance as well. I got a permit to backpack the Kalalau Trail over 4 days. For me and one other person, it costs: $132.00 For a parking permit to leave our car for those 4 days it costs: $62.83 That's almost $200...to hike...in nature. We ended up procuring a ride to the trialhead from our Air B&B host, so we didn't need the $62.83 permit any more. I asked for a refund and was directed to a secret FAQ site (I can't figure out how to click to it, the URL is: https://www.gohaena.com/faq) which instructs that there are no refunds ever, no exceptions. So now, there will be a spot in the parking lot, with no car in it, open for 4 days. I also can't transfer or sell this pass to anyone else. What a horrible waste.

    Evan B.

    Kalalau trail. Do it. Wear the right foot gear that will deal with slippery we rocks, good amounts of superficial mud, and low lying inch or two of stream wash over the trail. You will not regret it. And the beach where the mountain river meets the ocean 2 miles, with an awesome cave to explore at the far far right of the beach at low tide, is your reward. You're welcome. The hike may be marked as moderate, but with the humidity, heat and elevation it is on the more strenuous side of moderate for the occasional hiker (probably on the easy side of moderate for the avid outdoorsman). Tips: -Bug Spray!!!! If mosquitoes like you, you better put this on before your trek. You will be sweating bullets, but you don't need to donate a pint of blood to then local mosquitoes while your at it. -hiking shorts to avoid chaffing, but a bathing suit for your beach reward - sun block! Plenty of shaded areas, but good amounts of sun regardless - leave the snorkeling equipment for Ke'e beach...no need to track in with your fins and goggles, you won't use them. Too many waves and currents for any snorkeling at the beach -Plenty of WATER!!! Bring it. You will use more than you anticipate, especially if you are hiking back later in the day. If you don't bring a bit in, make sure you have some sort of purifier device or lifestraw to load up a bit from the mountain river before you head back! Have fun!!

    Mary K.

    Gorgeous views. Make your reservation early to get inside for parking. It was raining hard when we went (in December) but still worth to see it in my opinion. Couldn't find the parking for tunnels beach. At the entrances there are signs that say no parking / fines so it wouldn't be allowed. "Private no beach access". Didn't want to take the chance even if the signs weren't real.

    This is the view from behind the beach. It's seriously such a beautiful view from every angle!

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    My favorite beach thus far. Beautiful warm waters clean beach. Gets a bit crowded at times.

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    Ask the Community - Hā'ena State Park

    Review Highlights - Hā'ena State Park

    Plenty of shaded areas, but good amounts of sun regardless - leave the snorkeling equipment for Ke'e beach...

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    Kalalau Beach State Park - Kalalau

    Kalalau Beach State Park

    4.8(11 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    A group of coworkers and I hiked to Kalalau in September 2011 during the labor day weekend. The…read moreNapali coast is amazingly beautiful, but what an intense hike! I'm not a super avid hiker--I hike maybe once every 2 or 3 months. My coworkers are pretty experienced hikers, so I found myself out of my league on this advanced hike! You can do portions of the trail or the whole 11 miles all the way to Kalalau. The most common thing to do it hike to 2 miles into the beach, where the trail head for Hanakapiai waterfall is. These first 2 miles have pretty intense elevation changes, so pack lightly. The falls is an additional 2 miles in off of the main trail. If you keep going, you need to get permits from this site: https://camping.ehawaii.gov/camping/all,c-search.html At around the half-way point between the trailhead and Kalalau, you'll cross Hanakoa stream, which is the start of the trail to Hanakoa Falls. The trail was marked with pink flags when we went, but I don't expect those to last forever. There's also a camping grounds and composing toilet at this point, for those who want to hang around here. I'd recommend bringing some bug spay or at least a mosquito net if you're planning to set up camp. If you're hiking to Kalalau, grab at least a couple of liters of water at Hanakoa, because there's no guarantee of water sources beyond this. We crossed a few small streams, but they were pretty sparse and might not be flowing if there's no rain. Next is where the trail got INTENSE and my mettle was really tested. Up until this point, the trail was difficult but at least I would consider it totally safe. Beyond Hanakoa falls, you better be comfortable with heights, have some good hiking boots, and have a well-balanced pack. There are points where you're walking along a narrow ledge with nothing to hold on to with the wind whipping in your face. My coworkers were fine with this portion, but I found myself thinking, "if I die here, I'm gonna be PISSED!" My coworker appropriately named this portion "Mordor" because of the volcanic rock and impending sense of doom. After you cross Mordor, you're home free in terms of safety, but you still have a couple more miles to go. Once you get to Kalalau, you can set up camp in the trees, in the caves, or on the beach. There's a waterfall where you can shower (use only biodegradable soaps!) and a composting toilet. It was such a relief to finally get there! I set up tent and immediately crawled in for an hour nap before I arose to the smell of camp food and whiskey. I highly recommend this hike for those who are avid hikers, but definitely caution those who are just beginners like me. Do your research!

    What a beautiful, secluded beach! My girlfriend and I paddled out with Kayak Kauai and spent the…read morenight sleeping under the stars. There are toilets and plenty of places to set up tents. Also, there is a small waterfall which is good for taking a quick shower in. You can also hike to this beach along the Kalalau trail, but we'd definitely recommend the kayak as you can bring more equipment and it's much easier on your body. The people arriving by foot looked completely exhausted. Make sure you get a recreational map and hike up to the pool in the valley. There are a few twists and turns in the trail, but just try to follow the stream...

    Photos
    Kalalau Beach State Park - Caught the beach at sunset

    Caught the beach at sunset

    Kalalau Beach State Park - Picture--Anthony R

    Picture--Anthony R

    Kalalau Beach State Park - The I am earth Rainbow Queen

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    The I am earth Rainbow Queen

    Hanakapi'ai Falls - Random bamboo patches along the way

    Hanakapi'ai Falls

    4.4(19 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Quite a hike to a beautiful fall. Be prepared with hiking shoes. Do not go when it's raining…read morebecause it gets very slick. Only for those that are prepared to hike. Not for children or older adults who don't hike.

    The park is now opened but there are many changes. 1. You…read moreneed to make reservation for parking or shuttle or walking in. For overnight camping or hiking pass Hanakapi'AI, you will need to get permit. 2. Check website gohaena.com for parking and shuttle reservation. For parking reservation, you will need to book at least 1 month in advance. You can reserve from 6:30 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 4:30 pm, and then 4:30 pm to sunset. They will not let you pass the gate if you do not have permit. 3. For walking in, you also need to make reservation in advance. $1 per person. 4. For shuttle, it is including hop on and hop off from Princeville Makai golf club to Ke'e beach and costs about $15 per person. 5. Parking reservation and shuttle reservation will include park entry. In a way, it is good that they can limit amount of cars driving in and people using the trail. We did not plan in advance so ended with shuttle. Down load the hop-on hop-off pass on cell phone. We took the shuttle from Princeville. It takes about 1 hour to get to Ke'e beach because they have to pick up people along the way (hanalei villages, Hanalei resort, Waipa park and ride). Then walked 0.3 mile from parking to Ke'e beach or entrance. The shuttle back to Princeville runs every 45 to 60 min. The shuttle from Ke'e beach to Waipa parking runs every 30 min. Last shuttle is at 4:30 pm. We ended up taking the shuttle fromKe'e beach to Waipa and walked 20 minutes (over a mile) to Hanalei village. We got some lunch but could not wait for our shuttle back to Princeville... ended taking uber. If you plan to visit, make sure check the website and make reservations in advance. The trail is slippery since it is raining every day for past weeks. - bring good traction shoes. - 1 L water per person at least. - snacks. There are no shopping until Hanalei village. - bathrooms is at Ke'e beach and outdoor shower. They are decent and have toilet papers. - it is quite strenuous hike. So, I would not recommend anyone with walking or gait problems. - kids older then 6 probably ok hiking this trail.

    Photos
    Hanakapi'ai Falls - Lots of water crossings

    Lots of water crossings

    Hanakapi'ai Falls - Gorgeous coast line hike

    Gorgeous coast line hike

    Hanakapi'ai Falls - Hopefully they don't come for you

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    Hopefully they don't come for you

    Kalalau Trail - Doesn't do it justice.. north shore Kauai

    Kalalau Trail

    4.7(312 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    We did this Kalalau trail in 2022 when visiting Hawaii and it was absolutely amazing! Please know…read morethis trail is HARD, and tough if you are not a major hiker, just know your limits! I think we ended up hiking around 8+ miles or so as we hiked down to the beach and checked and climbed a lot of boulders and did some rock climbing as well that was pretty tough but worth the adventure. Bring a lot of water and you have to make reservations in advance to take a shuttle to the base as you can't take your car there. We brought sandwiches and had a picnic at the beach, seriously bring a lot of water and snacks and food and be careful of the beach waves as they have signs all over that there are riptides and not to get in the water, basically follow all safety rules!! It was a difficult but an incredible hike; we got so much bursts of rain which felt magical and I am excited we crossed it off the bucket list

    This is definitely for the adventurous and there's no part of this hike that's easy. There's a…read morebeach at the start, that's the only part that doesn't require some effort. It's worth it for the experience. If you want picturesque Nā Pali Coast views take a boat or air tour. During the hike at about 2/3 into the first 2 mile stretch there's a breathtaking stop of the coastline in one direction and beach in the opposite direction. We just did the 4 mile round trip (beach and back). It's a beautifully rustic secluded beach. Like the hike itself that final stretch to the beach is an effort (a path of many rocks and fast moving stream to cross). You'll get muddy. You'll sweat. At the end you'll be happy you did it. Pack a large (definitely large) bottle of water. A PB&J sandwich and banana holds up well. Start early too. For the 4-mile round trip we took the 9 AM shuttle and were back by 2 PM. For longer hikes, start earlier. You have to book the shuttle in advance. It's surprisingly well organized and so easy. Once we checked in (at Princeville) it was an express 30-minute trip to the park. The return takes you to Hanalei where you'll change shuttles to Princeville--but they knew where we were staying and took us directly there. Everyone is helpful, friendly, and they keep track of you (they don't want to lose anyone). All the effort goes into the hike not the logistics of getting to and from the park, they make it that easy.

    Photos
    Kalalau Trail
    Kalalau Trail
    Kalalau Trail - Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

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    Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Hā'ena State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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