Nā Pali Coast State Park

Nā Pali Coast State Park preserves 6,175 acres along Kauaʻi’s rugged northwest shore, including the central reach of a 16-mile coast shaped about five million years ago by powerful water erosion into steep cliffs, narrow ridges, and deep valleys. Created to protect Kalalau Valley, it also encompasses a landscape with a long human history, beginning with Polynesian settlement around 1200 AD and later Tahitian influence. The coast became a trade corridor among island communities, then suffered severe population losses after Western contact following Captain Cook’s 1778 visit. With no road through it, the park remains remote, accessible mainly by trail, boat, kayak, paddleboard, or helicopter.

Haena, Hawaii · United States