North Shore · State wilderness park
Nāpali Coast
Fifteen miles of cliffs with no road along them. You reach the Nāpali Coast on foot from Hāʻena, by boat from the west or south, from the air, or by looking down on it from the Kōkeʻe lookouts. Every land route is reservation-controlled by the State, and those rules are enforced.
Loading ocean conditions from the official source…
Four ways in
How people actually see it
- On foot — the Kalalau Trail from Kēʻē Beach, inside Hāʻena State Park. Reservation or permit required.
- By boat — commercial tours run from the west and south sides, and are weather- and swell-dependent, particularly in winter.
- By air — helicopter and fixed-wing tours from Līhuʻe.
- From above — the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts in Kōkeʻe, above Waimea Canyon, which is the only way to see it without a reservation or a boat.
Published by the agency — not live
Kalalau Trail — as published by the State
- Length
- 22 miles round trip (11 miles each way)
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation gain
- 800 ft
- Park
- Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park
- Access requirement
- Day-use reservations OR a valid camping permit, AND parking reservations, are required to access the Kalalau Trail
Read by Kauaʻi Insider from Hawaiʻi DLNR — Kalalau Trail on September 13, 2026. Fees, hours and requirements change — confirm with the agency before you go.
Hawaiʻi DLNR — Kalalau Trail (opens in a new tab)Published by the agency — not live
Hāʻena State Park — entry and parking
- Summer hours
- 7:00am – 7:45pm (summer hours begin April 1)
- Winter hours
- 7:00am – 6:45pm (winter hours begin the day after Labor Day)
- Entry (non-resident)
- $5 per person, reservation required (children 3 and under free)
- Parking (non-resident)
- $10 per vehicle, parking reservation required
- Hawaiʻi residents
- Free with Hawaiʻi driver's licence or ID
- Reservations
- Advance online reservations are required for walk-in, bike-in, drive-in and shuttle drop-off entry; reservations are made through the State's partner, GoHāʻena
Read by Kauaʻi Insider from Hawaiʻi DLNR — Hāʻena State Park on September 13, 2026. Fees, hours and requirements change — confirm with the agency before you go.
Hawaiʻi DLNR — Hāʻena State Park (opens in a new tab)Planning Hāʻena or Kalalau?
Check access and reservation requirements
Requirements can apply, and conditions or operations can change. Kauaʻi Insider does not report reservation inventory.
What the coast demands
Conditions on the trail
The Kalalau Trail crosses Hanakāpīʻai Stream, which floods fast and without warning during heavy rain in the valleys above. People have died attempting crossings. If the stream is running high or brown, the official guidance is to wait — not to cross.
Hanakāpīʻai Beach has no lifeguard and a long record of drownings; there is no safe swimming there, and the State posts warning signage to that effect. Surf along the coast in winter is large enough to close boat tours entirely.
Permit rules: DLNR special permit rules for Nāpali Coast ↗
Loading regional forecasts from the official source…
Loading park and trail notices from the official source…
Kauaʻi Insider publishes the State's own access rules and the National Weather Service forecast. It cannot tell you whether the trail is passable, whether a stream crossing is survivable, or whether a boat tour will run. Those are decisions for the agency, the operator and the conditions in front of you.
Common questions
Answered plainly
Do you need a permit to hike the Kalalau Trail?
The State requires either a day-use reservation or a valid camping permit, plus a parking reservation, to access the Kalalau Trail. Hiking beyond Hanakāpīʻai Valley requires a camping permit. Reservations and permits come from the State of Hawaiʻi and its official partner, GoHāʻena.
How long is the Kalalau Trail?
The State lists it as 22 miles round trip — 11 miles each way — rated difficult, with 800 feet of elevation gain, inside Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park.
Can you drive to the Nāpali Coast?
No. There is no road along the Nāpali Coast. It is seen on foot from the Kalalau Trail, from the water by boat, from the air, or from the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts above it in Kōkeʻe State Park.
Do you need a reservation for Hāʻena State Park?
Yes. Advance online reservations are required for entry and parking at Hāʻena State Park, which is where the Kalalau Trail begins. Hawaiʻi residents enter free with a state ID.