Kalaupapa National Historical Park
National Historical Park · HI
Park Closure · Kalawao County Restrictions
Access to the park, including Kalawao County, the Kalaupapa Trail, the settlement, and Waikolu Valley, is restricted to residents and visitors with approved permits issued by Hawaii State Department of Health. Violations will result in arrest/fine.
More information3 noticesfrom the National Park Service
Information · Arrival by Boat
It is prohibited to come within 1/4 mile of the Kalaupapa shoreline. Access by boat within the quarter mile offshore park boundary requires a special use permit.
Information · Phones Are Not Operational
We continue to experience intermittent outages with our phone lines. If your call does not go through, please try again later, or try to leave us a message and we will get back to you. Thank you for your understanding.
Information · Unmanned Aircraft
Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Kalaupapa National Historical Park is prohibited. This includes model airplanes, quadcopters, and drones.
When Hansen's disease (leprosy) was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands, King Kamehameha V banished all afflicted to the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. Since 1866, more than 8,000 people, mostly Hawaiians, have died at Kalaupapa. Once a prison, Kalaupapa is now a refuge for the few remaining residents who are cured but were forced to live their lives in isolation.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/kala
- Location
- Kalaupapa National Historical Park (21.173, -156.951)Directions
Track your visit to Kalaupapa National Historical Park
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Hours
Park Hourstoday: All Day
- Sat Oct 3All Day
- Sun Oct 4All Day
- Mon Oct 5All Day
- Tue Oct 6All Day
- Wed Oct 7All Day
- Thu Oct 8All Day
- Fri Oct 9All Day
Kalaupapa National Historical Park is home to an active community of people, including patient-residents and State and Federal employees. Because of this, there are no park opening or closing hours, though tours are only given during daylight hours. Visitation is restricted in accordance with Hawai'i State Law. All visitors must have a permit.
Hours are retrieved from the National Park Service and can change without notice — check the official site before you go.
Self-guided tours
3
Kalaupapa Audio Tour90–120 minutes · 7 stops
This audio tour accompanies visitors on their guided hike down the historic Pali Trail. The recordings in this tour provide patient first accounts to help understand the history of Kalaupapa and experiences patients endured in coming here. Visitation to the park, including the Kalaupapa Trail and settlement is restricted to protect the privacy of the patient residents. General public visitation is provided only through participation in a park permitted tour.
Kalaupapa Settlement Tour1–3 hours · 17 stops
This self-paced and self-guided tour consists of a series of stops along a 2.5-mile route. It starts at the Kalaupapa Pier and ends at Papaloa Cemetery. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and sturdy walking shoes. Sidewalks at Kalaupapa are limited, so please be cautious if walking on the side of the street. Be wary of vehicular traffic and yield to oncoming traffic. In Kalaupapa, cars have the right of way. Always be respectful of the privacy and homes of residents and heed Kalawao County rules.
Saints Tour of Kalawao and Kalaupapa1–3 hours · 6 stops
This self-paced tour consists of a series of stops related to Saint Damien and Saint Marianne along a 3+ mile route. The tour includes locations in Kalawao, outside of the Kalaupapa Settlement. Please only go to those tour stops if you are allowed outside the settlement. Be cautious if walking on the side of the street and yield to oncoming traffic. Always be respectful of residents' privacy and heed Kalawao County rules. To help with navigation, download a map app for offline use before starting the tour.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.