Kalaupapa Peninsula juts from the north shore of Molokai, cut off by sea cliffs that rise 1,600 feet in less than a mile — among the tallest continuous sea cliffs on Earth. For nearly fifty years, the Molokai Mule Ride carried visitors down 26 switchbacks to the settlement floor, a journey that combined sweeping coastal views with access to one of Hawaii’s most historically layered sites. That ride has been suspended since a landslide on February 21, 2018, sent debris across the pali trail above switchback 4, and the National Park Service has not certified the trail for commercial mule operations since.
Travelers planning a 2026 visit to Kalaupapa National Historical Park need to work with the two options that remain: hiking the pali trail or flying into Kalaupapa Airport (LUP). This article covers what the mule ride was, how to reach the peninsula today, what you’ll see with Damien Tours once you’re there, and the practical realities — permits, fitness demands, timing, and the historical weight that shapes every visit.
The pali trail descends roughly 1,664 feet in about 2.9 miles, with an average grade near 11 percent and several switchback segments steeper. Its 26 numbered switchbacks are stenciled onto the rock faces — switchback 1 near the trailhead at Pala’au State Park, switchback 26 opening onto the beach flats above the settlement road.
The Molokai Mule Ride: What It Was and Where It Stands
Mules provided the safest and most reliable way for people and supplies to reach Kalaupapa from the main part of Molokai as far back as the late 1800s, when the peninsula became a forced-isolation settlement for Hansen’s disease patients. By 1988, companies like Damien Tours had formalized commercial mule operations on the trail, running guided descents that allowed up to 18 riders at a time. The ride became a signature Molokai experience — a slow, steady drop down a narrow three-to-four-foot-wide trail where basalt outcrops force tighter lines on several switchbacks.
That changed in February 2018. A landslide above switchback 4 damaged sections of the trail used daily by the commercial operator. The NPS closed the trail to hikers while engineers assessed debris and slope stability, and the Molokai Mule Ride stopped commercial operations that week. The hiking trail reopened in phases starting in 2019, but the mule concession has not returned to its pre-2018 daily cadence. Media coverage through 2024 and 2025 tracked periodic negotiations between the operator, the NPS, and the state Department of Health, but no fixed reopening date has been set. For 2026 planning purposes, the mule ride is effectively unavailable.
Getting to Kalaupapa in 2026: Hike or Fly
Every non-resident visitor over age 16 needs advance authorization to enter Kalaupapa National Historical Park. The park covers roughly 10,779 acres on the peninsula and surrounding lands, and the Hawaii Department of Health retains regulatory jurisdiction over the active residential settlement — no visitors under 16 are allowed at all under long-standing rules. Authorization comes through three paths: a permit sponsored by an active Kalaupapa resident, an authorized tour company (Damien Tours), or an NPS-approved research or work purpose. For most visitors, that means booking Damien Tours and either hiking down or flying in.
If you hike, you’ll descend the pali trail from the topside trailhead near mile marker 4 on Highway 470, at Pala’au State Park. You need to reach the base by 10:00 a.m. to meet the Damien Tours bus. If you fly, Makani Kai Air and Mokulele Airlines operate single-engine commuter service into Kalaupapa Airport from Honolulu (HNL) or Molokai Airport (MKK). Round-trip fares typically run $225 to $325 per person from Honolulu, or $110 to $160 from topside Molokai. Either way, you join the same Damien Tours ground portion once you’re on the peninsula floor.
There is no interisland passenger ferry to Molokai in 2026 — the Molokai-Maui ferry ceased operations in 2016. You’ll need to fly into Molokai Airport (MKK) from Honolulu or Maui and either rent a car or arrange transport to the trailhead. The drive from Kaunakakai to Pala’au State Park takes roughly 30 to 35 minutes along Highway 470.
The Pali Trail: 26 Switchbacks Down
The trail drops roughly 1,664 vertical feet over 2.9 miles, packed dirt and volcanic rock with roots and loose stone in the mid-elevation switchbacks. Fifty-six numbered switchbacks — each stenciled onto the rock face — guide you down. Switchback 1 sits near the trailhead at Pala’au State Park; switchback 26 opens onto the beach flats above the settlement road. Descent time for fit hikers averages 60 to 90 minutes at a working pace. The return climb takes 90 to 150 minutes, and that’s where fatigue and heat exposure catch most people.
Trail runners with aggressive tread outperform smooth hiking boots on the way down, while stiffer boots help most on the climb back up. Rain in winter months — November through March — turns the mid-trail into a slick sheet, and the NPS periodically closes the trail when the surface becomes unsafe. Summer months May through September offer more reliable weather windows, though midday heat indices can climb into the low 90s on exposed switchbacks. Trade winds from the northeast average 12 to 18 mph and can gust much higher through winter.
Start your descent by 7:00 a.m. from the Pala’au trailhead. That gives you a 60- to 90-minute window to reach the base by 8:30 a.m., plenty of time before the 10:00 a.m. Damien Tours rendezvous. A 6:30 a.m. check-in at the trailhead — parking at the end of Highway 470 — is the standard move.
Damien Tours: The Ground Component
Once you reach the peninsula floor — by foot or by air — you must join the Damien Tours ground portion. This is the mechanism by which the NPS and the Department of Health limit unescorted movement through the active residential community. The tour runs roughly four hours and covers the settlement’s historic core, including St. Philomena Church, Siloama Church (the community’s first Protestant congregation, founded in 1866), the Kalaupapa Airport building, the crater lookout at Kauhako, and the settlement store. The tour vehicle is typically a repurposed school bus, and the guide is often someone with deep family ties to the settlement.
The tour kicks off around 10:30 a.m., after small commuter aircraft have landed and hikers have made their descent. It works through the historic core over roughly two hours, breaks for a packed lunch near the shoreline, and completes the loop by 2:00 p.m. That leaves hikers with a hard window: you need to complete the 1,600-foot climb back up before daylight and heat degrade the trail. Lunch is not provided — you pack your own food and water.
The History That Shapes Every Visit
In 1866, the Hawaiian Kingdom, under pressure from the Hansen’s disease epidemic, established a forced-isolation settlement on the Kalaupapa Peninsula. Over the next 103 years, roughly 8,000 people — most of them Native Hawaiian — were exiled there, separated from their families for life. The peninsula became a community and, functionally, a graveyard. Father Damien de Veuster, a Belgian Catholic priest, arrived on May 10, 1873, and spent the rest of his life in the settlement, dying of Hansen’s disease on April 15, 1889. Mother Marianne Cope arrived in 1888 and served until her death in 1918. Both were canonized as Catholic saints — Damien in 2009, Marianne in 2012 — and much of the visitor day centers on their work and burial sites at St. Philomena Church.
The forced-isolation policy formally ended in 1969. Remaining residents were given the right to stay for life, and as of the mid-2020s, a small number of former patients — most in their 80s and 90s — still live at Kalaupapa year-round. That’s why the Department of Health retains authority over the residential settlement, and why every non-resident visitor must be part of an escorted tour. The rules are absolute: no photography of residents, their homes, or their vehicles. No entering marked-off private lots. No leaving the tour group without the guide’s approval. Visitors remove hats and speak quietly at St. Philomena Church and the two adjacent cemeteries, which hold roughly 8,000 graves from the isolation period.
Photography rules on the peninsula carry real consequences. The NPS enforces them with trespass penalties, and repeat violators lose future access permits. You can photograph buildings and landscapes freely, but point your camera at a resident, their home, or their vehicle, and you risk being banned from the park entirely.
Practical Planning: Permits, Fitness, and What to Pack
Reservations for Damien Tours should be locked in at least four weeks ahead during peak months — June, July, and August — when tour capacity fills fastest. The ground portion historically costs $60 to $70 per person, cash preferred, payable at the base of the trail. That fee is separate from any transportation cost. If you fly in, you’ll add round-trip commuter airfare. If you hike, your transport cost is zero, but the fitness demand is significant.
Here’s what a standard Kalaupapa day looks like on the hike-in schedule:
Park at the end of Highway 470. The trailhead sits near mile marker 4 within Pala’au State Park. Confirm your Damien Tours reservation and carry photo ID for NPS entry verification.
Sixty to 90 minutes down the pali trail through 26 switchbacks. Pace yourself — the return climb is the real challenge.
Meet the Damien Tours bus at the staging area near the trail terminus. You have about 90 minutes before the tour starts — use it to rest, eat a snack, and rehydrate.
Four-hour guided bus tour covering St. Philomena Church, Siloama Church, Kauhako Crater lookout, and the settlement store. Pack your own lunch — no food is available on the peninsula.
Ninety to 150 minutes of ascending 1,664 feet in limited shade. Trailside temperatures typically sit between 78 and 85 °F. Carry 2.5 to 3 liters of water per person for the round trip.
Heading into the trail prepared makes the difference between a memorable day and a grueling one.
For the climb, hiking poles help — especially on wet days — and a well-fitting backpack keeps your load stable. The Samsonite Classic Leather Slim Backpack works well as a compact day pack for carrying water, lunch, sunscreen, and a rain shell. Long pants protect your legs from brush and saddle rub if you’re riding, and from sun exposure on the exposed switchbacks. A hat with a chin strap, sunglasses, and sunscreen are non-negotiable on the descent. Rain gear matters in winter. Cell service on the peninsula is limited and unreliable — carry a whistle, a headlamp with fresh batteries, and a small first aid kit with electrolyte tablets.
Helicopter evacuation from the pali trail can cost $15,000 to $40,000. Standard travel insurance does not always cover backcountry rescue on federal park land. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, discuss the trip with your physician and carry daily medication in a labeled, waterproof container.
Before You Go — Kalaupapa National Historical Park
Is the Molokai Mule Ride running in 2026?
No. The Molokai Mule Ride has been suspended since the February 2018 landslide. The NPS has not certified the trail for commercial mule operations, and no reopening date has been set. Plan around the hike-in or fly-in options.
Can I bring my kids?
No visitors under age 16 are permitted to enter Kalaupapa National Historical Park under long-standing Hawaii Department of Health rules. Families with younger children can view the peninsula from the topside lookout at Pala’au State Park.
How fit do I need to be for the hike?
The descent is manageable for most people who exercise regularly. The climb back up is a different matter — 1,664 feet over 2.9 miles at midday with limited shade. Treat it like a training day, not a stroll. If you have cardiac concerns or are an older hiker, consider the fly-in option or consult your physician before committing.
What’s the total cost?
Damien Tours charges $60 to $70 per person, cash only at the base of the trail. Hikers pay just that. Fly-in visitors add round-trip airfare: roughly $225 to $325 from Honolulu or $110 to $160 from Molokai Airport. Confirm current rates at the time of booking — prices shift year to year.
When should I book?
Book Damien Tours at least four to six weeks ahead during peak months (June through August). April, May, September, and October offer shoulder-season conditions with lower demand. November through March brings heavier rain and occasional trail closures.
One Last Thing
Kalaupapa is not a typical national park. You are a guest in an active community whose members did not choose exile and lived through decades of forced separation. The permit system, the escorted tours, the photography restrictions — every rule exists to protect the privacy and dignity of the residents who remain. That weight is part of what makes visiting here different from any other cliffside hike or scenic overlook in Hawaii. If you plan carefully, respect the guidelines, and pace yourself on the trail, you’ll walk away with an understanding of Molokai that no postcard can deliver. For more on planning a broader Molokai itinerary, check out our full guide to the Molokai Mule Ride experience.
References
Hawaii Department of Health. “Kalaupapa Settlement.” 2025. ↗
Hawaii Department of Transportation. “Molokai Airport (MKK).” 2025. ↗
U.S. Census Bureau. “QuickFacts: Hawaii.” 2024. ↗
Hawaii Tourism Authority. “Molokai Things to Do.” 2025. ↗
For more Hawaii travel planning, browse our guides to cave tubing on Kauai, stargazing atop Mauna Kea, and canyoneering in Waimea Canyon. Each offers a very different kind of adventure, but they share the same principle: the best experiences on these islands reward the preparation you put in beforehand.
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