Access To Oʻahu Outdoor Recreation Spot Still Restricted After Storm Damage
As crews continue to repair roads damaged by this spring’s Kona low storms, a reader asks when to expect restored access to a prized Oʻahu nature spot.
High above Kaʻena Point, the campgrounds and accompanying trails at Peacock Flats offer campers and hikers a breezy wilderness refuge far from the bustle.
Kalihi resident Allison Hookano, a hiker and self-proclaimed native plant enthusiast said she likes to visit the area a couple times each month to admire the peace and the plants.
“You can find some serenity up there,” she said, “and nice views.”
But Hookano hasn’t been able to visit recently. The state has restricted access to the campgrounds for more than a month due to damage from this spring’s Kona low storms.
Hookano said she understands there are higher priority places to repair, including near Waimea Bay, where crews worked this month to prevent future rockfalls that could damage Kamehameha Highway and harm anyone who happens to be on it. But she’s eager to know when the state plans to reopen access to the hiking area and campgrounds.
“It’s been two months,” she said. “Is it going to be six weeks? Six months? Six years?”
Ryan Aguilar, a spokesperson for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, said in a written statement that the campgrounds are usually accessible via two roads: Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve Access Road from the North Shore, and Kuaokala Road from the West Side.
Aguilar said both roads were heavily damaged by the storms. As of Wednesday, both Kuaokala Road and Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve Access Road are still closed for repairs, though the Mokulēʻia side is open to non-motorized travel, the agency’s communications director Andrew Laurence said in an email.
Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve Access Road likely will open in June, according to Aguilar.
“When they are reopened,” Laurence said, “the camping website will reopen and camping permits may be purchased.”
Laurence said updates will be posted on the website OuterSpatial.
Other remaining state park closures, according to the DLNR website, include ʻĪao Valley State Monument, which is expected to reopen on June 26, and Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area, which has no estimated reopening date.
Who Is Responsible?
Ryan Kanakaʻole, acting chair and director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, (808) 768-3003
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