One of Hawaii's Most Controversial Attractions Is Being Demolished

It’s time to say goodbye.

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Hawaii’s Ha’ikū Stairs, known more famously as the “Stairway to Heaven,” has been slated for demolition for years. Now, it’s finally being removed.

Preparatory work to remove the Ha’ikū Stairs started last week, according to the City and County of Honolulu, with plans to remove more than 600 stair modules later this month. The stairs had been slated for demolition since 2021.

“This was a decision, when we came into office, that was long overdue. Over the course of many months, in meeting with the people involved and the discovery that we put into it, I can promise you that this was not a capricious decision,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement. “This decision that was made was predicated upon our respect for the people who live in and around the entrance to the stairs … and our respect for both the future and the past history of the culture of the Haʻikū community.”

The stairs, built by the U.S. Navy in the 1940s, have been officially closed to the public since 1987, but that hasn’t stopped hikers from climbing them — and often wandering through people’s private property to access them — for some of the island’s best views.

Officials warned would-be climbers that the stairs are now part of an active work site and “present an immediate safety threat for anyone trespassing along the trail.”

To remove the stairs once and for all, the city said officials will go section-by-section, working with a biologist to evaluate each section before it is demolished “in order to protect native species and prevent erosion.” The removal company will then have to revegetate impacted areas with native plants when necessary. The total cost to remove the stairs is just over $2.5 million. The project is expected to last six months.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other amazing hikes on the island of Oahu with epic views of the ocean from Diamond Head Summit trail to the not-too-taxing Makapu’u Point Lighthouse trail, the stunning Mānoa Falls trail (complete with views seen in Jurassic Park and Lost), and more.

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.