ʻIao Valley State Monument Reopens After Walkway Repairs

‘Iao Valley, file photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The Department of Land and Natural Resources reopened ʻIao Valley State Monument on Tuesday after completing repairs to sections of the park walkway.

The repairs included replacement of stream-side walkways, repairs to damaged concrete walkway steps, and replacement of sections of the main asphalt walkway from the comfort station to the bridge.

‘Iao Valley photo by Wendy Osher.

The $23,500 contract was awarded to Vares Contracting, and was funded through the transient accommodations tax revenue, in cooperation with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

‘Iao ticket booth fire. File photo by Wendy Osher.

Work was also completed on the replacement of a parking toll booth that was destroyed by vandalism and fire near the top parking lot entrance in early November.  The replacement of the Republic Parking vendor booth was made possible through a donation from Maui Land & Pineapple Co.

“This is private sector helping private sector helping the public sector and a great example of Maui style kokua among neighbors,” said Dan Quinn, State Parks administrator.

ʻIao Valley State Monument, is part of the scenic West Maui Mountain range and features the Kukaemoku (ʻIao Needle) erosional peak that rises 1,200 feet from the valley floor.

The park also features a paved walking trail, a short paved loop trail, an ethnobotanical garden, and views of the famed ʻIao Stream, one of the four waterways that make up the network of Na Wai ʻEha.