Haʻena State Park

State park camping on Kauai remains closed, and several major state parks are still closed at the time of this recording.

So if your entire Kauai trip was built around Waimea Canyon, Kokee, Haena State Park, and the Kalalau Trail or some other form of outdoor experiences, this is where you really need to, you know, check current conditions before you go.

That gets us to really the bigger question of this all is, well, should you even be going to Kauai right now? If you've listened to the podcast for a while, you know I talk a lot about how we, as visitors, can travel responsibly and leave Hawaii better than we found it.

But a big question around that is what does giving back actually look like? Recently, I learned about Terraformation.

Now Kauai, and I want to be upfront about something.

As I'm recording this, Hurricane Lowell just came through and Kauai State Parks, Haena included, are closed while the island recovers.

The county is actually asking visitors to consider other islands for now to give Kauai room to heal.

I don't know yet whether things will be back open by the time this episode airs, so if you're planning a Kauai trip, check GoHaena.com and the state park site directly before you build anything around this information.

I'll try to note any updates in the show notes if I hear something before this goes live.

With that said, here's how it normally works, because you'll need this eventually.

Popular luau's book out weeks in advance too, especially the well-reviewed ones, and boat tours to Molokini Crater or along the Nepali coast, along with helicopter tours over the volcanoes or the coastline, tend to sell out during busy season if you wait more than a couple of weeks.

If any of these are high on your list, don't wait to see what's left after you've booked everything else.

Kauai has lifted water conservation notices for Hanalei, Kalaheo, Koloa, Poipu, and Lihue/Kapaa, including Puhi.

Restrictions remain for Anahola, Anini, Haena, Wainiha, and Kilauea.

Residents there should use water only for essential needs and avoid water that may be contaminated.

And the road to recovery is hitting a major speed bump for Kauai businesses.

After Hurricane Lowell shut off water for residents on Kauai's north shore, this is what they're forced to do.

Wash their clothes and dishes in the river right before Haena State Park.

They were there Wednesday, days after Lowell lashed the Garden Isle with heavy rains.

Flooding part of the only way in and out of the most northern part of the island Monday.