Hawaii’s Haiku Stairs: With Removal Looming, Fines and Arrests for Hikers

Plans to dismantle Hawaii’s historic Haiku Stairs have a lot of hikers showing up for one final climb, only to face fines and arrests.

Despite a major effort by hikers and historic preservation groups, it seems the Haiku Stairs, also known as the “Stairway to Heaven,” are doomed for demolition.

The Friends of the Haiku Stairs group filed a motion in court, asking a judge to halt demolition work. In May, the judge denied that motion, ruling the group failed to prove removing the stairs would do irreparable harm.

As word spread about the pending dismantling, hundreds of hikers went to the Haiku Stairs in late April, and police began a major enforcement campaign to stop them.

➡️ CLICK to read: The legal way to hike the Stairway to Heaven

Key 2024 Info for Hikers

• The rumors of trespassing fines and citations are true.
• We’ve confirmed several hikers on the Haiku Stairs received $1,300 fines in the spring of 2024.
• Honolulu Police started by issuing warnings to some hikers.
• Police have now cited dozens of hikers for second-degree trespassing.
• Dozens more parking citations were issued.
• As of May, the “legal” way to hike to the top of the Haiku Stairs (along the Moanalua Valley Trail) also closed for at least three months (more info below).

Police say they began by issuing warnings. Then they started handing out fines and trespassing citations.

The exact number is unclear, but police gave out nearly 40 trespassing citations in a single day.

“There’s a period of education typically before there is enforcement.  For us that education period is done. We had the press conference, and the public knows that it’s wrong and that you can’t go up there,” said Honolulu Police Commander Maj. Randall Platt.

He likened hikers going to the Haiku Stairs to people finding out their favorite restaurant is closing, but said the police are done with verbal warnings.

“On top of it being illegal, it’s an active worksite. It’s a work zone construction zone, so people shouldn’t be there,” Platt said, adding, “And when you get into trouble… the first responders that have to go out and help you are also at risk.”

Still, he confirmed: there were zero calls for rescues despite the influx of hikers.

In addition to citations for hikers, police are also ticketing vehicles they find parked illegally in the neighborhood around the Haiku Stairs access point.

It’s been illegal to hike the Haiku Stairs since the 1980s.

Hawaii’s seen years of debate over liability issues, trespassing complaints from neighbors, historic preservation, concerns from first responders, and the overall cost of removal.

In April of 2024, the City of Honolulu solidified plans to dismantle the World War II-era staircase.

Here’s where things stand as of right now:

• In 2023, the City approved plans and $2 million to dismantle the Haiku Stairs.
• The cost rose to $4.8 million dollars, as crews prepared to begin work in early 2024 and remain on site for two years.
• The nonprofit group “Friends of Haiku Stairs” filed a lawsuit on April 19, 2024, seeking to block demolition. A judge granted a temporary pause.
• On May 13, the judge denied the request by the group.
• On May 14, the group took their case to the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board, hoping to have the demo permit revoked. A decision is expected by the end of May.

The fines and citations for hikers on the Haiku Stairs are being given near the main access point, behind a charter school off Haiku Road on Oahu.

By the way, the council has long allocated around $250,000 annually for security guards and other measures to keep hikers off the Haiku Stairs.

Unexpectedly, Hawaiian state officials also closed the legal route to the top of the Haiku Stairs, known as the Moanalua Valley Trail, or Middle Ridge Trail.

They closed access May 9, 2024, for at least three months, citing a number of reasons.

First, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said the closure was necessary for public safety, during the removal of the Haiku Stairs. The chair of the agency mentioned helicopters and heavy equipment in the area increasing the risk to hikers.

Second, they cited the “protection of biological resources.”

The state went on to explain concerns about ecological damage caused by an uptick of hikers on the Middle Ridge, saying, “the trail has become eroded and dangerous.”

The DLNR posted “closure” signs, and says trespassers could be cited.

The Kulanaʻahane Trail and Kamananui Valley Road remain open.

I’ll continue to update the status of the trail, and you can read the full DLNR statement by clicking here.

This is a transcription of Honolulu Police District Four Commander Maj. Randall Platt, talking about the hikers on the Haiku Stairs, and the citations:

That’s what resulted in [a scenario], like you hear your favorite restaurant is closing.  People want to go back for a last meal at that place, and so it seems like people are now trying to get a last hike in there. 

But don’t. You can’t. The stairs are illegal to hike, so the message we want to send to the public is: don’t don’t hike there. 

Police are actively enforcing the laws that apply, so this past weekend, we took more of a warning type of approach. We gave like 60 warnings over the weekend. But from today on, we’re going to be issuing more citations as a detriment to people. 

And again, it’s not just that people can get cited. It’s an arrestable offense. If it turns to that, if we have to we’ll make an arrest on it. We’d rather not. We just want people be compliant with the law and just not hike, [and] if they get caught to cooperate with police.

On top of it being illegal, it’s an active worksite. There’s heavy machinery over there and the helicopters are working back and forth. So it’s dangerous for people to be up there in the first place. It’s a closed site. It’s a work environment. It’s a work zone construction zone, so people shouldn’t be there. [Plus] those who actually make it through up there, some of [the parts of the Haiku Stairs] are dangerous.

And when you get into trouble, it’s a strenuous hike, so you put yourself at risk and on top of that the first responders that have to go out and help you are also at risk. So again, we’re asking people to make the right decision and stay off the trail. 

We ask that you be considerate, and just [look at it in] a moral sense, and to be good people and [not] be selfish.  

It’s really not “pono” is really what I want to say. It’s not right. It’s not about you. It’s about doing the right thing. 

I don’t really know if there was an increase [in calls and complaints from neighbors this weekend] but I can tell you that we constantly get calls for trespassers in that area. 

We… believe in this. We want to educate. There’s a period of education typically before there is enforcement.  For us that education period is done. We had the press conference, and the public knows that it’s wrong and that you can’t go up there.  

It’s unclear if the proposal to preserve the stairs is even still on the table, but this is an overview of the plan that’s been discussed over the years.