One of Maui's most visited sites, the Iao Needle, will reopen May 1 after months of closure
After nine months of closure, Maui's popular Iao Valley Needle, or Kukaemoku, is scheduled to reopen on May 1. This time around, there will be one big difference: non-residents will have to book reservations for their visit, according to an announcement on Tuesday.
Located in Iao Valley State Park in Central Maui, the monument closed down to visitors on Aug. 1 for the final phase of slope stabilization work and parking lot improvements. In 2016, heavy rains damaged the parking lot and many homes downstream, prompting the reconstruction.
The park was scheduled to reopen on Jan. 15 but was extended due to supply chain issues, officials said.
Reservations for out-of-state visitors opened on Monday at 9 a.m. local time – two weeks before the reopening – and can be made online.
Residents with a Hawaii ID don't have to make reservations or pay an entrance or parking fee. For non-residents, the cost to enter the park is $5 and to park a car is $10. Children who are 3 and under get in for free.
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The needle is a 1,200-foot-tall needle-shaped peak that you can see up-close via a 0.6-mile-long walk on a paved path called the Iao Needle Lookout Trail. The state park is also considered a sacred site with historical and cultural significance – Kamehameha I conquered Maui's army here in 1790 to unite the islands under one kingdom.
Officials have said the park is one of the most visited attractions on Maui, with thousands of locals and tourists annually.
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for Paste BN based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com