Hawaii Public Access Battle: Haleakala Trail Mark Twain Walked To Reopen

In a major win for public access in Hawaii, a judge on Maui ruled that the long-blocked Haleakala Trail must be reopened to the public at long last. Once traveled by adventurers like Mark Twain, the trail was a famed route to the summit crater of Maui’s iconic volcano. The decision ends a decades-long fight and underscores Hawaii’s ongoing tension between preservation, access, and privatization of lands that were once freely used by residents and visitors alike.

Second Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill ruled on March 19 that the State of Hawaii failed to meet its legal duty to preserve and protect this historic trail on the slopes of Maui’s most famous volcano. While the order does not specify a reopening date, it does require the state to act and signals that access must be restored—perhaps setting a precedent for other blocked pathways and trails across the islands, of which there are many.

The decision is already sparking renewed interest in Hawaii’s lesser-known historic trails and raising questions about how many are still accessible—or not, but might soon be.

Why Haleakala Trail matters.

The historic Haleakala Trail begins in the Olinda area and follows a long-forgotten route up the volcano’s western slope to the summit crater. The 7.4-mile path climbs more than 3,500 feet and is believed to be a Native Hawaiian route used for cultural and ceremonial journeys. It was also known historically as the Haleakala Bridle Trail, built in the 1800s for horses and pack animals traveling to the summit before the era of cars and paved highways.

For decades, hikers have been restricted from accessing the trail by gates and fences placed by the Haleakala Ranch Company, which argued that it had the right to control trail entry. The state’s approach to access further complicated matters, suggesting only guided hikes be allowed and no clear identification of the trail’s legal path.

That has now changed definitively. The court ruled that the trail is a public right of way and must be treated as such. Judge Cahill said blocking access was a public nuisance, and the state’s failure to act violated its public trust obligations.

Hawaii visitors and residents are increasingly locked out of public lands.

As one Beat of Hawaii commenter, Mark, noted in response to another trail access article, “It’s frustrating to show up with hiking shoes and a map only to be told you can’t go unless you booked a tour two weeks ago.”

This ruling could change the tone. The judge’s declaration that the state must now remove barriers to the Haleakala Trail and even locate the precise path on the ground raises the question: How many other blocked or semi-blocked trails are public?

Long fight reveals deeper legal tensions and fascinating facts.

The fight to reopen Haleakala Trail has lasted for nearly two decades. It began in 2005 when retired ophthalmologist David Brown discovered historical references to the trail and asked why it was no longer open. He went on to found Public Access Trails Hawaii (PATH), which uncovered a trove of old government maps and documents confirming the trail’s public ownership and long-forgotten cultural, legal, and historical importance.

The trail, once known as the Haleakala Bridle Trail, begins at the top of Olinda Road in Makawao and was historically used by Native Hawaiians to access the summit crater for spiritual practices. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Kingdom of Hawaii—and later the Territory of Hawaii—spent public funds to survey, maintain, and improve the route, including installing permanent stone markers known as fingerposts to guide travelers along the way. For decades, the trail was one of the island’s most important access routes to the summit, drawing visitors and other early adventurers.

But with the rise of automobile travel and a newly paved crater road, the trail gradually fell into obscurity. Haleakala Ranch eventually blocked access and disputed state ownership, even as the State of Hawaii continued to claim the trail as public under law. PATH filed suit in 2011, naming both the ranch and the state for failing to restore public access, despite decades of public investment and use.

A 2016 ruling confirmed that the state owns the trail, but this month’s court order requires the state to reopen the trail and physically identify its location on the ground. Judge Peter Cahill said the state cannot fulfill its public trust obligations without doing so. The judge is referencing the Highways Act of 1892, approved by Queen Liliuokalani.

What that 1892 ruling means today is that the state can claim ownership of a trail (even if some of it is on private land), provided there is documentation that the trail existed before 1892.

The judge also rejected the state’s reliance on a limited guided hike system, saying it failed to allow public use of the trail “as they choose.” That critique may echo in future legal fights over access to other trails and shorelines across the islands.

What happens next on Maui.

The trail is not yet physically open. The state has not confirmed whether it will appeal or comply with the ruling. In practical terms, the trail remains behind fences, and there are logistical questions about how soon those barriers will be removed and how the path will be marked and maintained.

Based on the ruling, the state must identify the exact trail alignment and restore access. But if past public access cases are any guide, this process could take months or longer—possibly pushing the reopening into late 2025 or perhaps well beyond. A delay or legal appeal would stretch that timeline even further.

But the message is already clear. Public lands and trails, especially those with historic or cultural value, must be treated as more than visitor and resident experiences that can be monetized or restricted.

This comes as Maui is reevaluating how tourism works—especially in the aftermath of last year’s fire, the ongoing short-term rental debate, and pressure on natural resources. As new hotels are announced and more land is subdivided, the push for balanced access grows stronger.

Opening the Haleakala Trail could signal a turning point where access becomes more than a formality.

The broader impact across Hawaii.

The outcome on Maui may inspire challenges elsewhere. Across the islands, dozens of trails, old government roads, and shoreline paths have been fenced off or redirected over time. While some closures are legitimate, others may be vulnerable to legal scrutiny following this decision.

Public land access in Hawaii remains a growing point of tension—especially when visitors are paying more but experiencing less. This ruling calls that model into question.

Hawaii has long struggled defining where public access ends and private rights begin. That tension has only grown as real estate prices rise, visitor numbers fluctuate, and more residents and travelers call for access to places they believe should be open to all.

Cases like this draw a line in the sand. They say, in effect, that Hawaii’s trails cannot be quietly locked behind gates or commercialized into exclusive experiences.

Visitors may not be able to walk the Haleakala Trail today, but thanks to this ruling, they soon might. If this victory spreads, other trails—and beaches—may follow.

We welcome your input about public access of trails in Hawaii.