Ha'ena State Park

We took the shuttle - reservations required, should be made many days in advance (opens up 30 days prior). Don't be alarmed when they start talking about the Kalalau trail (and how strenuous it is!), it's the same shuttle. Ke'e beach is awesome in the summertime. It was very calm, and we were able to do some of the best snorkeling we've had on the island. Only 2 picnic tables, but there's plenty of beach space now that you have to take a shuttle to get here for the most part. We saw some folks bringing boogie boards and beach chairs on the shuttle, although we went minimalist with just towels and a picnic basket. Short flat boardwalk and trail to the beach, but to get down to the sand it's a little steep but short (wear beach sandals or something similar). Changing facilities and rinse off shower on site. Check conditions as I'm told in the winter sometime the rip currents don't allow swimming. So worth the effort, and i'm so glad we went!

Great Beach! Great hiking! Bathrooms and showers. You need a reservation to park and shuttle or to park. Go online 30 days before to make a reservation. They go fast.

I had trouble understanding what requires a permit and what the shuttle is for. You can drive to Tunnels Beach by car—there are some parking spots available, and you don’t need a permit for those. However, if you want to hike the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakāpī‘Ai Beach, you need a permit. You can either book it 30 days in advance to drive there yourself, or if you miss that window, you’ll have to take the shuttle for $40 per person, which includes the permit. The shuttle can be booked on short notice—we booked ours just a day before. From Hanakāpī‘Ai Beach, you can continue hiking to the falls with the same permit. If you want to hike further along the Kalalau Trail, you’ll need a camping permit. We hiked the first two miles—a beautiful trail with some great viewpoints. However, $40 is too much. The shuttle ride takes about 15 minutes from the parking lot to the start of the Kalalau Trail, where you get a short briefing, and then back but all in all that’s it. Just before reaching the beach, there’s also a river crossing. I found it a cool experience, but some tourists struggled and were clearly anxious. Given the price, I think a bridge would be a reasonable addition.

We booked out reservations quite late (about a week in advance) but were still able to get shuttle tickets for the weekend. We walked to the waterfalls and really enjoyed the hike! It took us about 5 hours round trip. The hike to Hanakapi’ai beach took us about 1.5 hours one way and was in the shade when we started, which was nice. The hike to the falls was easier than the hike to the beach and while muddy, we did not find it very slippery. We were a bit vigilant for the water crossings but they were totally fine; we did not have to remove our shoes and could just hop from rock to rock. As an East Coast hiker, they were not more challenging than other scrambling water crossings. They falls were beautiful and the swim very refreshing, not cold! The hardest past of the hike was the return from Hanakapi’ai beach to Ke’e beach; it was very hot and humid. Make sure you take plenty of water (I drank a full 3 litres, my husband 4.5!) and sturdy shoes. If you wear sneakers, they will get dirty. There are restrooms + shower + water filling station at Ke’e beach and a pit toilet at Hanakapi’ai beach.

We did the hike to the beach then to the waterfalls. The waterfall hike is not maintained, and there were many sketchy parts (narrow paths, slippery rocks). There are 3 stream crossings which would have been much easier with hiking sandals in hindsight. Agree with other reviewers that a bridge would make this hike much more accessible and less scary to traverse. The waterfall is really cool but the water can be cold. Definitely bring a bathing suit if you're set on doing the hike. Bring lots of water too -- we started in the morning when it was still cool and shade from the sun, but in the afternoon when we headed back, we were in the sun the majority of the time.

We reserved the shuttle from Waipa park and ride and hiked around 4 miles. Took around 2 hours. The easiest option is to get off at the shuttle and walk down to the beach, Ke’e. Easily accessible even with kids. Nothing is ADA about this state park. We started on the Kalalau trail and made it to the very top. We didn’t go down to the beach as we knew whatever we walked down we’d have to walk back up. The trail is essentially lined with rocks which were wet and very muddy in spots. Expect to slip and slide. Not treacherous incline but trail is rated hard. Take it slow and go as far as comfort allows. Really grippy hiking boots helpful as well as hiking poles. If you don’t have poles, try to walk along rock face walls and hold on while you go down. Not heavily populated but expect to see people frequently. We saw whales spouting in the ocean and spectacular views of the Na Pali coast. We ended at Ke’e beach. Note you can make multiple stops heading out like tunnels beach, the cave, a resort and market. We decided to take the shuttle back and drive in on another day for these as the shuttles returning in the afternoon are PACKED. Only way to get on would be to grab a not full shuttle entering the park and ride it to exit. We didn’t want to risk it. It was around 2:30pm and the last shuttles come at 5:40pm.

A very nice State Park. The nature is amazing. There is a peaceful beach where you can go for a swim. A bit remote. We took the shuttle as parking is very limited.

Hike was amazing. The beach halfway was a great resting spot. The waterfall was the best reward ❤️ The trail will challenge you.

Yes, I absolutely woke up at 3:00 AM PST 30 days before our visit to get these passes. And I'd do it again. And you should too. The hike is WILD! BRING WATER. Views for days. DAYS. The beach is incredible! Lifeguards, and some of the best snorkeling ever. Decent bathrooms, outdoor showers and places to change inside.

Reserved 4 spots for my family for the shuttle and admittance to the park 2 weeks prior to my trip to the island. It was fairly easy to do online. All 4 passes were $130. This park is absolutely beautiful and amazing and it begins right away. There are caves, a snorkeling beach, hikes etc. we pretty much enjoyed Ke'e beach for a few hours which is so picturesque. One thing with this beach is that you must be careful because it is full of slippery rocks prior to entering the actual beach.

Managed to snag a parking reservation just a few days before (there was a cancellation), and got there just before noon for the 12:30PM ticket - was let in early (there were plenty of parking spots left). Started around noon for the Hanakāpīai Falls hike, got to Hanakāpī'Ai Beach in about an hour. Not too bad of a hike although there is a lot of downhill, implying lots of uphill on the way back. Got to the Hanakāpī'Ai Falls from the beach in about an hour as well, path wasn't muddy at all, water crossings had big rocks which were convenient, not too difficult, went by some bamboo clusters as well which was cool. Waterfall was very tall, not many people there (a group of 5 and a group of 2, the latter left soon after I was there). Water was refreshing, glad I went. Hike back to the beach was 45 minutes, and then hike back up to the parking lot took about an hour (I was going quite fast though, passed a lot of people). Shaded on and off which helped, bring enough water especially on hot days. The hike between the beach and the waterfall has a lot of coverage, but the hike from the beach to the parking lot not so much. Moving time for parking lot to waterfall and back was about 3 hours 45 minutes, although the person checking tickets said it usually takes 5-6 hours (not sure if he meant including spending time at the beach and waterfall though). Went snorkeling a bit afterward in Ke'e Beach, water was warm, smooth sand and very few rocks on the ocean floor, saw some fish closer to the rocks on the side. Nice spot, appreciated the showers! Definitely well worth it, would recommend! Reserve early otherwise you might not get a spot!

Best state park in Kauai i have been to. The Kalalau trail was such an amazing experience. The trail is at coastal edge for most part and goes through rain forest. It provides mesmerizing views of ocean. In 2 miles it takes you to Hanakapi'Ai beach which was a surreal experience. It was so good to go in water there. Trail continues to go to Hanakapi'Ai waterfall but we returned. Keke beach is also very picturesque. You have so much to do in Haena state park you cant go wrong with. Make sure you have reservations in advance as that is mandatory.

This is a beautiful State Park. We spent the afternoon hanging out here with our kids, and they had tins of fun. They never made it into the water, but my husband sure had fun in the ocean. The water is so nice, and bright blue, unlike most beaches on Oahu. What I really liked was that the restrooms were really well kept with lots of toilet paper, locked up yo prevent theft. I also thought it pretty great that the showers were blocked off giving some privacy to those cleaning off after their beach adventure. Aaaand, also I like that the trash cans were kept in a trough like box to prevent them from becoming an eyesore when filled. It's always interesting visiting other islands and noticing all the differences from one another in even the littlest things that keep our home looking good. I believe there could be a little more effort taken on Oahu to keep that island looking in top shape even if it's difficult with the sheer number of people that not only live there, but visiting all the time. On another note, another pretty cool thing was being able to see the amazing dry cave right across the street!

The areas accessed from this park are incredible: Kalalau Trail Ke'e Beach Hanakāpī'Ai Beach Kalalau Beach And I shall review them separately. This park itself though, is a disaster. Bureaucracy run amok. What to visit the park? You need to pay for a permit. Want to backpack in the park? You need to reserve a permit, months in advance. Want to PARK in the park? You also need a permit for that, a separate permit. You can also reserve those in advance. Want to change or cancel your permit to park? Sorry, no refunds, no exceptions, ever. Want to avoid parking in the park by taking a shuttle? You have to pay to reserve that in advance as well. I got a permit to backpack the Kalalau Trail over 4 days. For me and one other person, it costs: $132.00 For a parking permit to leave our car for those 4 days it costs: $62.83 That's almost $200...to hike...in nature. We ended up procuring a ride to the trialhead from our Air B&B host, so we didn't need the $62.83 permit any more. I asked for a refund and was directed to a secret FAQ site (I can't figure out how to click to it, the URL is: https://www.gohaena.com/faq) which instructs that there are no refunds ever, no exceptions. So now, there will be a spot in the parking lot, with no car in it, open for 4 days. I also can't transfer or sell this pass to anyone else. What a horrible waste.

Gorgeous views. Make your reservation early to get inside for parking. It was raining hard when we went (in December) but still worth to see it in my opinion. Couldn't find the parking for tunnels beach. At the entrances there are signs that say no parking / fines so it wouldn't be allowed. "Private no beach access". Didn't want to take the chance even if the signs weren't real.

Kalalau trail. Do it. Wear the right foot gear that will deal with slippery we rocks, good amounts of superficial mud, and low lying inch or two of stream wash over the trail. You will not regret it. And the beach where the mountain river meets the ocean 2 miles, with an awesome cave to explore at the far far right of the beach at low tide, is your reward. You're welcome. The hike may be marked as moderate, but with the humidity, heat and elevation it is on the more strenuous side of moderate for the occasional hiker (probably on the easy side of moderate for the avid outdoorsman). Tips: -Bug Spray!!!! If mosquitoes like you, you better put this on before your trek. You will be sweating bullets, but you don't need to donate a pint of blood to then local mosquitoes while your at it. -hiking shorts to avoid chaffing, but a bathing suit for your beach reward - sun block! Plenty of shaded areas, but good amounts of sun regardless - leave the snorkeling equipment for Ke'e beach...no need to track in with your fins and goggles, you won't use them. Too many waves and currents for any snorkeling at the beach -Plenty of WATER!!! Bring it. You will use more than you anticipate, especially if you are hiking back later in the day. If you don't bring a bit in, make sure you have some sort of purifier device or lifestraw to load up a bit from the mountain river before you head back! Have fun!!

This is such a beautiful beach! The surf is amazing, the view all around is out of this world, and the marine life available is incredible! A few things for your visit: 1. The sand gets really really hot! I wore my sandals almost up to the water to avoid burning my feet. 2. The waves are really strong between Tunnels and Ke'e beach, so be careful. There are rip currents and strong surf that can really throw you around and make you disoriented. 3. Parking can be a nightmare. We parked at Hae'na and actually spent most of the day there because it was much less crowded than Tunnels. But did walk over to Tunnels for snorkeling. There are a few dogs around here that are really depressing to see. One in particular is named "Lady Gaga", she was like a dog from a commercial, it was devastating. We gave her fresh water and she slept next to me most of the day. Her tag says to not contact the Humane Society because she is a local dog that wanders. But I don't think she actually gets taken care of. We didn't know what to do with her if the Humane Society doesn't help a dog with a home and left her with food and water. While swimming in the water we saw sea turtles just hanging out in the waves, it was so cool! When you turn around from the beach and face the parking lot there is this gorgeous wall of greenery & vines. Look at it from all angles of the beach. When you walk over to Tunnels there are waterfalls behind the mountain that you can only see from that angle. Overall this was a great beach and made for an awesome day!

We love this area. Unfortunately like so many things on this trip... it's closed off. This has been a strange trip... The road to Gillin's Beach is closed until end of February 2019... Tunnels (Ha'ena) Beach and Ke'e inaccessible due to flooding in early 2018 (the road is blocked near the end of Hanalei Bay)... sinkhole in the road, so a blockade on the road to Hanalei Pier... Kīlauea Lighthouse not operating normal hours (still haven't figured out why on that one... UPDATE! because of low government funding, this is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday... we figured that out because we kept going by there, and some of the people doing maintenance told us. We never found anything online.)... We became vaguely aware of the situation right before our trip but there is so little information available online so travelers know what to expect. I actually had to buy the online app version of Kauai Revealed to discover that Gillin's is closed until end of February. However, the app says nothing about Tunnels and Ke'e being closed off, so even it's not that updated. I'm posting this information in a few places so others will know. This is an area you definitely can't get to right now... not sure when that will change.

Great beautiful beach. This beach is great. This island is great. How can you not have fun? The sand can get hot enough to burn your skin. Watch out for undertows. Enjoy the beach.

One of the most beautiful state parks on the planet. Home of Ke'e Beach, a crystal-blue cove with ideal snorkeling...coral, tropical fish, and sea turtles teem in the reef. Home of the Na Pali Coast with staggeringly gorgeous mountains and coastline. Home of the challenging, but oh so worth it, Kalalau Trail. Home of both dry and wet caves to explore. The park is open sunup to sundown, and there is no entrance fee. Parking is extremely limited, so get there early. Slather on plenty of SPF -- and bug spray if you're hiking. And give yourself at least one full day to enjoy this tropical treasure.

What a beautiful beach. Do come early due to a small parking lot. We were there 9-3. If you get hungry there is a food truck. We walked the beach before west before we settle east of the entrance. There is one long rip current area. That is where the life guard was posted. It said don't swim but people were still in it. We walked to the east where the water calmer and more shade. The sand is HOT! Walks the shoreline . Lots of people snorkeling . We only saw a few fish a crab. Be careful Of the rocks. It's not bad when you are snorkeling only bad when you are standing bc you don't know where it is depth wise. You can get scratched. Wet dry caves were across the street. Really cool.

The north shore is my favorite part of the island. It's magical. Ha'ena State beach park is a long stretch where you'll find everything from gorgeous sandy beaches to rocky areas, awesome snorkeling spots and just epic backdrops of the jungle behind you. It's stunning. Go there mentally prepared for dealing with heavy traffic, limited parking and all those stressors...because once you do get settled you'll see it is all worth it. Paradise folks.

Great Beach Park, Arrive Early The water is excellent here. The view from the bluff at the western end of the eastern park is awesome. Great spot for kids to learn how to surf. Make sure to check out the dry cave across the street.

Great staging area to nearby trailheads. Ha'ena State Park, is located at the northwestern extent of the Kuhio HwY on Kauai's North Shore. The park offers viewing of taro fields and ancient sea caves. Check out nearby Ke'e Beach. Kalalau Trail Trailhead and Hanakapiai Falls trailhead is located in the Park. BTW: Kalalau Trailhead is the "end point of the Kuho HwY.

We tried to go to Ke'e Beach yesterday. Our guide books said nothing about needing a reservation ahead of arriving. The young Park employee at the entrance to the parking lot was extremely rude, insulting and unhelpful, a real disgrace to the park service. She yelled at us to "get your car out of the parking lot NOW" over and over again, as we were turning around and trying to have a brief confab with our daughter who was in a second car. She yelled at our daughter to "get your dumb*** out of the parking lot" Really unprofessional in every way. We were a party of six adults and four children age 3-7 years. The Park employee set a very poor example on how to accommodate a reasonable request for a brief confab before exiting the parking lot. She needs anger management training before she should be allowed out there again. Very disappointing encounter.

Good for swimming when the ocean is calm although the beach break can often be temperamental. Most visitors to Haena beach utilize the parking area here to access Tunnels beach, a great snorkeling area, about a 15 minute walk up the beach. Lifeguard and restrooms on site. The Maniniholo dry cave, a cave a couple hundred yards deep, is located across the street. History: Taylor Campground 1969-1977. YELP 365 - 229/365

This beach is incredible. Amazing snorkeling and swimming. We loved it. We walked to Tunnels from here as well. Got the best of both beaches in.

I love you Ha'ena!! I dream about you ever since we first met. Wading in your warm waters, coercing me back to the shore when all I wanted to do was drink you in, was teasingly exciting. No beaches here in NorCal can compare with your warm sands exfoliating my body, the blue waters that allow me to bathe almost in my birthday suit with your caressing waves!!! If I could conquer you and make you mine, I would!! But sadly and rightfully so, you belong to no one and everyone at the same time. I love you Ha'ena!!

GORGEOUS is all I have to say! We discovered this beach on the way to Ke'e but we came back to Ha'ena because the clear, beautiful blue water was just calling us! The waves here at the beach were really strong when we visited with our family but it was too beautiful to even care. Lots of families were camping out when we came and looked like a lot of fun! We would definitely want to plan a camping trip here in the future. There's also a really cool dry cave across the street if you want to go in. Super cool and all the kiddies we saw there loved it!

This is by far the best beach on the North shore of Kauai. We camped here one night and it was one of my favorite spots. They have a place to shower, restrooms and there is always a little shaved ice truck sitting out front of the parking lot across from a cave you can explore. The sand is beautiful and the waves are insane especially during the "winter" months. We were there when a swell was coming in however that didn't stop us from getting in. That being said I wouldn't advise small children or weak swimmers to get in.

The best hike, views, beach, water fall, river, and snorkeling. The beach before the trail is awesome. It has great corral that blocks the beach from the big waves. Making it great for swimming an snorkeling. It is like swimming in a huge swimming pool. There are turtles and tons of different fish. There is tons of shade you can sit under right on the beach and tons of white sand to stroll along. Great for Bqs and beer drinking while getting your tan on. The best part is the hike along the ocean cliff. The views an hike are the best I have ever seen. The hike is pretty tough but worth it. So wear hiking shoes it's very easy to slip and I saw about 5 people with bloody knees. You can see whales while hiking! You hear and see the ocean hit the cliffs. About two hours down you hit a river that leads into the ocean. The river has little pools to relax or swim. The beach is sandy and beautiful with views straight up cliffs, little caves, small waterfalls and a green/blue ocean. You can see whales up close right from the beach. If you head up the river about 2 miles, which is hard to do so again bring shoes! It leads to a 80 ft waterfall. You can plan to hike the waterfall and back for the whole day or bring a tent and sleeping gear to stay over night. You can fish and bath in the river. : ) Be careful there are steep cliffs, slippery rocks, crazy currents and waves when your on the beach can take you right of the rocks into the ocean. There is a rally count on the trail that shows how many people have been killed. 82 as of now. In case of emergencies they do have a emergency landing about 1.5 miles down the hike for helicopters. So a breakdown before the hike there is beach for snorkel, swim, walk, surf, kayak shade, tan, bq and drink. There is a trail near beach to were you hike up and around the ocean cliff to a river, another secluded beach and waterfalls. Have fun!

My favorite beach thus far. Beautiful warm waters clean beach. Gets a bit crowded at times.

This is the perfect place for a sunset snorkel after hiking the Kalalau trail. We encountered one of Hawaii's ~1100 endangered monk seals here. There were very few fish though. This beach would be great for general swimming, as it is protected by the reef from the ocean. Restrooms and shower on site.

This is the most amazing beach that we didn't swim in. :) The surf was very high that day and so there was a no swimming rule. It was really really beautiful though, with miles of golden sand. the waves were mezmerizing to watch. Nice place to lay out and just enjoy the beautiful Kauai north shore.

This is by far the best campground we stayed at while visiting in November 2012, with the exception of Polihale, which is probably in a different class all together. The facilities are clean, there is plenty of space for tents. It is conveniently located near Tunnels beach and the Kalalau trail. If you are considering where to camp on the north shore, I would definitely choose Ha'ena over Anini Beach.

The underwater world along Ke'e beach and the paradise within Ha'ena State Park provided an up-close and personal experience to all things rugged, vibrant, and naturally ingenious

Heaven!! The most amazing views, warm clear ocean, perfect for swimming. Not much of a snorkeling area. Take the hike up to the beach which is about 2 miles in, then if you can go another 4 miles you'll see the waterfall!

Beautiful beach on the north shore. As nice as this beach is we only used it to park and then walked to Tunnels Beach because it has more to see snorkeling. However, the parking and restroom facilities here make it a much more family friendly location overall. Don't forget to check out the dry cave across the street!

Perfect beach for laying out in the sun. We loved the sand and looking through the sand and finding little tiny shells. The water was to rough for us so we didn't go in above the knee.

Breathtaking views! Beautiful for a beach walk or for viewing the sunset. Easy parking in the adjacent lot. Does not seem to be great for swimming due to reefs/rocks, but amazing nonetheless.