About Ka’ena

Kaena DLNR brochure (pdf)

Ecosystem brochure (pdf)

Kaʻena or Kaena Point is the westernmost tip of land on the island of Oʻahu. The point can be reached by foot from both the south (Waiʻanae Coast) and the north (Mokulēʻia) coastlines; walking in from the north side is recommended. An unimproved track extends some three miles along the coast from the end of the paved road on the north side, where a gate prevents entry of all except authorized vehicles.

On the Wai’anae, at KaÊ»ena State Park, a paved road passes a beach before terminating into an unpaved road. It continues for a few miles, after which the road is washed out, and further travel must be on foot. It is not possible to travel around the point in a vehicle as the route is better described as a “path” in most places, and is lined on one side with a cliff and on the other with lava rocks which are quite capable of damaging vehicles. The path is completely washed out in one place on the South side of the point.

In Hawaiian, kaÊ»ena means ‘the heat’. The area was named after a brother or cousin of Pele who accompanied her from Kahiki. The State of HawaiÊ»i has designated the point as a Natural Area Reserve to protect the fragile (to vehicular traffic), native strand vegetation still abundant there.

KaÊ»ena Point is a spear-shaped protrusion into the Pacific Ocean. Some ancient Hawaiian folklore states that KaÊ»ena Point is the “jumping-off” point for souls leaving this world.

(from the wiki)