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Get a valid permit to legally camp at one of the 218 campsites in 17 city-run campgrounds on Oahu by using the new online camping reservation system.
Last week, the Department of Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, transferred the old system to the existing Parks and Recreation Online System (PROS). The link to the old system, camping.honolulu.gov, will remain active.
The city has designed the old website to redirect users to the new PROS website: pros.hnl.info.
If you are seeking a permit, especially for “family campsites” that can accommodate up to 10 people, including children, you will need to use your hnl.info account information to log in and submit a permit request. The old system’s log-ins became void on September 25 at 9 a.m., according to the city.
Permits issued under the old system will remain valid for the specified camping periods. The city hopes that the new online system will make it easier for users to book the mandatory three- or five-day reservations required to obtain camping permits. The online change also involves slight increases in park permit fees.
However, the new system encountered some issues on its first day of operation.
Nate Serota, spokesperson for DPR, mentioned in an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Two details might confuse the public a little bit. The old website, camping.honolulu.gov, provides an error code. We hope to redirect that domain to the new PROS website in time.”
He further explained, “The already permitted campsites are showing up in gray, indicating they are ‘Out of Service,’ instead of red, meaning they are ‘Assigned.’ This is because those campsites were previously permitted under the old system.”
Even so, Serota expressed the hope that users of the new system would have few complaints, and stated that the “big test” will be on Friday and Saturday, when the city expects to receive the highest number of camping permit requests.
“We hope it is a ‘no news is good news’ situation, where the public easily adapts to the new system and we receive little to no complaints,” he said. “Certainly, we want to know if campers encounter issues with the new system, but again, we hope the transition works smoothly so there is no disruption in our family camping program.”
To use the PROS system, the city advises users to set up an hnl.info account well in advance of making a camping reservation, as the old system and its log-ins will no longer be valid.
Due to high demand, online registration must be completed within a specific timeframe.
In addition, the hnl.info platform includes a credit card service fee, which increases the cost of the mandatory permitting fee for three- and five-day campsites. Camping permits cost $10 per day, with a $2 administrative fee and a 2.35% credit card service fee, according to the city.
With the additional service fee, the cost of a three-day camping permit is now $32.75, up from $32, while a five-day camping permit will cost $53.22, up from $52. The number of camping days and the price per campsite cannot be adjusted. The city does not offer 24- or 48-hour camping permits.
Regardless of usage, campers are required to pay the full fee. Camping permits are nontransferable and nonrefundable, unless the campgrounds are closed by DPR officials.
The city is working on adding group camping to PROS, as currently only family camping is available for online permitting, similar to the old system.
Other camping procedures and rules remain unchanged, including the following:
>> Reservations are open at 5 p.m. on Fridays for camping periods two weeks in advance. Online reservations close at 11:59 p.m. on the Thursday immediately preceding the camping period.
>> In-person reservations can be made until 4 p.m. on the Friday of the camping period. In-person reservations are still possible at the DPR Permits Office, located on the first floor of the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building at 650 S. King St., for individuals without computer or internet access, or a valid credit card.
>> Vehicle information can be added to camping permits after the permit has been paid for.
>> Each campsite allows a maximum of 10 people and three vehicles.
>> Camping is not permitted from Wednesday afternoons until Friday mornings.
According to the city, the in-house creation of the new website is expected to save approximately $92,000 annually.
Last fiscal year, Honolulu spent around $6,000 on the old system’s subscription, and an additional $86,000 would have been required to upgrade the old system with the contracted vendor, according to the city.
The PROS registration system currently serves various DPR facilities and activities, including the city’s Summer Fun Program, seasonal park and garden activities, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Koko Head Shooting Complex, and schedules for park gymnasiums, skate parks/rinks, and pools, the city stated.
The Honolulu Police Department is responsible for enforcing all camping permits on the island.
Camping in all city campgrounds requires a valid permit. Camping without a permit can result in penalties of up to $500 and up to 30 days in prison. Individuals whose camping permits have been revoked are prohibited from applying for a new permit for one year, stated the city.
Not all parks have campgrounds. However, all campgrounds, except Hoomaluhia in Kaneohe, are beach parks. Hoomaluhia itself is a mountain park, the city clarified.
Last year, DPR issued 8,776 permits for Oahu campsites.
For more information about camping permits, contact DPR at 808-768-3003 or email [email protected].
PARKS AND RECREATION ONLINE SYSTEM
>> The city recommends setting up an hnl.info account well in advance of making a camping reservation, as the old system and its log-ins will not be valid.
>> The hnl.info platform includes a credit card service fee, which increases the cost of the mandatory permitting fee for three- and five-day campsites. Camping permits cost $10 per day, with a $2 administrative fee and a 2.35% credit card service fee.
>> 24- or 48-hour camping permits are not available.
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