The Tragedy That Led To The Closure of One of Hawaii’s Most Popular Parks

The Mother’s Day landslide of 1999

(By D. Howard Hitchcock — Maxon, Helen Hitchcock, D. Howard Hitchcock, Islander, Honolulu, Topgallant Pub. Co, 1987, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24919823)

Sacred Falls State Park was a park on the island of Oahu located near the North Shore. It included the Kaluanui gulch and a number of breathtaking waterfalls. The park was immensely popular with both locals and tourists. Thousands of people per year would make the trip to the park to hike, see the waterfalls, and spend time lounging in the gulch. Many people have fond memories of picnicking within the narrow gorge that led up to the towering waterfalls. Parents would sit on rocks and relax in the sun while nibbling on snacks, while kids splashed in the pools.

But Sacred Falls State Park is no more. It was permanently closed in 1999 following a horrible disaster. Despite the closure to the park, brazen hikers and explorers continue to break the rules, risking arrest, to see the waterfalls for themselves. If you are caught within the bounds of the former park today, you can face hefty fines and a stint in the local jail.

So what happened? What could cause a state park to permanently close? Why do people continue to sneak into Sacred Falls despite the warnings?

On May 9, 1999, dozens of people were spending time at the state park enjoying a beautiful day when disaster struck. A rockslide…