Entry and Permit Requirements
Day-Use Reservations (Hāʻena State Park): All non-resident visitors must secure an advance reservation to enter Hāʻena State Park, which is capped at about 900 visitors per day. Reservations open 30 days in advance and often sell out quickly (sometimes within minutes of release). There are three ways to access the park:
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Shuttle Reservation: The North Shore shuttle is the recommended option. Shuttle tickets are sold round-trip (from Waipā Park & Ride in Hanalei or Princeville) and include park entry. As of current rates, shuttle fare is about $40 per adult (16+) and $25 per child (4–15). The first shuttle departs around 6:20–6:30am and the last pickup from Hāʻena State Park is around 5:40–7:00pm (varies by schedule). Important: If you book the shuttle, you must ride it – the reservation isn't valid for driving your own car.
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Parking Reservation: If you plan to drive, you must reserve one of the limited parking spots in the park and an entry ticket for each person. There are only about 100 parking stalls (30 are for local residents, ~70 for visitors), and you choose a timed entry window (morning 6:30am–12:30pm, afternoon 12:30pm–5:30pm, or evening 4:30pm–sunset). Each vehicle slot costs $10 per time slot plus $5 per person in the vehicle. If you want to stay all day, you'll need to purchase multiple time slots (e.g. both morning and afternoon). All members of your party must arrive in the same vehicle, and you can enter any time after your slot begins but must leave by the end of your reservation window. Have your digital or printed permit ready on arrival, since there's no cell service at the park to pull it up.
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Entry-Only (Drop-off/Walk-in): If you won't be parking a car (for example, if you bike in or get a private drop-off), you still need an Entry Pass (no parking) for $5 per person. This also uses the timed reservation system. A taxi or pre-arranged local ride can drop you off, but you must have the entry reservation to be allowed into the park.
Hawaiʻi residents with valid state ID are exempt from the reservation and fee requirement (and have 30 first-come parking spots set aside), but any non-resident accompanying a resident still needs a reservation. There are no same-day ticket sales at the gate, so you must book online in advance. If you arrive without a reservation or permit, you will be turned away. Cancellations do sometimes occur, so checking the reservation system early in the morning for newly freed slots can help.
Kalalau Trail Permits (Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park): A separate permit is required if you plan to hike past Hanakāpīʻai Valley (beyond the 2-mile point) or to camp overnight on the Kalalau Trail. Anyone continuing past Hanakāpīʻai Beach must have a valid Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park camping permit, even if you don't intend to camp. This permit allows you to camp at designated sites (Hanakoa Valley ~6 mile mark, or Kalalau Beach at 11 miles) and is good for the full length of the trail. Permits cost $35 per person per night for non-residents (Hawaiʻi residents receive a $10 discount). There is a 5-night maximum stay in the park, and camping is only allowed at Hanakoa (as a one-night stopover) and Kalalau Beach area. Permits are limited – currently only 60 people per day are allowed on the trail with camping permits, so they often sell out quickly, especially in summer. Reservations for permits open 90 days in advance (an increase from 30 days, due to high demand). It's advised to secure your Kalalau permit before booking flights or other travel, as many hikers find permits unavailable for their dates if they wait. (There is no waitlist or exception; without a permit, you cannot go beyond the day-use area.)
To get a permit, use the Hawaiʻi DLNR online reservation system for State Parks. If permits are sold out online, non-residents unfortunately have no alternative options. (A limited number of last-minute walk-in permits are made available to local residents only at the Līhuʻe State Parks office during summer.)
Enforcement: Park rangers do check permits at the trailhead and along the trail. If you are caught past Hanakāpīʻai without a camping permit, you can be cited and even summoned to court – it's a misdemeanor offense and can result in fines and a criminal record. In short, plan ahead and don't risk hiking beyond the allowed section without a permit. If you do have a Kalalau camping permit, that serves as your entry ticket to Hāʻena State Park (no separate day-use reservation needed for the permit holder). However, parking is not included – overnight hikers must still arrange transportation or reserve the park's overnight parking (see "Transportation and Parking" below).
Transportation and Parking Information
Location: Hāʻena State Park (and the Kalalau Trail trailhead) is located at
the very end of Kūhiō Highway (Hwy 560) on Kauaʻi's north shore, past Hanalei town.
The drive from Līhuʻe (the main town/airport) is about 1 hour to Hanalei and another 20-30
minutes beyond that to the park's end of the road. The park gate opens at 6:30am and closes around
6:45pm daily (exact closing at sunset). There is no overnight staying
in the park unless you are beyond Hanakāpīʻai with a camping permit.
Driving and Parking: If you have a parking reservation, aim to arrive on
time (not before your allotted slot, but not too late either). Print out or download
your parking permit and entry tickets before you head to the north shore, since cell
service is spotty and you may not be able to pull up emails or PDFs at the park gate.
You'll check in with the attendant at the park entrance. Parking is in a designated lot near
Keʻe Beach and the trailhead. Each reservation is tied to one vehicle and a specific time
window. Rangers will enforce the exit times – for example, if you have a morning
slot (until 12:30pm), you must move your car out by 12:30. They may tow vehicles that overstay,
as a way to ensure availability for the next group. If you realize you want to stay longer, you'd need to have booked the
next slot as well (if available). The parking lot often fills all 70 visitor spots
each day. There is no additional parking outside the park; parking
along the highway shoulders near the park is illegal and enforced, so don't attempt it (and the
local community is very sensitive to visitors blocking their area). In short, if you didn't secure
a parking reservation, do not drive to the park – use the shuttle or other means
instead.
Shuttle Service: Kauaʻi's North Shore Shuttle (operated in partnership with
the park) is a convenient alternative to driving. It allows you to park in a larger lot in
Hanalei (Waipā Park and Ride, which offers free parking) or get picked up at Princeville, and
then ride to Hāʻena State Park without worrying about the limited parking there.
As mentioned earlier, shuttle tickets include your park entry fee. Reservations
for the shuttle are also required (no walk-ons without a ticket) and can be booked via the same
website (gohaena.com) up to 30 days out. Shuttle spots usually sell out so be prepared to book 30 days in advance. But there are
more shuttle seats than parking spots, so it's often the better option if you miss out on a parking
pass. The first shuttle of the day leaves around 6:30am from Hanalei, and shuttles run roughly every
20-30 minutes throughout the day, with the last return pickup at the park around 5:30-5:40pm
(confirm current schedule when booking). If you want to leave early, shuttle ticket
holders can often catch an earlier shuttle back on a standby basis (as long as there's space).
The shuttle is both an eco-friendly choice and helps reduce traffic in the small communities along
the road.
Drop-off and Other Transport: If you have an entry-only reservation ($5 per person)
and arrange for a private drop-off, your driver will need to have a plan to pick you up later since
they can't wait in the park. Some local tour companies or drivers (like the one listed on GoHaena's
site) offer paid drop-offs for hikers. Another option used by some overnight hikers is
taxis or ride-shares from Hanalei or elsewhere – however, ride-share (Uber/Lyft) can be scarce for return trips. If you do get dropped off, make sure you have a solid
rendezvous set for pickup because there may not be cell service to call for a ride when you're done.
Biking in is technically possible if you're staying nearby – you'd still need the
$5 entry pass, and note that the road past Hanalei has some narrow sections not ideal for bicycles.
There's no public bus to Hāʻena; the county bus turns around at Hanalei and does not go to the end of
the road.