Tourists continue to visit Hawaii’s Haiku Stairs, even though they are removed for overtourism.

The drama surrounding the Haiku Stairs, a disused staircase located in a remote part of East Oahu that has become popular on social media, continues even as the local government has begun demolishing the famous landmark.

The staircase, built during World War II by the United States Navy, has remained a tourist site although it has been officially closed to visitors since 1987.

On April 23, five people were arrested and charged with first-degree trespassing, according to CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now.

Additionally, police say they issued 60 hiker warnings, eight citations for second-degree trespassing and 25 parking enforcement actions over the weekend of April 20-21. Second-degree trespassing is a misdemeanor.

Travelers who can make it to the site, nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven because of the way the stairs sometimes seem to disappear into the fog atop a 2,800-foot mountain, are rewarded with incredible views of the ‘island.

However, because there are no official trails, many thrill-seekers have had to cross private property to access them. Some have published guides on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, attracting even more visitors there.

This increase in tourism – and the bad behavior that comes with it – was among the reasons cited when the Honolulu City Council voted to remove the stairs in 2021.

Earlier this month, local authorities announced that demolition would begin on April 22, prompting a flood of hikers to take “one last chance” to visit the site in recent days.

“Besides it being illegal, it’s an active construction site,” Maj. Randall Platt of the Honolulu PD district told Hawaii News Now. “There is heavy machinery. The helicopter flies back and forth, so it’s dangerous for people to be up there. This is a closed site. It’s a work environment.

“The City was disappointed and dismayed to learn that so many individuals appear to have recklessly ignored clear warnings that the Haiku Stairs dismantling project had begun, putting themselves – and potentially first responders – in danger.” , the Honolulu city government said. the spokesperson said in a statement.

Removal will require one 700-foot section at a time to be removed by helicopter, a process that will cost the city $2.5 million.

It has not yet been decided where the stairs will go after they are removed. A local tourist attraction, Kualoa Ranch, has expressed interest in purchasing and housing them.

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