The park spans the southeast Oahu coastline between Sandy Beach and Makapuu — a stretch that has drawn visitors, surfers, and hikers for decades. It’s now formally managed and protected as a state park.
The Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail is the primary access point. It’s a paved, 1.2-mile out-and-back trail that climbs to a panoramic overlook above the lighthouse. Popular at sunrise. Free admission as of 2026. The trail is well-maintained and accessible to most fitness levels, though the final stretch has a real grade to it.
Why This Coastline?
The Ka Iwi Coastline has been under conservation pressure for years. Heavy tourism left its marks — rental cars crossing sand dunes for informal parking, bonfires trampling ground that holds real archaeological weight.
The cultural stakes here are high. Many historians and Native Hawaiian practitioners believe this stretch of southeast Oahu is where the first Polynesian voyagers made landfall on the island. That’s not a footnote. It’s the reason the area’s protection has been a long-running priority for local advocates.
The Ka Iwi Coastline had already been designated a conservation area before the state park status came through. The DLNR designation formalized those protections and gave the area the management structure needed to enforce them.
What the Designation Changes
State park status means the area is now subject to DLNR state park rules, with staffing, enforcement, and a framework for handling access. The park includes plans to expand its boundaries further over time.
The Kaiwi designation is a good outcome for one of Oahu’s most ecologically and culturally significant coastlines. The formal state park status gives DLNR the authority and funding mechanisms to manage access, maintain trails, and protect the land in a way that a loose conservation designation couldn’t.
If you’re planning a visit, the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail is your starting point. Go early — sunrise crowds at Makapuu are real, but the views at first light are hard to argue with. Check the DLNR state parks page for current hours, parking details, and any fee or reservation requirements in effect.
Explore More of Oahu
More guides to Oahu sights, activities, and adventures.
Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
Created with AI from this HawaiiGuide page and read by a computer-generated voice. Double-check fees, hours, and reservations on the full page before you head out. Hawaiian pronunciation is tricky for synthesized speech and a few words may land slightly off; mahalo for your patience as we keep refining.
Mele and Kani are computer-generated voice options chosen for clarity and warmth.
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