Diamond Head: reservations, fees and parking

What the state parks division requires to hike Lēʻahi (Diamond Head State Monument): reservations for non-residents, fees, hours and the trail itself.

By Chris Weaver, publisher · Visitor Guide

Reservations

Non-residents need an entry and parking reservation, made through the state parks reservation system. The requirement has been in place since May 12, 2022. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

The last reservation slot is 4 p.m., and the last entry for it is 4:30 p.m. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

Fees (credit card only)

Entry is $5 for non-residents, free for Hawaiʻi residents with a Hawaiʻi ID or driver's license, and free for children 3 and under. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

Parking is $10 per non-commercial vehicle for non-residents and free for residents with ID. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

Hours

The park is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and the gates are locked at 6 p.m. It is closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

The trail

The summit trail is 0.8 mile from trailhead to summit and climbs 560 feet. The state calls it steep and strenuous; the last tenth of a mile is all stairs, and the route passes through a lighted 225-foot tunnel. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

The state suggests allowing 1.5 to 2 hours and bringing good walking shoes, water, a hat and sunscreen. The trail is not ADA accessible, and no pets are allowed except service animals. (Hawaiʻi DLNR Division of State Parks, Diamond Head State Monument, checked Oct 2026)

The Visitor Guide is separate from the Ledger's news coverage. Every fact on these pages was checked against the official source named beside it in October 2026; the source's page governs if it has changed since. Anything we could not verify was left out. Found something wrong? Tell us; corrections go up the same day.