A boy’s injury at a popular scenic overlook is the latest incident leading to a closure of an Oahu tourist site.
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The Koko Crater trail (blue No. 1 on the map) was closed after an 8-year-old fell 20 feet down a shaft on July 5. It reopened five days later with some areas of the summit off limits.
Other Oahu trails, however, have been permanently closed or switched to permit-only status because of hazards or overuse.
The map above shows these sites:
Closed (red)
1/ Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven). This route has been officially closed since 1987, but it continued to draw crowds — especially after it began getting attention on social media. Neighbors complained of trespassing, noise and littering, and in April 2024 the demolition of the stairs began.
2/ Sacred Falls. It has been closed to the public since 1999, when a rockslide killed eight people. In February of this year, a California couple in their 60s had to be airlifted out after falling from the trail. They had been hiking for about 15 minutes, they told the rescuers. Several days later, while her husband was still in the hospital, the woman was fined $1,000 for violating the restriction, the state’s parks agency said.
Permit or reservation required (orange)
1/ Diamond Head. Since 2022, non-residents have been required to make a reservation ($5 per person) and pay for parking ($10 per car) to hike to the summit that looms over Honolulu.
2/ Lulumahu Falls. A day-use permit is required to hike this short out-and-back trail off the Pali Highway.
3/ Poamoho Trail. Hikers need a permit (and a high-clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicle) to get to the trailhead for the spectacular and challenging ridge hike.
4/ Kuaokala Trail. A day-use permit is required for hiking, biking or four-wheeling in the area accessed through the Ka’ena Point Air Force property.
In addition to the Oahu trails, reservations are required for the Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s famed Na Pali Coast. The out-and-back covers 22 rugged miles, so most people doing the full trip will be spending a night at one of the two camping areas, but day hikers also need a permit.
