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The gravel Denali Park Road crossing open tundra toward the mountain.

The Overland Directory

Adventure lodging in Hawaii

Lodges, cabins, motels and ranches near the dirt, for the night you want a shower, a bed and someone else's cooking.

Denali Park Road, Alaska

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Hawaii by the numbers

of Hawaii is federal land 1
21%
861,254 of 4,105,600 acres, and the Park Service holds more of it than any other agency
acres of BLM or Forest Service land 1
0
The two agencies that carry most of the West manage nothing in this state. There is no national forest here
acres in 57 state forest reserves 41
700,645
The division’s by-island table. Its forest reserve page gives over 683,964 acres for the same system
acres at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes 7
354,461
106 miles of roads, 155 miles of marked trails and 123,100 acres of legislated wilderness
Puʻu Wēkiu on Mauna Kea, the state high point 2
13,796 ft
USGS published. Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 13,797
miles of state trails, roads and access routes 46
432
154 features in the Nā Ala Hele system. Its own executive summary says over 400 miles
climbed by the eight-mile Maunakea summit road 25
5,000 ft
Two-wheel drive vehicles are not permitted above the visitor station at 9,200 feet
federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 4
2
Hosmer Grove and Kīpahulu, both at Haleakalā, both reserved ahead; our build of the federal recreation database

A roof when the rules say no vehicle

Lodging matters more here than in most states, because the fallback of sleeping in the vehicle is prohibited across the state park system and by both counties that publish rules on it. There is no dispersed camping on federal land, because there is no such federal land.

Plan the beds around the gateway towns: Hilo and Kailua-Kona for Hawaiʻi Island, Kahului and Hāna for Maui, Līhuʻe and Waimea for Kauaʻi, Kaunakakai for Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi City for Lānaʻi.

The full guide to overlanding Hawaii

When a roof is the right call

Nobody plans a trip around motels, and almost every long trip uses a few. After a week of wind, when the weather turns, while the truck is in a shop, or when the people you travel with have simply earned a hot shower.

What makes lodging work for overlanders

It comes down to parking and attitude.

  1. 01Room to park tall and long vehicles, and trailers without unhitching
  2. 02Parking you can see from the room, or that is lit
  3. 03Late arrivals and early breakfasts
  4. 04A hose, a laundry, and no fuss about dust
  5. 05Staff who know the local roads and what is open

Before you book

Call rather than click when you have a big vehicle.

  1. 01Ask about parking for your height and length.
  2. 02Ask about the access road in wet weather.
  3. 03Ask about pets, and about leaving gear on the vehicle.

Questions people ask

Will my rig fit?

Ask before you book. Roof tents, campers and high-roof vans do not fit many parking garages, and trailers need pull-through space. Small-town motels and lodges are usually easier than city hotels.

Is it safe to leave gear on the vehicle?

Use judgment, park where you can see the vehicle or under lights, and bring in what you cannot replace. Ask the front desk where they would park it.

How high is Hawaii?

From Kaunakakai at 12 feet to Puʻu Wēkiu, Mauna Kea at 13,796. Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.

Towns

  1. Volcano At the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes entrance, where the park sells no fuel 3,743 ft
  2. Waimea Upcountry Hawaiʻi Island, between the Kohala coast and Saddle Road 2,666 ft
  3. Lānaʻi City Lānaʻi’s only town, at 1,635 feet in the middle of the island 1,635 ft
  4. Pukalani Last fuel on the way up to the Haleakalā summit 1,427 ft
  5. Honokaʻa Top of Route 240 and the last town before the Waipiʻo lookout 1,084 ft
  6. Nāʻālehu Kaʻū district services on the belt road near the Kahuku Unit 659 ft
  7. Pāhoa Lower Puna, where the 2018 flows rewrote the road map 649 ft
  8. Pāʻia Last fuel before Hāna on the north shore road 254 ft
  9. Līhuʻe Kauaʻi’s harbour and airport, and the island’s service centre 207 ft
  10. Kapaʻa East Kauaʻi services on the way to the end of the north shore road 130 ft
  11. Hāna East Maui services, 12 miles short of the Kīpahulu district 129 ft
  12. Kailua-Kona Dry-side services and the long way round to the volcano 54 ft
  13. Kahului Maui’s harbour and airport, where a shipped vehicle lands 34 ft
  14. Waimea The turn for the canyon road and the west-side approach to Polihale 30 ft
  15. Hilo The wet-side port and the fullest services on Hawaiʻi Island 19 ft
  16. Kaunakakai Molokaʻi’s one town, and the county campgrounds west of it 12 ft

Passes, high roads and summits

  1. Puʻu Wēkiu, Mauna Kea The state high point, published by USGS. Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 13,797 13,796 ft
  2. Mauna Loa The largest active volcano on the planet, covering half of Hawaiʻi Island. Our own reading at its map point gives 13,674 13,679 ft
  3. Haleakalā summit The Park Service figure for the summit of the Maui volcano, reached by 11 miles of paved road above the entrance station 10,023 ft
  4. Haleakalā summit Haleakalā Crater Road to the summit 10,023 ft
  5. Maunakea Visitor Information Station Maunakea Access Road and the summit road 9,200 ft
  6. Hualālai Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, above Kailua-Kona 8,269 ft
  7. Puʻu Lāʻau Puʻu Lāʻau Road 7,000 ft
  8. Mauna Loa Lookout The end of the narrow one-lane Mauna Loa Road inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, and the highest point a road reaches in the park 6,662 ft
  9. Mauna Loa Lookout Mauna Loa Road 6,662 ft
  10. Polipoli Spring Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area road 6,200 ft
  11. Puʻu Kukui Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the West Maui high point 5,788 ft
  12. Kawaikini Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Kauaʻi high point 5,212 ft
  13. Waiʻaleʻale Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, on the Kauaʻi summit plateau 5,123 ft
  14. Kamakou Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Molokaʻi high point 4,984 ft
  15. Kaʻala Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Oʻahu high point 4,038 ft
  16. Kalalau Lookout Kōkeʻe Road and the canyon rim, Kauaʻi 4,000 ft
  17. Lānaʻihale Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Lānaʻi high point 3,379 ft

Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates), retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.

Sources for this page

58
  1. Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2, data as of September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. Geographic Names Information System and 3D Elevation Program point query. Elevation of the 3DEP surface at the GNIS coordinates of the named place, rounded to the nearest foot. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  4. Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export, the site’s own build of it. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  5. U.S. Geological Survey. Mauna Loa. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  6. U.S. Geological Survey. Kīlauea. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  7. National Park Service. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park fact sheet, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  8. National Park Service. Drive Chain of Craters Road. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  9. National Park Service. See Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  10. National Park Service. Drive Hilina Pali Road. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  11. National Park Service. Campgrounds, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  12. National Park Service. Backcountry hiking, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  13. National Park Service. Fees and passes, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  14. National Park Service. Directions and transportation, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  15. National Park Service. Mauna Loa Lookout. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  16. National Park Service. The Kahuku Unit. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  17. National Park Service. Frequently asked questions, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  18. National Park Service. Fees and passes, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  19. National Park Service. Camping, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  20. National Park Service. Hosmer Grove Campground. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  21. National Park Service. Wilderness, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  22. National Park Service. Directions, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  23. National Park Service. Kīpahulu District, Haleakalā National Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  24. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  25. Center for Maunakea Stewardship, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Visiting Maunakea safely and responsibly. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  26. Center for Maunakea Stewardship, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Maunakea Visitor Information Station. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  27. Center for Maunakea Stewardship, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Activities and permits on Maunakea, under Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 20-26. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  28. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Camping, Division of State Parks. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  29. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Polihale State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  30. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  31. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Waiʻānapanapa State Park, with the campervan permit. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  32. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Kōkeʻe State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  33. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Kaʻena Point State Park and the Vehicle Access Special Use Permit. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  34. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park, park information. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  35. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Hāʻena and Nāpali Coast access information. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  36. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. DLNR working towards reopening Polihale State Park, news release nr20-139. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  37. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 13 Chapter 146, State Parks. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  38. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Hawaii Administrative Rules, Chapter 13-104, Rules Regulating Activities Within Forest Reserves, amendment and compilation. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  39. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Permit guidelines, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  40. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Camping, Division of Forestry and Wildlife outdoor recreation. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  41. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Forest Reserves by island, with counts and acreages. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  42. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Forest Reserve System. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  43. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Lands and management classifications, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  44. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Nā Ala Hele Trail and Access Program. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  45. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Off-highway vehicles, Nā Ala Hele. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  46. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Report to the Thirty-First Legislature, 2022 Regular Session: Nā Ala Hele, fiscal year 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  47. Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Department of Land and Natural Resources. Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  48. Hawaiʻi Birding Trails, Department of Land and Natural Resources. Palila Forest Discovery Trail and Puʻu Lāʻau Road. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  49. County of Hawaiʻi, Office of the Mayor. Twenty-fourth Mayor’s Waipiʻo Valley Road continued Emergency Rule No. 2 and Emergency Rule No. 1, effective July 4, 2026. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  50. County of Hawaiʻi. Out of state permit, Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  51. County of Hawaiʻi. Camping reservations, Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  52. County of Kauaʻi Department of Parks and Recreation. Campground guidelines, rules and fees. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  53. County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation. Campground guide and rules, and camping information and fees. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  54. National Weather Service, Honolulu. Climate of Hawaiʻi. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  55. Hawaii Department of Transportation. Saddle Road renamed Daniel K. Inouye Highway, realignment to Māmalahoa Highway opened. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  56. Hawaii Department of Transportation. Maui state roads and highways, with the definition of each route. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  57. Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The State of Hawaii Data Book 2023, Section 18, Table 18.01: distances of selected state routes and interstates, from the Department of Transportation Highways Division. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  58. Federal Highway Administration. America’s Byways in Hawaii. Retrieved September 25, 2026.

Reviewed September 25, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.

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