ʻĪao Valley State Monument

Photo Credit: Sean Newsome

**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**

Monitor local surf and weather reports prior to your park visit.

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[O’AHU] UPDATED 5/17/24 – Diamond Head State Monument: The park will remain CLOSED through Saturday, May 18, due to inclement weather and rock falls.

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[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 5/17/24 – Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park and Haʻena State Park: Kauaʻi North shore shuttle departures has CLOSED due to inclement weather.

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[O’AHU] UPDATED 5/16/24 – Ka’ena Point State Park, Mokuleʻia Section: Vehicle access road has CLOSED due to saturated roads and inclement weather.

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[HAWAIʻI] UPDATED 5/15/24 – Hapuna State Park: Hapuna and the Waialea Section beach and access road has REOPENED following flood cleanup.

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[HAWAI’I] UPDATED 5/13/24 – Akaka Falls State Park to Temporarily CLOSE Weekdays Starting May 15, see Akaka Falls announcement for more information.

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[HAWAIʻI] UPDATED 5/13/24 – Wailuku River State Park: Rainbow Falls; tree trimming starts today until 6/7/24, the park will remain OPEN but some areas may be temporarily closed due to safety.

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[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 4/30/24 – Kōkeʻe State Park: Kalalau lookout restroom is CLOSED until further notice.

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[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 4/26/24 –Kalalau Trail, Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park: Camping permits held back for local residents during summer, see Kalalau Trail site for more information.

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[KAUAʻI] UPDATED 3/18/24 – Kōkeʻe State Park: The gate to Puʻu O Kila Lookout will be closed to vehicular traffic due to road repairs beginning 3/19/24. The lookout will still be accessible by pedestrians, parking is available at Kalalau lookout.

ʻĪao Valley State Monument

UPDATE: 5/1/23 – ʻIao Valley State Monument has REOPENED.
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*Advance reservations are required for out-of-State residents. Reservations can be made at https://gostateparks.hawaii.gov.
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**Hawai‘i residents with a valid driver’s license or State ID, continue to get into all State Parks free of charge.

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Reservations	Click Here NOTE: Entry & parking reservations required for non-residents.
PUC Reservations	Click Here NOTE: Reservations required
Hours	7:00 am to 6:00 pm daily
Entrance Fee	Reservations Required for out-of-state residents Residents = Free w/Hawaii DL or ID Non-Residents = $5 Children 3 and Under = Free
Parking Fees	Non-Commercial Vehicles Residents = No Charge w/ID or DL Non-Residents = $10 Commercial PUC vehicles: 1-7 passenger vehicles: $25 8-25 passenger vehicles: $50 26 + passenger vehicles: $90
Trail Name	ʻIao Needle Lookout Trail and Ethnobotanical Loop

Description

A paved 0.6 mile walk provides a scenic viewpoint of Kuka‘emoku (a.k.a. the ʻIao Needle), an erosional feature which abruptly rises 1200 feet from the valley floor. Learn about the plants brought by the Hawaiians who settled in ʻIao Valley by taking a short walk through a botanical garden.

This valley is rich in cultural and spiritual values and is the site of the battle of Kepaniwai where the forces of Kamehameha I conquered the Maui army in 1790.

Publicity

In 2016 Iao Valley State Monument ranked 24th in THRILLIST’s list of best 25 State Parks to visit in the nation.

“To call this West Maui Mountains park “lush” is an understatement of epic proportions. Its dense rainforest canopy makes this popular park one of America’s more unique, dominated by the Iao Needle — a 1,200ft vegetation-covered lava remnant that rises from the valley floor to a higher height than the Eiffel Tower… “ THRILLIST