Big Beach at Makena State Park is seen in South Maui. Photo courtesy DLNR

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing a series of facility upgrades at Makena State Park aimed at improving visitor amenities and safety.

According to the DLNR, plans scheduled to be presented to the Maui Planning Commission in June include new men’s and women’s comfort stations and outdoor showers at both the north and south parking lots. The comfort stations would replace existing portable toilets, while the showers would be a new addition to the park.

The project also includes expanding paved parking areas in locations already being used by visitors. Officials said the improvements are intended to reduce overflow parking along Mākena Road and limit impacts to surrounding natural areas.

“Sweltering porta potties and a lack of rinsing showers is no way to service visitors at a park of this magnitude,” Division of State Parks Acting Administrator Alan Carpenter said in a news release. “This is a long-awaited upgrade.”

State officials said the project was shaped through community outreach and planning efforts tied to Makena’s park management plan. They added that the proposed improvements are designed to maintain public access while protecting the area’s cultural and natural resources.