Survival Preppers and Hawaii Camping: A Match Made in Paradise
Living in Hawaii offers a unique challenge for survival preppers. The beauty of these islands is undeniable, but as preppers, we know that beauty often masks the need for serious preparation. Whether you’re gearing up for a bug-out situation, seeking to improve your wilderness survival skills, or simply looking for a peaceful yet practical location to hone your craft, Hawaii has some of the best survival camping spots on the planet.
In this guide, I’m going to share 30 of the best campsites in Hawaii that are not only breathtakingly beautiful but also give you the perfect environment for testing and refining your survival skills. From remote jungle campsites to coastal hideaways, these locations will push your limits and prepare you for any survival scenario in Hawaii’s tropical wilderness.
Why Hawaii is Perfect for Preppers
Hawaii is home to diverse ecosystems, ranging from lush rainforests and volcanic terrains to arid deserts and towering mountains. The state’s isolated nature also makes it a great place for preppers who want to practice homesteading and long-term survival strategies without the interference of city life. However, you need to know where to go to test your skills effectively.
You’ll find both government-managed campsites and privately owned areas, each offering its own set of challenges. Whether you’re hiking into the backcountry to test your skills in food gathering, water purification, or shelter-building, Hawaii’s unique environments provide plenty of opportunities to practice and become self-sufficient.
30 Best Camping Sites for Survival Preppers in Hawaii
- Koke’e State Park (Kauai)
With its high elevation and dense forest, this park is ideal for testing your wilderness survival abilities. You’ll find plenty of hiking trails that lead into the heart of the island’s rugged terrain. - Napali Coast State Park (Kauai)
A remote and challenging spot to reach, the Napali Coast offers towering sea cliffs, hidden beaches, and a wilderness experience like no other. If you’re looking to practice coastal survival skills, this is the place. - Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area (Maui)
Located in the slopes of Haleakalā, this spot offers cool temperatures and thick forests perfect for shelter-building, navigation, and even foraging. - Waiʻānapanapa State Park (Maui)
Known for its black sand beach, this site offers a range of coastal survival challenges. The rocky shorelines and dramatic sea cliffs will put your resourcefulness to the test. - Haleakalā National Park (Maui)
A vast, diverse landscape from volcanic craters to lush valleys makes this park perfect for those wanting to experience diverse survival scenarios. A great place for learning fire-starting techniques and shelter building. - Na Ala Hele Trail System (Big Island)
This extensive network of trails offers access to a variety of terrains, from dense rainforests to dry lava flows. It’s the perfect place to work on navigation and endurance. - Hilo Forest Reserve (Big Island)
If you want to practice your foraging and shelter-building skills, the Hilo Forest Reserve provides the lush, tropical environment for all sorts of survival tasks. - Kailua Beach (Oahu)
Ideal for practicing beach and coastal survival techniques, you can learn to catch fish, forage for food, and build shelters in this relatively accessible area. - Diamond Head State Monument (Oahu)
While it’s a popular tourist spot, the backcountry surrounding the Diamond Head crater provides a range of survival training opportunities, including navigation, shelter, and foraging. - Pipiwai Trail (Maui)
Located within the Haleakalā National Park, the Pipiwai Trail takes you through rainforests and bamboo groves, offering diverse challenges for any prepper. - Kīlauea Iki Trail (Big Island)
This volcanic trail offers both challenges and rewards as you practice wilderness survival in a unique volcanic landscape. - Makua Valley (Oahu)
Isolated and remote, this valley offers a chance to work on your self-sufficiency skills, with rugged terrain and little outside assistance. - Manini’owali Beach (Kona, Big Island)
A quiet and beautiful beach perfect for practicing coastal survival, with opportunities for fishing and building beach shelters. - Makapu’u Point (Oahu)
The coastline around Makapu’u provides a tough, rocky environment ideal for coastal survival. The area also has a variety of wildlife, great for learning about tracking. - Pololu Valley (Big Island)
Known for its breathtaking views, Pololu Valley is perfect for preppers wanting to test their skills in dense vegetation and rocky, challenging terrains. - Kohala Forest Reserve (Big Island)
With its challenging slopes and diverse ecosystem, this reserve provides a great spot for testing your ability to navigate, forage, and create shelter. - Camp Olowalu (Maui)
This campsite is located right by the beach and offers a peaceful, practical environment for practicing beachside survival techniques. - Kalalau Valley (Kauai)
Remote and stunning, Kalalau Valley is a hiking challenge and offers opportunities for practicing wilderness survival in an isolated tropical environment. - Waimea Canyon State Park (Kauai)
Known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon is perfect for testing your survival skills in a rugged, isolated environment. - Kaʻena Point State Park (Oahu)
A remote, coastal wilderness area where you can practice survival skills in isolation, focusing on water collection, shelter building, and food foraging. - Mauna Loa (Big Island)
For those looking to practice in a volcanic environment, Mauna Loa offers a unique and challenging terrain. - Polipoli State Park (Maui)
Located in the cooler highlands, this spot provides ample opportunities for testing your cold-weather survival strategies in a Hawaiian setting. - Waimanu Valley (Big Island)
This remote spot can only be accessed by foot or boat, offering an isolated area to practice foraging, shelter building, and survival tactics. - Kona Coast (Big Island)
A great spot for coastal preppers looking to test their ability to survive in a more arid, rocky environment. - Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park (Big Island)
Famous for its volcanic activity, this park offers unique challenges for any prepper—especially in learning to work with volcanic environments. - Kahua Ranch (Big Island)
A secluded ranch where you can practice homesteading and survival skills, such as animal husbandry and sustainable living. - Kauai Backcountry Adventures (Kauai)
If you’re looking to practice more extreme survival techniques, this company offers guided tours of Kauai’s rugged and remote backcountry. - Makaha Beach (Oahu)
Known for its seclusion, Makaha is perfect for practicing water purification and coastal survival techniques in a challenging environment. - Kona Coffee Trail (Big Island)
While walking this trail, you’ll learn about traditional coffee farming and how to forage, along with how to create a sustainable living in Hawaii’s wilderness. - Waipio Valley (Big Island)
Known for its steep cliffs and rugged beauty, Waipio Valley is perfect for honing your navigation, water collection, and shelter-building techniques.
Preparing for the Ultimate Survival Test in Hawaii
Each of these campsites offers unique challenges that will test your mental and physical limits as a prepper. The best thing about survival camping in Hawaii is the diversity of environments available. You can go from the coast to the jungle and even the highlands, all in a single day’s journey.
If you’re preparing for long-term survival or simply want to explore the island’s wildest, most isolated places, each of these campsites offers the chance to develop crucial skills—whether it’s fire building, water purification, food sourcing, or shelter construction.
Being a survival prepper in Hawaii is more than just enjoying the beauty of the islands—it’s about adapting to the natural environment and becoming self-sufficient, no matter what comes your way.
TheDailyChristian 