Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge
Hanalei NWR
Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is the oldest and largest of the three Refuges located on Kauaʻi. It was established in 1972 to recover threatened and endangered species, including the koloa (Hawaiian duck), ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian coot), ʻalae ʻula (Hawaiian Gallinule), and the aeʻo (Hawaiian Stilt) and the nēnē (Hawaiian Goose). The Refuge is comprised of 917 acres and is located near the town of Hanalei.
The Refuge consists of managed wetlands that mimic the unique natural Hawaiian wetland systems, which provide all the necessary life history requirements for native Hawaiian and migratory waterbird species. In addition to the five threatened and endangered waterbirds for which the refuge is primarily managed to protect, 49 other species of birds also use the Refuge.
The Hanalei Valley has also been used for wetland agriculture for several hundred years. Historic kalo (taro) farming practices help maintain waterbird feeding and nesting areas, in conjunction with Service managed wetlands. Click HERE to learn more about kalo farming on the Refuge.
Hanalei NWR Viewpoint
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Highways Division (HDOT), is pleased to welcome the community and visitors to the new Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Viewpoint site, which opened to the public on April 30, 2024.
The Viewpoint site is the primary location for the public to visit the Hanalei NWR, where the public can safely view the many sensitive endangered species and habitats in the valley from a distance. The site is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
The Viewpoint is a 5.4-acre parcel located along Kūhiō Highway in Princeville that includes two lookouts featuring views of the greater Hanalei Valley and Bay, Hanalei NWR, and Halele‘a Forest Reserve. The site also includes parking for 25 cars, short-term parking for a maximum of three small buses, interpretive displays, vault toilets, and native plantings that will provide residents and visitors with opportunities to learn about the natural and cultural history of the Hanalei Valley and Hanalei NWR.
Hanalei NWR is closed to the public to protect the endangered waterbirds. However, limited access is allowed along a county road, and a small parking area is open to support access to the ʻŌkolehao Trail.
We encourage you to visit interpretive signage, located at the Hanalei Valley overlook across from the Princeville Shopping Center, to enjoy dramatic views and learn more about the Refuge.
There are so many reasons to love our wetlands!