West Maui Will Welcome Visitors Again This Weekend Following Devastating Fires — What to Know

t he mayor of the Hawaiian island of Maui detailed the phased reopening of West Maui set to begin this weekend following the devastating fires this summer.

West Maui will once again welcome visitors starting Sunday with access available from The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, south to Kahana Villa, according to Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. Following that, more areas will open on a rolling basis.

The opening date was set by Gov. Josh Green last month after he signed an emergency proclamation to lift the travel ban to the area. The fatal wildfire, which broke out in August and tore through the historic town of Lahaina, has killed 97 people, according to the Maui Police Department.

“Our priorities have focused on the well-being of our people and that will continue to be critically important,” Bissen said in a statement. “Six weeks ago, we focused on searching for unaccounted loved ones and supporting the safety and health of survivors. As we take careful steps forward in an unprecedented disaster, addressing our West Maui visitor industry, their employees, and the local businesses that work in conjunction with the industry requires planning that will get us to a manageable re-opening.”

After phase one, Bissen said Maui will plan to reopen the area from Mahinahina to the Maui Kaanapali Villas as phase 2, followed by the area from the Royal Lahaina Resort to the Hyatt Regency, where many displaced residents sheltered. Each phase will begin following an assessment of the previous phase.

The historic town of Lahaina and the surrounding areas remain closed. While West Maui is currently not open to visitors, other areas of the island not affected by the wildfires are welcoming travelers, including Wailea, Kahului, and Hāna. The rest of the state also remains unaffected and open to visitors.

In the winter, travelers can access the North Rim for backcountry camping with a backcountry permit, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

In the coming years, the Grand Canyon will get a bit harder to access in general as the NPS prepares for the construction of the Transcanyon Waterline. Several trails and campgrounds will be closed to the public as a result, implemented on a rolling basis through 2025.

Travelers who do head to Maui in the coming weeks and months will enjoy cooler (but still warm and sunny) temperatures as fall turns to winter with a bit more rain than the summer season.