Overview
The Kalalau Trail runs eleven miles along Kauai’s Nāpali Coast to a beach with no road access. You can walk the first two miles to Hanakāpīʻai Beach with a Hāʻena State Park entry reservation, but going further requires a camping permit, and the base capacity at Kalalau is 60 people a night.
Camping permits come from Hawaii’s state parks and become available 90 days in advance; non-residents pay US$35 per person per night, up to 5 nights. A valid camping permit already covers entry to Hāʻena State Park: you show it, you don’t need a separate entry reservation. What you do need, if you leave a car, is an overnight parking reservation at Hāʻena.
At a glance
| Do you need a permit or reservation? | Camping permit (+ overnight parking reservation) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $35 per person per night (non-residents) |
| How to get it | Count back roughly 90 days from your target date — that’s when camping permits for it are released. |
| When it opens | Rolling window · Rolling · 90 days ahead |
| All-inclusive alternative | None we can recommend: no tour we checked includes this access, so the official channel is the way in. |
| Official rules | dlnr.hawaii.gov Hawaii State Parks camping reservations (camping.ehawaii.gov) |
How the permit works
- 1Count back roughly 90 days from your target date — that’s when camping permits for it are released.
- 2Book the camping permit on the official Hawaii state parks camping site the morning it opens.
- 3If you drive, reserve overnight parking at Hāʻena; the camping permit itself is your entry to the park.
- 4Match your permit nights exactly: up to 5 nights, and never two nights in a row at Hanakoa.
- 5Check the DLNR page for trail closures before you set off.
Required documents
- Printed camping permit (cell coverage on the trail is effectively nil)
- Overnight parking reservation at Hāʻena, if you drive
- Photo ID matching the permit holder
Insider tips
- Book overnight parking as soon as your camping permit is confirmed.
- Hanakāpīʻai Valley and the stream crossings flash-flood; never cross a swollen stream, and build a buffer day into flights.
- Winter surf and heavy rain make the exposed sections genuinely dangerous — April to October is the practical window.
Sold-out alternatives
If your dates are gone, these get you a comparable experience.
Frequently asked questions
How far can I hike without a permit?
To Hanakāpīʻai Beach, two miles in, with a Hāʻena State Park entry reservation. Past that point a camping permit is required.
When do Kalalau permits get released?
90 days in advance, on a rolling basis. The DLNR page gives no release time, so check it on the camping site.
Do I need a separate Hāʻena entry reservation?
No. With a valid camping permit you just show it at Hāʻena State Park. The separate reservation you may need is overnight parking, if you leave a car there.