Hawaii's State Park System is comprised of 52 state parks encompassing nearly 25,000 acres on the five major islands. These parks offer varied outdoor recreation and heritage opportunities. The park environments range from landscaped grounds with developed facilities to wildland areas with trails and primitive facilities.
The Outdoor Recreation Program offers a diversity of coastal and wildland recreational experiences, including picnicking, camping, lodging, ocean swimming, snorkeling, surfing, sunbathing, fishing, sightseeing, hiking, pleasure walking, and backpacking.
The Heritage Program protects, preserves, and interprets excellent examples of Hawai'i's natural and cultural heritage. The exceptional scenic areas are managed for their aesthetic values while vantage points are developed for their outstanding views of the Hawaiian landscape.
Hawaii’s tropical climate is generally warm and pleasant year round, with seasonal variations during the cooler, wetter winter months, and hotter, drier months in summer. Spring is a mixture of pleasantly warm days with occasional rainy spells.
Kalopa State Recreation Area
(Island of Hawaii)At 2,000 feet elevation, the 100-acre Kalopa State Recreation Area offers lodging, picnicking and and an easy family nature hike (0.7-mile loop trail) in the heart of a Hawaiian rainforest. The forest has an upper canopy of large, old growth native ‘ohi’a trees, and beneath is a typical understory composed predominantly of smaller native forest trees and shrubs. Ferns are also abundant. About 25 different native species of trees, shrubs and vines can be viewed along the trail.
The trail passes through the beginnings of an arboretum of the Island's native plants – a four-acre parcel that features plants brought to Hawaii by the early Polynesians. There are additional trails in the Kalopa Gulch trail system in the adjoining forest reserve, including a two-mile horse loop trail. For more information, and to make reservations for cabins or camping sites, call 808-974-6200.
(Park is located at end of Kalopa Road, 3 miles inland from Mamalahoa Highway (Highway 19) and 5 miles southeast of Honoka‘a.)
Iao Valley State Monument
(Island of Maui)Due to its spectacular scenery, ‘Iao Valley is one of the most popular and visited parks on Maui. The 6.2-acre park is also recognized as a very special place in the rich cultural and spiritual traditions of Hawaii. ‘Iao means “cloud supreme” and refers to the bank of clouds that often sits over the valley. These rains fed the stream waters that over the past 1.5 million years have cut and eroded layers of basalt with different composition and density to sculpt an amphitheater valley.
From the parking lot it is a short walk to the bridge over the Iao Stream, where you can photograph the famous ‘Iao Needle. The most striking feature of ‘Iao Valley, the Needle rises 1,200 feet from the floor of the Valley to an elevation of 2,250 feet. Continuing on the paved trail, you can climb to the lookout where you will be rewarded with a great view of ‘Iao Valley and Wailuku beyond. The trail borders scenic branches of the ‘Iao Stream, which flow through and around the southern boundary of the park. A loop off the trail takes you on a short walk through a botanical garden where you can learn about the plants brought by early Polynesians who settled in ‘Iao Valley. The park offers interpretive signage, restrooms, but no drinking water. For more information call 808-984-8109.
(Park is located at the end of 'Iao Valley Road -- Highway 32.)
Ka Iwi State Scenic Shoreline and Makapu‘u Point State Wayside
(Island of O‘ahu)This scenic wilderness area at the easternmost point of Oahu features open views of coastal scenery and the rugged Makapu‘u lava cliffs. A new accessible lookout and parking lot off the highway features sweeping ocean views of Waimanalo community and bay, Manana and Kaohikapu islands. These offshore seabird sanctuaries are home to red-tailed tropicbirds, great frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, brown noddies and sooty terns.
A lower parking lot is the starting point for a popular mile-long family hike which ascends to a lookout above the former Coast Guard lighthouse. Interpretive signs near the end of the road at the top of the hill aid whale watching from December through April (best months to view are between January and March). In keeping with the park’s wilderness character, there are no restrooms or water. For more information call 808-587-0300.
(Park is located off Kalaniana‘ole Highway -- Highway 72 -- from either Waimanalo or Hawai'i Kai.)
