Free camping and cell signal in Hawaii
Where dispersed camping is allowed in Hawaii: the main islands, which carrier will reach you to work or call for help, and what's on the road in. Free to use online. Offline use is paid: the Camp Map Pass saves the region to your phone for use with no signal.
Open Hawaii in the mapCan you camp for free in Hawaii?
On most national forest and Bureau of Land Management land, yes: dispersed camping is allowed outside developed sites, usually for up to 14 days, unless an area is posted closed. State trust land rules vary: check the managing agency. National and state parks, wildlife refuges, tribal land and private timberland are not. In Hawaii the map shows who manages every piece of public land, wilderness boundaries and the land with no public record, which you should treat as private.
Where will I have cell signal?
From the carriers' own coverage filings with the FCC, strong (in-vehicle) LTE covers about 34% of Hawaii for AT&T, 31% of Hawaii for Verizon, 22% of Hawaii for T-Mobile. Carriers model their coverage optimistically in the mountains, so the map also collects speed tests from other campers. Canadian phones usually roam on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon here: check which one your plan uses.
Remote spots with coverage in Hawaii
Ranked by distance from town and signal. Tap one to open it on the map.
- Campsite near Hoonoua · unpaved track · 5.5 km from Waikapuna · T-Mobile, Verizon
- Camp Hale Koa · gravel road · 11.6 km from Mānā · AT&T
- Campsite near Big Gulch · hike-in · 12.3 km from Paako · AT&T, T-Mobile
- Public land near Puʻukoli · unpaved track · 25.1 km from Puaʻākala · AT&T, Verizon
- Public land · unpaved track · 15.1 km from Puaʻākala · AT&T, Verizon
- Public land near Kanapou Bay · unpaved track · 14.8 km from Paako · Verizon
- Public land near Puʻukole · unpaved track · 10.5 km from Puaʻākala · AT&T, Verizon
- Public land near Kauhao Ridge · gravel road · 10 km from Mānā · AT&T
- Public land near Polihua Beach · unpaved track · 15.1 km from Keomuku (historical) · AT&T, T-Mobile
- YWCA Camp Sloggett · unpaved track · 14.2 km from Hāʻena · AT&T
Road access and wildfires
The map shows which roads in Hawaii are paved, gravel, rough or unpaved tracks, plus parking lots and trailheads, and live wildfire hotspots and perimeters while you're online.
Open Hawaii in the mapCosmic's Camp Map puts all of this on one map with land status, cell coverage by carrier, recreation sites, wildfires, services and road reports, and, with the Camp Map Pass, saves it to your phone for use without signal. See everything the map does.