As part of efforts to reduce congestion and visitor impacts at the iconic Diamond Head State Monument, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will require out-of-state residents to make reservations to visit the popular site starting May 12.

The new policy doesn’t affect Hawaii residents, who may still access Diamond Head for free without reservations by showing a state ID; however, entry might depend on parking availability, according to DLNR. The monument is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with gates closing at 6 p.m.

DLNR said in a news release Monday that the new reservation system “is intended to reduce hiker congestion along the narrow and winding trail to the summit, reduce the load on the comfort station and reduce vehicle congestion entering and exiting the sole access tunnel at Diamond Head.”

In addition, DLNR hopes to reduce parking issues in surrounding neighborhoods.

The state will begin accepting online reservations Thursday at gostateparks.hawaii.gov.

Diamond Head, or Leahi, remains one of the most visited attractions in Hawaii, with thousands of people each day hiking the historic, military-built trail to see the postcard panoramic view from the summit.

During the 2019 winter holiday season, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a record 6,000-plus people visited the park in one day, according to DLNR. With the new reservation system, the agency aims to keep crowds to just about 3,000 per day.

Reservations are also expected to more evenly distribute visitors to the park throughout the day by reducing access during the more congested morning hours and funneling them toward less crowded afternoon slots on particular days.

“It will require the visitor to be little more akamai (intelligent) about what they’re going to do for their itinerary,” said state Division of State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell in a video release. “It may require more advanced planning, but it will also adjust behavior, hopefully, so that they can change their day and come in the afternoon versus the morning.”

For years, Cottrell said, state parks have been like an “all-you-can-eat buffet” with few limits for guests, but now they are like high-class restaurants requiring reservations.

“But we can provide you better service because there’ll be less people,” he said.

Diamond Head is the third state park in Hawaii to implement a reservation system, following in the steps of Haena State Park on Kauai and Waianapanapa State Park on Maui.

The move is in alignment with the Oahu Destination Management Action Plan, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which calls for the development of reservation systems to monitor and manage users at natural resource and cultural sites.

“This new reservation system will be instrumental in managing visitor capacity within Leahi and protecting its natural environment and cultural sites, improving the experience for everyone and allowing us to be better stewards of this special place,” said John De Fries, HTA president and CEO, who grew up at the foot of Leahi, in a statement.

“We thank the Department of Land and Natural Resources for their partnership, and we support our sister agency in its continued efforts at Leahi and other sites across Hawaii. Together with our industry partners, we are urging visitors to plan ahead when booking their trips and become familiarized with the new process.”

In 2020, entry fees for Diamond Head increased to $5 per person for walk-ins ($1 previously), and $10 per vehicle for parking ($5 previously).

The new system will rely on QR codes to confirm reservations to eliminate the exchange of cash at the entrance, DLNR said, and to reduce the time it takes to enter Diamond Head.

Visitors parking vehicles in the crater will be required to book two-hour time slots, which begin at 6 a.m., with up to two consecutive slots allowed. Walk-in and drop-off visitors will be subject to one-hour entry time slots but may exit at their leisure, whereas cars will need to exit by the end of their time slot so the next round of visitors can park.

Reservations also will be required of commercial tour and trolley patrons using a separate reservation portal for registered carriers.