camping on the big island

[grumpyscosmos]

We have a truck with a camper shell.. and would like to do some camping on the west side and maybe down around south point also..I have looked at a lot of links... but have not found much, except a few places that charge for a tent site and you cant have dogs... We are thinking about just heading over south of Hapuna around beach 69 and camping there..Think we will get arrested for camping??? Any suggestions as to where a good place would be??


“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” " Krishnamurti "

[missydog1]

People camp unofficially in Kekaha Kai State Park.

There are cabins at Hapuna that you can reserve. hawaiideborah did a write-up on them, how they are recently fixed up, here on Punaweb.

I linked the camping info for Ho'okena on that Puna's best beaches topic.

Here's something about the new rules at Kiholo Bay, not sure about dog rules:
http://gnikona.com/story/camping-changes-in-kiholo-bay

On this island, it's legal to camp in a County, State, National Park by permit, or privately run campground or on private property with permission. Certainly not just anywhere you want along the shoreline.

You can't camp at Waialea (what you call beach 69), and you can't take dogs there any more, since they put in the facilities. You can camp at Spencer, Kapa'a, and Mahukona.

Yes you could get a citation for camping illegally, not sure about arrested, but camping illegally is not pono, too many campers ignoring rules have caused all sorts of damage to the 'aina.

[grumpyscosmos]

Thanks for the information and opinion KathyH.. I have talked to many locals who used to camp but the places they used have become illegal because of County ordinances... I cant speak for others, but I grew up in the Sierra's and was taught to never abuse the environment and take all trash out with me.. Still do and pick up others if necessary.. I don't know what people did before we had so many regulations.. must just be another side effect of over population... Mahalo for you input...


“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” " Krishnamurti "

[csgray]

There are other State and County beach camping places, but I don't think any of them let you have a dog with you. A quick google search using "Hawaii Island county state campgrounds" will probably get you what you want pretty quickly. Unlike the mainland where RVs dominate the campgrounds, most of the camping is tent camping, you usuallycan't drive up to your campsite which makes truck camping a little difficult.

Carol

[Kelena]

Here's an example of what people did before regulation: When I was a kid there was a placed called "Tin Can Beach" because of all the discarded cans and bottles there much of which came from people encamped on the beach, permanently.. It was pretty dangerous, and tetanus was a real risk. Cans and bottles as far as the eye can see. And then they enacted regulations and enforced them, including a regulation against overnight camping. Bolsa Chica became a very nice beach and we frolicked there and had great fun when I was a teenager.

Also in my lifetime, they proposed a law in California that imposed a deposit on cans and bottles. Conservatives were outraged at this assault on liberty. It passed and California was cleaner almost immediately. People brought their cans and bottles in to get their deposits back.

The anti-trashing ethic needs to take better hold in Hawaii, too.

[grumpyscosmos]

Im not wondering why there is not a free for all on all beaches or pristine areas.. Quite the opposite, there are many humans who believe that its their right to abuse and pollute anywhere they want.. I was just wondering if there were any state or county parks where we could spend a few days enjoying the natural beauty of the island by starlight... I am in my mid 60's and used to backpack into many places only assessable by hiking.. But we don't have the Health to do that any more.. so the truck with tent attachment is our option...Its just interesting that the solution to beach litter is to close a beach to camping, Without opening other parks or campgrounds where a fee could be charged...and still provide a place where people who like to spend the night could.. I did search google for sites...couldn't find much, that's why i posted here..


“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” " Krishnamurti "

[Rob Tucker]

Kelena, I remember Tin Can Beach. You are not exaggerating when you say "Cans and bottles as far as the eye can see." It has been cleaned up but the area has also sort of tragically been so over groomed and developed that it just didn't feel like a beach anymore. Signs on the sand saying bacteria count too high - don't go in the water. Sand fluffed, filtered and folded by machines overnight. $15 to park. SoCal has lost it's allure. Not likely to come back. Central coast is still nice in many places.

grumpyscosmos, A few years ago I took my 4x4 Kona side and took a tortuous track over the lava to a very remote little patch of beach way off the beaten track. Local family was living there amid piles of drifting trash.

[missydog1]

grumpy,
There is plenty of info on County and State park camping. I mentioned the 4 Kohala campgrounds in my first reply. (1 State and 3 County). In South Kona, Ho'okena and Miloli'i. In Ka'u, Whittington & Punalu'u. In Puna, Isaac Hale and MacKenzie State. In Hilo district, Kolekole. In Hamakua, Laupahoehoe and Kalopa. On the Saddle, Mauna Kea State Rec. Also VNP.

None of them allow dogs. The potential for dog fights and dogs attacking kids would be high.

County camping permit page:
https://www.ehawaii.gov/Hawaii_County/ca...campre.cgi

If you are interested in a private campground, a couple are listed at Alternative Hawaii.

Re the campgrounds, Miloli'i area is not known for being haole friendly. MacKenzie has some bad juju in its history so be aware of that.

I don't know if there is camping at Kalopa, but it's a state park and most of them do. Not an ocean park of course.

[Rob Tucker]

Ho`okena has camping. Nice location.

http://hookena.org/camping.html

[pslamont]

We have camped at KoleKole it's around 14 or so miles above Hilo. Nice river running into the ocean, waterfall, grass area. I don't know the current condition of the restrooms. Oh the rope swing is a favorite!

I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says

"Oh Crap, She's up!"