State and county agencies decided together to close Moanalua Valley Park and the entire Moanalua section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve while Haiku Stairs is dismantled. 

What You Need To Know

  • This is the second time officials have announced they would close areas surrounding Haiku Stairs in order to deter hikers since the dismantling of the trail began in April

  • Officials are now closing Moanalua Valley Park and the entire Moanalua section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve, which are large areas frequented by many people 

  • Previously, DLNR closed the Middle Ridge, which is a portion of the Moanalua section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve

  • Since April, Honolulu Police Department officers have written 80 citations and arrested 15 people for trespassing into closed areas

Prior to this, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife closed the “Backside to Stairway,” also referred to as the Middle Ridge, which is a portion of the Moanalua section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve and an alternative route to access Haiku Stairs from the top of the ridge. 

“Having people on the trails or in the area during this demolition project is extremely unsafe, thus the full closure is necessary, to protect public safety and our natural resources,” said DLNR Chair Dawn Chang in a statement.

The City’s demolition contractor Nakoa Companies started the process of removing the nearly 4,000 stairs in April. However, the news of dismantling led to an increase in people attempting to take one last trek on the illegal hike. 

Since then, Honolulu Police Department officers have written 80 citations and arrested 15 people for trespassing into closed areas, according to Capt. Kurt Ng, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday. 

Austin Nakoa, president of the Nakoa Companies, said several sections of the stairs are no longer secured to the mountain, which raises the danger for unauthorized hikers and poses a serious risk for deconstruction and helicopter crews. 

He estimated it would take 30 to 45 days to complete the dismantling of Haiku Stairs. 

“The Kamananui Valley Road, which leads to the back of the valley, is very popular for families and residents,” said Marigold Zoll, DOFAW Oahu branch manager. “We had hoped by just closing the Middle Ridge area that people use to access the top of the stairs, would have been enough to deter everyone. That has not happened and we’re sorry that the actions of a few disrespectful individuals are impacting all.”

The popularity of the Backside to Stairway hike, an unofficial trail, has created erosion scars, damaging the native forest and making it unsafe for hikers. “The trail has become really eroded and slick due to [its] popularity,” said Zoll. 

“Violating the closure could result in arrests or citations, with significant fines and potential jail time,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.

Officers with HPD and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement are monitoring the closure area, and military police at Tripler Army Medical Center, another access point, are watching that area.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.

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