×

Reservation system rolls out at Iao Valley

Park reopened this week after nine-month closure for improvements

The completed 20,000-square-foot soil nail and shotcrete wall at Iao Valley State Monument is visible along Wailuku River Tuesday afternoon. The slope stabilization project included parking lot improvements and shoring up the slope damaged by storm flooding in 2016. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

IAO VALLEY — It’s been “so far so good” since Iao Valley State Monument reopened Monday with a new reservations system for out-of-state residents that aims to curb the number of daily visitors to the park.

Monday was also the first time in months that the popular Central Maui attraction has opened since closing Aug. 1, for a final phase of a slope stabilization project and parking lot improvements. The monument was supposed to reopen Jan. 14, but the closure had been extended due to challenging stabilization work and supply chain issues. All the work has since been completed.

“Day two and so far so good,” Larry Pacheco, Maui superintendent for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of State Parks, said Tuesday in the valley.

Pacheco said via email on Thursday that the new reservations system is “working really well.”

“On opening day, all reservation slots were sold out and we had a nice mix of residents who were able to spend time at the park along with non-Hawaii residents who visited via a reservation,” Pacheco said.

Reef Parking ambassador Ian Kikuchi checks the online registration of a nonresident visitor to Iao Valley State Monument Tuesday afternoon as fellow ambassador Amara Ballao looks on.

Overall, the system has cut down on the numbers of visitors, something DLNR officials had said they wanted to do to keep popular spots such as Iao from being overcrowded and impacting nearby neighborhoods as well as to protect the resources at these spots. Iao is the fourth state park in Hawaii to require reservations, along with Haena State Park on Kauai, Diamond Head State Monument on Oahu and at Waianapanapa State Park in East Maui.

Pacheco said that prior to the reservations system, Iao saw an average of 1,000 visitors daily, not counting residents.

Now with the reservations system in place since May 1, they “max out” at 600 visitors daily, which does not count residents.

Pacheco said they have encountered people who did not make a reservation and have advised them that if they drive down from the park and find Wi-Fi access, they can go online to try to book a reservation for that day if open slots are available.

Seattle resident Ellen Nouri and her two sons arrived to the park without a reservation Tuesday and had to drive down the valley to get online and make a reservation.

Seattle residents Ellen Nouri and sons Abraham (right) and Isaac take in the view while walking a trail at reopened Iao Valley State Monument Tuesday afternoon. After paying to enter, Ellen Nouri said she was underwhelmed by the view. “This is it?” she asked.

“It was inconvenient because we could not go on the internet at the exit,” Nouri said.

But San Diego resident Artie Lejarde said he had no problem with paying an entry fee to park.

“We’re used to it,” he said. “I’m from California. We pay for everything. Here’s my solution, make tourists pay more. Maui is great, I love it.”

Entry fee for out-of-state residents is $5 and parking is $10, according to the reservation site gostateparks.hawaii.gov. Entry and parking continue to be free for residents.

Pacheco said that a plan is in place to monitor and adjust the parking at the monument to accommodate locals as needed, including making more spots available on weekends when there is heavier resident demand.

He said funds raised will help pay for improvements and services at the monument.

“The money comes back to our program,” Pacheco said. “Hopefully, we can acquire more staff.”

On Tuesday, the monument was not crowded and three ambassadors from Reef Parking were checking reservations for out-of-state residents and state identifications for residents to enter.

There were no tour buses on site. There is parking for three buses at one time.

Pacheco said the bus companies decided to wait to resume tours to the monument to give residents time for themselves.

* Staff Writer Matthew Thayer can be reached at thayer@maui.net and Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
     
Support Local Journalism on Maui

Only $99/year

Subscribe Today