State officials are implementing a reservation system for nonresidents at Diamond Head State Monument to manage capacity on the popular Oʻahu hiking trail and reduce vehicle congestion in the area.
The reservation system went live Thursday, April 28. Reservations will be required starting May 12. All visitors, including commercial tour and trolley riders, will need a reservation to enter the crater.
Reservations can be made up to 14 days in advance, but that will be extended to 30 days in the near future, officials said. The system will use QR codes to confirm reservations, eliminating the exchange of cash at the entrance.
Entry is $5 per person and $10 per vehicle.
Hawaiʻi residents with a driver’s license or ID will not need reservations, but entry will depend on parking availability. Visitors accompanying Hawaiʻi residents are not exempt from the entry fees and must purchase in advance.
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries says the new system will help to protect the natural environment and cultural sites within the crater.
During the 2019 winter holiday period, the park had a record visitation day of over 6,000 people, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Under the new system, visitors parking in the crater will be required to book two-hour time slots beginning at 6 a.m. Walk-in and drop-off visitors will be subject to one-hour entry time slots.
Diamond Head is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with gates closing at 6 p.m.
The park is the third in the islands to require reservations for nonresidents, joining Kauaʻi’s Hāʻena and Maui’s Waiʻanapanapa state parks.
The City of County of Honolulu also requires reservations for snorkeling at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve.
Click here to make reservations for Diamond Head State Monument.
