Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, February 14, 2025 80° Today's Paper


Squatters are making mess of scenic Kauai valley, officials say

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COURTESY DLNR

About 1,500 pounds of items was removed from makeshift campsites during recent cleanups, and will be stored for 30 days. The items, including fishing poles, surfboards and mattresses, will be disposed of if unclaimed.

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COURTESY DLNR

A cleanup of Kalalau Valley cleared 2,400 pounds of trash during January and early February; officials also issued about 70 citations to campers who did not have proper permits to be in the area.

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COURTESY DLNR

A cleanup of Kalalau Valley cleared 2,400 pounds of trash during January and early February; officials also issued about 70 citations to campers who did not have proper permits to be in thearea.

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COURTESY DLNR

A cleanup of Kalalau Valley cleared 2,400 pounds of trash during January and early February; officials also issued about 70 citations to campers who did not have proper permits to be in thearea.

The state is renewing its efforts to tackle a decades-long problem of accumulated trash and damage to heiau in Kauai’s Kalalau Valley — the result, for the most part, of illegal camping.

During four cleanup operations in January and early February, helicopters hired by the Division of State Parks and the Kauai Branch of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement hauled out about 2,400 pounds of opala by sling-load.

Another 1,500 pounds of items left at makeshift campsites was removed and will be stored for 30 days, officials said. If unclaimed, the items will be disposed of.

The items include fishing poles, surfboards, full-size air mattresses, plastic lawn chairs, coolers and a bongo drum, according to a video shot by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees the two divisions.

Conservation enforcement officers also issued nearly 70 citations to campers who did not have proper permits.

Curt Cottrell, state parks administrator, said in an interview the blatant disregard of park rules in Kalalau Valley, part of the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, leaves Hawaii taxpayers footing the cleanup bill, so far this year about $13,000. That includes fees to dispose of rubbish and use of a private helicopter, which costs about $1,000 an hour.

The tally is expected to rise as officials book more chopper trips.

“Kalalau has developed this global reputation due to its amazing beauty and its remote location as kind of a mecca for wilderness backpacking people to go to,” said Cottrell.

But there’s a subculture of sorts that stays there for weeks and months, he said. During sweeps, he said, it’s difficult to track squatters because they scatter and hide deeper in the valley as soon as they hear rotor blades.

Valley live-ins call themselves “outlaws” and endeavor to live off the land, officials said.

The squatters have diverted streams to feed gardens where they grow taro, papaya, squash, herbs and other fruits and vegetables, said Francis “Bully” Mission, Kauai Branch chief with the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

The diversion of stream water in turn disrupts the reproductive cycle of the oopu, a native gobie, Mission said. Immature freshwater opihi shells or hihiwai have also been found on the ground throughout the valley.

“They’re impacting the resources on the shorelines and streams from mauka to makai,” Mission said of the illegal campers.

He said the most disturbing “live-in” activity is the damage they’re inflicting on cultural and historical sites. For example, they have removed rocks from heiau to create fire pits.

“They’re sunbathing in the nude and congregating on the heiau,” he added.

Sabra Kauka, president of the Na Pali Coast Ohana, a nonprofit organization that works with the state to preserve natural and cultural resources at Na Pali, said, “To me it’s disrespectful of the original culture, the ancient culture that built these places. You shouldn’t be camping in them. You shouldn’t be moving rocks around. You should respect them. They are places of great beauty.”

When the ohana formed in 1995, it focused on cleanup efforts in Kalalau. Kauka said during one summer she and dozens of volunteers removed up to 14 tons of rubbish.

In recent years the ohana has redirected its efforts to restore Nualolo Kai, an ancient fishing village, also part of the Na Pali Coast State Park. Last week, however, at the organization’s annual meeting, Kauka said the group agreed to return to Kalalau.

“It’s an incredibly beautiful place that should remain beautiful, and that means treating it with respect,” she said. “Pack out what you pack in. It’s really simple: You take it in, you take it out.”

The state Parks Division issues up to 60 camping permits for a designated campsite near Kalalau Beach, 11 miles away from the trailhead in Haena. The maximum stay for each permit is five days.

Composting toilets are in place to accommodate the campers, but the large number of illegal campers has overtaxed them, Mission said. During the recent cleanup operations, 17 barrels of waste — each 50 gallons — were pulled from the toilets and airlifted out of the valley.

The presence of squatters in the valley dates back to the late 1960s when a group of young people, mostly from the mainland, took up residence in Kalalau.

In 1974 the state Parks Division acquired the valley and evicted the transients. Kalalau was then folded into the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park.

But keeping out the live-ins has proved to be a chronic problem.

Mission said enforcement sweeps of Kalalau by foot put officers on rough terrain, atop steep cliffs and sometimes in thick vegetation.

“It’s not a walk in the park,” he said.

Cottrell said the Parks Division is using social media to inform the public of the cultural importance of Kalalau. Through awareness and sustained enforcement, the state hopes to reduce the illegal use, he said.

Hiking the first 2 miles to Hanakapai Valley from the trailhead does not require a permit. Beyond that a camping permit is required at a cost of $15 per person per night for Hawaii residents and $20 per person per night for nonresidents.

64 responses to “Squatters are making mess of scenic Kauai valley, officials say”

  1. Allaha says:

    Without tough laws against vagrancy Hawaii will be a mess – a haven for derelicts from all over.

  2. kekelaward says:

    This would be a good thing for the Kingdom of Hawaii to take care of. Desecration of heiau carried a pretty stiff penalty. If you know what I mean.

  3. reamesr1 says:

    This is another example of how the State is addressing issues. Department heads complain about a problem instead of resolving it. Were are the DLNR officers, do they not patrol the area or who is responsible to protect these resources and why are they not protecting these area’s. We always hear about these problems but no permanent solutions. It’s time to repair these flat tires that work for the State and other Civil Service jobs or dispose of them.

  4. Paloha81 says:

    It’s those damn tourists who have no respect for the aina and Kuleana. All they care about is telling a good story of how they hiked and camped on the Kauai Napali coast, etc. it’s these kine of people that give tourists a bad name. It’s okay to camp and enjoy the natural beauty of Hawaii but for Gods sake, show and practice respect. Auwe…ban camping there already.

  5. Kalaheo1 says:

    “Curt Cottrell, state parks administrator, said in an interview the blatant disregard of park rules in Kalalau Valley, part of the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, leaves Hawaii taxpayers footing the cleanup bill, so far this year about $13,000. That includes fees to dispose of rubbish and use of a private helicopter, which costs about $1,000 an hour.”

    I got to say, that sound like a bargain. Teams of state workers and helicopters and it only cost $13,000? Just imagine how little it would take to maintain our easily accessible parks instead of leaving them filthy and disgusting.

  6. palani says:

    “They’re sunbathing in the nude and congregating on the heiau,”

    Hippies, they’re back! Actually, they never left.

  7. mikethenovice says:

    Nice not to mention anything about the squatters in the visitor’s industry marketing promotion.

  8. ICEEBEAR says:

    Why expensive helicopters, could not cheaper boats including those used for patrol or access be used to carry out the trash or is it because they don’t even want to bother carrying it to the beach?

  9. Shotzy says:

    Those folks on Kauai better check themselves, The golden rule of camping is you leave the sight clean from ANY human presence. That means you haul out everything you brought in, including waste if there aren’t any receptacles. Shame on the Violator’s.

    Speaking of squatters, How about the folks living under the Nimitz off ramp coming from H1 airport. The H1 for one roof,walls made of wood, a good size generator for power and a nice motorcycle to get around on. No Mortgage, No Lease and No Maintenance Fees kine paradise. Is this area privately owned or leased ? If so, that might explain it.

  10. slsofos says:

    Hawaii has become a haven for bums and hobos…just ridiculous…

  11. ready2go says:

    Has anyone been arrested and fined?

  12. cojef says:

    There are many sacred historical sites being desecrated by squatters in the valley. Where are the native Hawaiians demonstrating and protesting the desecration? They are ready to stop further construction of the telescope on the Big Island, yet do very little when actual manual labor is needed to clean up the mess left by the squatters. Strange when manual labor is needed to restore the site to its former pristine conditions.

  13. Tom938 says:

    So…any comments from the anti-TMZ crowd? Anti-Super Ferry crowd? Nothing?

  14. Tony94 says:

    Hey SA staff, how about looking at the vagrants trashing Maliki Valley too! That is our own backyard and the crackdowns have pushed the homeless into the Maliki and Tantalus areas. They actually have fires at their campsites. When summertime comes, expect to see urban brush fires in this protected area. I have personally called DLNR multiple times, no action!

  15. wave1 says:

    Agent Orange the valley, that’ll take care of them. Most of the plants are invasive anyway. Once cleared, native plants can be reintroduced.

    • HawaiiNoKaOi says:

      I had to reply when I read the Agent Orange reply……thank you for today’s funny. Squatters are infiltrating everywhere these days including legitimate rental properties. Unfortunately one has to go to the legal route to evict these professional gamers. So sad, Aloha!

  16. akio says:

    These squatters are everywhere here on Kauai and yes, they have no respect for the land or it’s people. Regular enforcement and not only once or twice a year needs to be done at all beaches because these transients are everywhere. The locals are going to lose out because if this problem gets worse, access to some areas will be lost and some already is. Send them on a one way plane back to where they came from

  17. Paco3185 says:

    Might be time to close the trails and valleys from January to March each year. Would make it easier to find the squatters, give the landscape time to heal, and cut down on the number of rescues due to flash floods . . . Also 60 permits is way too much; cut it to 30.

  18. GorillaSmith says:

    How great is it that the guy in charge of Conservation and Resources Enforcement is named “Bully” Mission?

  19. steveoctober says:

    Arrange to have bounties out to catch and escort these folks out of the valley. $200 a head and a free pass to rough them up if they resist. Problem will be gone quickly and relatively affordably.

  20. TaiBow says:

    As has been stated here, vagrancy is a problem all over Hawaii. Vagrants make the environment dirty and dangerous, with little respect for Nature or the local culture. Urban vagrancy has to be addressed by the municipalities, but in the case of state scenic areas, there should be strict enforcement. Hiking or Camping Permits should be issued for a limited period, no more than a week, for example, with some personal collateral – like a cash bond. If the party doesn’t leave, they should be physically removed, with a forfeit of the bond. This would help to pay for enforcement & clean-up expenses. Drastic actions must be taken, as these offenders take full advantage of the ideal of “Aloha”. Destruction of historical or cultural sites should be jaili-able offenses. Otherwise the degradation of scenic and cultural sites will continue unabated.

  21. Racoon says:

    Napalm? Worked on the congs.

  22. oldsurfah says:

    Long time past to setup a permanent ranger stations at both ends of Kalalau to check permits and do enforcement patrols.

    If the state is unwilling or unable, maybe it should just turn it over to national parks so it is properly taken care of. That coastline is a national treasure and much to valuable to be left to vandals and/or to an agency unable to protect it.

  23. saywhatyouthink says:

    “a camping permit is required at a cost of $15 per person per night for Hawaii residents and $20 per person per night for nonresidents” – Camping permit fees, if any should be token amounts to cover the cost of the permit system, not based on how many days you’ll be camping. $20 per head, per night? What a rip off, it seems designed to discourage people from going there, something I’m sure DLNR would like. The Public Worker unions hold too much influence over state operations, they virtually assure mediocre performance at best from most public workers. DLNR enforcement division should just do their job, if they were, these problems with Kalalau would not exist.

  24. usahwn says:

    I heard there are about 200 camping in brush across stream at end of Anini Beach road . Polluting ocean and area.

  25. Numilalocal says:

    Years ago we offered to bring in DOCARE rangers by kayak so their arrival would be on the sly. They never took us up on this. Rangers don’t hike in; they always depend on helicopters or boats. The cockaroaches who set up house in Kalalau are, by large, mainland transplants who seem to feel entitled to lots of things. Among them are taking food stamps and squatting in places like Kalalau (and in the bushes all around Kauai). And with little enforcement, they’re only encouraged to continue to do so. DLNR needs funding to bring this problem – which is probably not limited to Kalalau – under control.

  26. Bdpapa says:

    The last time I went close to there was in 1971. As soon as we got past Hanakapiai we started seeing guys with rifles. They was watching where everyone was going. Not many travelers at that time. Pretty sure they was watching their patches. We made it into kalalau but stayed only 1 night. Friends that stayed told us to go back, not safe. Beautiful hike and beach but wasn’t worth the risk. Too many nut cases.

  27. Carang_da_buggahz says:

    Overwhelmingly, invaders from the East. You know it.

  28. Carang_da_buggahz says:

    And where are all those SuperFerry protestors who put up such a ruckus a few years back? Where are they now? They didn’t want “their” island fouled. Where’s the outrage now? Oh, I get it. It’s different when the invaders are ALSO from the East, eh? Frickin’ hypocrites. Ship the whole lot of ’em back to the East from whence they came to begin with.

  29. truelies says:

    Let Kauai have the squatters who desecrate the island since they did not want ferry.

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