Explore the picturesque Iao Valley with its scenic trails, lush landscapes, and iconic Iao Needle.
- Distance
- 0.6 mile (total) - paved walk to 'Iao Needle lookout + ethnobotanical garden loop (DLNR). AllTrails GPS: 0.5 mile loop
- Difficulty
- Moderate to Difficult
- Starting Elevation
- UNVERIFIED - no authoritative source publishes a trailhead elevation (valley-floor '1,000 ft' is not a trailhead figure)
- Ending Elevation
- UNVERIFIED - no authoritative source publishes a lookout elevation. Traps avoided: the Needle rises 1,200 ft from the valley floor / tops 2,250 ft above sea level - formation figures, not trail elevations
- Tour Company
- N/A
- Access Notes
- Advance reservations REQUIRED for non-residents (gostateparks.hawaii.gov, up to 30 days ahead; arrive within 30 min of slot). Fees: $5/person entry + $10/vehicle parking, non-residents; Hawaii residents free with valid state ID, no reservation needed; children 3 and under free. Hours 7:00 am-6:00 pm; last entry 5:00 pm. Subject to temporary rain/high-stream closures.
- Difficulty Level
- Easy
- Elevation Gain
- 147 ft (AllTrails); weaker secondary figures 101-200 ft
- Trailhead
- End of 'Iao Valley Road (Highway 32), Wailuku - official name: 'Iao Valley State Monument
Checked against current sources, October 2026.