Hundreds of Visitors Being Turned Away at Ke’e Beach

PHOTO: The parking lot at Ke’e Beach. Parking, and entry, to Ke’e Beach now requires advance reservations for visitors to Kauai.

The Garden Island reports:

“Employees have turned away over 700 cars the past two Sundays at Ha‘ena State Park.

Yet, state Department of Land and Natural Resources staff say it is not just because of the new fees being implemented.

Alan Carpenter, an assistant administrator for the DLNR Division of State Parks, said that the turnaround number is true, but it is not because of the fee, but rather because advance reservations and fees have been required since June 2019 to enter Haena State Park or to hike the Kalalau Trail.”

Now, officials are trying to get the word out about the various issues affecting visitors to Kauai’s North Shore.

Hanalei Hill Landslide

PHOTO: A massive landslide closed the only road to Kauai’s North Shore past the town of Princeville after heavy rains in March 2021. (SOURCE: Hawaii Department of Transportation.)

First, there is the issue with the landslide on Hanalei Hill. Ongoing repairs to the hill have severely restricted traffic on the only road to Kauai’s North Shore past the town of Princeville. See Kauai Lane Closures May 2021 for an example of how vehicle access is handled.

North Shore Shuttle Suspended

Second, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the landslide, the shuttle for Ke’e Beach has been suspended, putting more emphasis on private vehicles.

Reservations Now Required for Ke’e Beach and Kalalau Trail

PHOTO: Advance reservations are now required to visit Ke’e Beach and park in the Ke’e Beach parking lot.

Thirdly, and most importantly, many visitors are not aware that entry to Ke’e Beach and the Kalalau Trail now requires an entry fee (and a parking fee if driving), reserved and paid for in advance. And due to the limited amount of parking spaces at Ke’e Beach (100 spaces), the entry and parking reservations sell out weeks in advance, leaving many visitors with no options to visit the beach or hike the Kalalau Trail.

For more information visit our Kauai North Shore Visitors Information page.