Twenty-six numbered switchbacks are stenciled into the basalt face of Molokai’s north shore sea cliffs, marking a 2.9-mile trail that drops 1,664 feet from Pala’au State Park to the floor of Kalaupapa Peninsula. For nearly fifty years, the Molokai Mule Ride carried visitors down that same route on muleback — a slow, steady descent past some of the tallest sea cliffs on Earth by continuous vertical rise.
Over 103 years, roughly 8,000 people were exiled to Kalaupapa under Hawaii’s forced-isolation policy for Hansen’s disease — most Native Hawaiian, most separated from their families for life.
The Molokai Mule Ride has been suspended since February 2018 after a landslide above switchback 4 damaged the trail, and it is not expected to resume by mid-2026. You can still reach Kalaupapa by hiking the pali trail or by flying into Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), then joining the required Damien Tours ground tour. Either way, you need a permit and a reservation — this is not a show-up-and-go destination.
History travelers
Fit hikers
Cultural travelers
Then, in February 2018, a landslide above switchback 4 sent debris across the trail. The commercial mule operation stopped that week, and as of mid-2026 it has not returned to regular service. This guide covers what the mule ride was, what changed, and how you can still reach Kalaupapa today — whether on foot or by air.
Kalaupapa is unlike any other place in Hawaii. It is an active residential community where former Hansen’s disease patients live out their lives under a state-guaranteed residency right, and every visitor must follow strict rules set by the Hawaii Department of Health and the National Park Service. Below is a quick comparison of the three ways to get there.
| Method | Time Down | Transport Cost | Fitness Needed | Available 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial mule ride | ~90 min | ~$210 (suspended) | Low | No |
| Hike (pali trail) | 60–90 min | $0 + $60–$70 tour fee | High | Yes |
| Fly from Honolulu | ~45 min flight | $225–$325 + tour fee | Low | Yes |
| Fly from Molokai (MKK) | ~10 min flight | $110–$160 + tour fee | Low | Yes |
The Trail and the Mule Ride Legacy
The Kalaupapa Trail was carved into the sea cliffs long before it became a tourist route. Mules provided the safest, most reliable way to move people and supplies between the main part of Molokai and the isolated peninsula below. In 1988, Damien Tours and other operators improved and formalized the trail, running guided mule rides that became a signature Molokai experience. Guides like Buzzy Sproat led groups down the switchbacks, sharing stories of the island’s paniolo (cowboy) culture and the history of the settlement below.
The ride operated with small groups — up to 18 riders at a time — and the mules were matched to each rider’s size and skill level. The descent took about 90 minutes, with the mules stepping into the same spots on the trail day after day. Switchbacks are numbered and stenciled directly onto the rock faces; switchback 1 sits near the trailhead at Pala’au State Park, and switchback 26 opens onto the beach flats above the settlement road.
The trail width varies from three to four feet, with sections narrowing where basalt outcrops force a tighter line. Even when the mule ride ran, riders had to trust their animal’s footing on exposed turns — something the guides emphasized before every trip.
On February 21, 2018, a landslide above switchback 4 sent debris across the trail, damaging sections used by the commercial mule operator. The National Park Service closed the trail to all users while engineers assessed the debris field and slope stability. The hiking trail reopened in phases starting in 2019, but the commercial mule operation never returned to its pre-2018 daily cadence. Negotiations between the operator, NPS, and the state Department of Health have been tracked by outlets like the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Honolulu Civil Beat, but no fixed reopening date has been set.
Kalaupapa’s Story
In 1866, the Hawaiian Kingdom, under pressure from a 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 functioned as both a community and a graveyard. A mixture of antibiotics developed in the 1940s provided a cure, but the isolation policy was not formally ended until 1969. By then, many residents had built lives in Kalaupapa and chose to stay.
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. Their work and burial sites at St. Philomena Church are central to the visitor experience today.
As of the mid-2020s, only a small number of former patients still live at Kalaupapa year-round, most in their 80s and 90s. The Kalaupapa National Historical Park, authorized by Congress in 1980, covers roughly 10,779 acres on the peninsula and surrounding lands, but the Department of Health retains regulatory authority over the residential settlement itself. Every non-resident visitor over age 16 needs advance authorization, and no visitors under 16 are allowed at all.
Getting Down to the Peninsula Today
With the mule ride suspended, two options remain for reaching the peninsula floor: hiking the pali trail or flying into Kalaupapa Airport. Both routes require you to join the Damien Tours ground portion once you arrive — unescorted movement through the settlement is not permitted for non-residents.
Hiking the Pali Trail
The trail runs 2.9 miles from the trailhead near mile marker 4 on Highway 470 down to the settlement flats. The surface is packed dirt and volcanic rock, with roots and loose stone in the mid-elevation switchbacks. Descent time averages 60 to 90 minutes for a fit hiker. The return climb takes 90 to 150 minutes — that’s where the day taxes your cardiovascular system, especially under a midday sun with limited shade and temperatures in the 78–85 °F range.
Hikers check in at the topside trailhead at Pala’au State Park around 6:30 a.m., begin the descent by 7:00 a.m., and aim to meet the Damien Tours bus at the base by 10:00 a.m. The tour kicks off around 10:30 a.m. after commuter flights have landed, runs for about four hours, and finishes around 2:00 p.m. That leaves a tight window to complete the climb back up before daylight and heat degrade the trail conditions.
Trail runners with aggressive tread outperform smooth hiking boots on the descent, but a stiffer boot helps most people on the climb back up. Rain between November and March turns the mid-trail into a slick sheet — the NPS periodically closes the trail when the surface becomes unsafe.
Flying In
Visitors who cannot hike the trail can reach Kalaupapa on Mokulele Airlines or Makani Kai Air, which operate single-engine commuter service into Kalaupapa Airport (LUP). Flights depart from Honolulu (HNL) or Molokai Airport (MKK). Round-trip fares typically run $225–$325 from Honolulu and $110–$160 from topside Molokai. You still need the Damien Tours reservation — flying in does not bypass the permit or escort requirement.
Planning Your Kalaupapa Day
Kalaupapa combines a demanding physical descent (or a short flight), a four-hour bus tour with considerable historical weight, and a strict schedule set by the tour and commuter aircraft rhythm. The only workable planning move is to build your entire day around the 10:00 a.m. Damien Tours rendezvous at the base.
Permits and reservations should be locked in at least four weeks ahead during peak months — June, July, and August fill fastest. Damien Tours charges around $60–$70 per person for the ground portion, cash preferred, payable at the bottom of the trail. Lunch is not provided; pack your own food and at least 2.5 to 3 liters of water per person for the round trip.
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. In-park emergency response is coordinated through the NPS ranger station, and a serious injury on the trail typically requires helicopter evacuation — costs can run $15,000 to $40,000, and standard travel insurance does not always cover backcountry rescue on federal park land.
Where to Base Yourself
Molokai has one commercial airport, Molokai Airport (MKK), about seven miles west of Kaunakakai. Hawaiian Airlines and Mokulele Airlines operate regular service from Honolulu; flight time is 25 to 30 minutes. There is no interisland passenger ferry to Molokai in 2026 — the Molokai-Maui ferry ceased operations in 2016.
Kaunakakai, the island’s main town (population roughly 3,500), sits on the south shore and is where most travelers base themselves. It’s about 17 miles from Kaunakakai to the Pala’au State Park trailhead — a 30- to 35-minute drive along Highway 470. The primary hotel is Hotel Molokai, with roughly 50 rooms and nightly rates typically $195–$325. Condo options include Wavecrest on the east end ($135–$220) and Ke Nani Kai on the west end ($165–$275). Most restaurants in Kaunakakai close by 8:30 p.m., and the grocery footprint is limited to one supermarket plus a bakery famous for hot bread pulled from the oven after 8 p.m.
- The commercial mule ride is suspended and not expected to resume by mid-2026 — plan for the hike or a commuter flight instead.
- Every non-resident visitor over 16 needs a permit and a Damien Tours reservation; no visitors under 16 are allowed.
- The hike down is manageable, but the 1,600-foot climb back up in midday heat is the real test — treat it as a training day, not a stroll.
Before You Go — Kalaupapa
Is the Molokai Mule Ride running again?
No. The mule operation has been suspended since February 2018, and the NPS has not certified the trail for commercial mule use. Travelers planning a trip in 2026 should treat the hike or flight as their only options.
Can I bring my kids?
No. Visitors under 16 are prohibited from entering Kalaupapa National Historical Park under long-standing Department of Health rules. Families with younger children can still see the peninsula from the lookout at Pala’au State Park at the top of the trail.
How hard is the hike, really?
The descent is manageable for most people who exercise regularly. The climb back out — 1,664 feet over 2.9 miles at midday with limited shade — is the hard part. Hikers should budget 90 to 150 minutes for the return and carry at least 2.5 liters of water.
What’s the permit process?
Booking with Damien Tours handles the permit paperwork for you. You must reserve in advance — there is no same-day walk-in option. Peak months (June–August) fill up, so book at least four weeks ahead.
What are the photography rules?
Photography of residents, their homes, and their vehicles is strictly prohibited. Photography of buildings and landscapes is welcome. Your guide will clarify what you can and cannot shoot.
Still the Same Place
The mule ride may be gone for now, but the trail is still there — 26 switchbacks stenciled into the rock, dropping through the tallest sea cliffs in the world to a peninsula that holds one of the most sobering, important stories in Hawaiian history. Whether you hike down or fly in, the day asks something of you: a four-hour bus tour that doesn’t flinch from the weight of what happened here, a climb back up that tests your legs, and a set of rules that remind you you’re a guest in a community that never asked to become a tourist destination. If you’re planning a trip to Molokai, give yourself at least two or three days on the island — it pairs naturally with a drive out to Papohaku Beach or a guided hike into Halawa Valley, both of which we cover in our guide to Hawaii’s most memorable road trips and island adventures.
References
National Park Service. “Kalaupapa National Historical Park.” ↗
Hawaii Department of Health. “Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) and Kalaupapa Settlement.” ↗
Hawaii Department of Transportation. “Molokai Airport (MKK).” ↗
U.S. Census Bureau. “QuickFacts: Hawaii.” ↗
If you’re planning a broader Hawaii trip, check out our guides to snorkeling with sea turtles, sunset cruises across the islands, and whale-watching seasons and best viewing spots. Each one pairs naturally with a visit to Molokai’s quiet, uncrowded coastline.
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