Sierra Club Kauai Hiking Outing 2012
Hiking the Garden Island is an outing sponsored by the Sierra Club on May 26 thru June 2, 2012. The trip will explore the diversity of Kauai through a variety of hiking excursions. You will hike the stunning ridge-top trails of Waimea Canyon. You will see the dramatic cliffs (pali) from both sea level and from high atop their ridgelines. You will stroll along an endangered beach and dunk into the turquoise Pacific.
The daily weather will determine which hike or swim we will do, as rain conditions around Kauai vary considerably. Days will include a combination of shorter walks and more strenuous hikes. The longest day is a nine-mile hike through the Alakai Swamp, which often offers both brilliant sunshine, warm tropical rain, and thick fog. Some hikes have cliff-top views with the beaches 4,000 feet below. Another day you will be hiking along the shoreline with the towering cliffs above you.
Highlights
Hike rainforest trails in Koke’e State Park
Snorkel and swim the Pacific
Discover endemic flora and fauna of Kauai
Includes
All meals except one dinner out mid-week; vegetarian option is available
All transportation, including pick-up and return to Lihu’e airport
All accommodations in shared cabins
Sierra Club Kauai Service Outing 2011
The Sierra Club is hosting an outing Service at Koke’e State Park on August 7 thru 13, 2011. As a group of islands remote from nearby land masses, Hawaii evolved its own groups of plants and birds. These endemic species have been assaulted by invasive plants and animals, and those that have not already gone extinct are endangered. There are a few spots in Hawaii that continue to host endemics, and the upland area of Kauai (Koke’e State Park) is such a spot.
Depending on the group and the needs of the Koke’e staff, you may be clearing invasive vegetation from areas near popular hiking trails. You will also hike in Koke’e to a lookout, head for the beach and a hike on a preserved coastline, and attend a Friday Art Night in a local town.
Highlights
- Reclaim a stretch of upland forest
- Work with concerned locals to save the native birds and plants
- Hike on both upland and seaside trails
Includes
- All transportation on Kauai
- All room and board during the trip
Sierra Club Kauai Hiking Outing 2011
The Sierra Club is hosting an outing Hiking the Garden Island on May 25 thru June 2, 2011. The trip will explore the diversity of Kauai through a variety of hiking excursions. You will hike the stunning ridge-top trails of Waimea Canyon. You will see the dramatic cliffs (pali) from both sea level and from high atop their ridgelines. You will stroll along an endangered beach and dunk into the turquoise Pacific.
Days will include a combination of shorter walks and more strenuous hikes. The longest day is a nine-mile hike through the Alakai Swamp, which often offers both brilliant sunshine, warm tropical rain, and thick fog. Some hikes have cliff-top views with the beaches 4,000 feet below. Another day you will be hiking along the shoreline with the towering cliffs above you.
Highlights
- Hike rainforest trails in Koke’e State Park
- Snorkel and swim the Pacific
- Discover endemic flora and fauna of Kauai
Includes
- All meals except one dinner out mid-week; vegetarian option is available
- All transportation, including pick-up and return to Lihu’e airport
- All accommodations in shared cabins
Kauai Hikes and Crater Hill
Crater Hill was donated in 1988 to be included as part of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, which increased its size by more than three times. The property deed for this donation contained the restriction which prohibits general, unsupervised public use. So, once a year during National Wildlife Refuge Week you have the opportunity to venture out on a guided hike where there are sweeping sea-to-mountain views of Kauai’s north shore, and up-close glimpses of winged wildlife.
Traversing the bluffs above Kilauea Point peninsula and lighthouse, you will see a variety of birds being protected by the refuge. These birds include Red-footed Boobies (‘a), Brown Boobies (‘a), Laysan Albatross (moli), Red-tailed Tropicbirds (koa‘e ‘ula), White-tailed Tropicbirds (koa ‘e‘kea), Great Frigatebirds (‘iwa), Newell’s Shearwater (‘a’o), Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (ua‘u‘ kani), and Nene.
Native Hawaiian coastal plants are also being restored on the refuge, including naupaka kahakai, ‘ilima, hala, ‘aheahea, ‘akoko, and the endangered alula. The hike continues up the hill to the top of sheer sea cliffs with vantage points overlooking Makapili Rock and Mokolea Point. The summit of Crater Hill (568 feet) offers sweeping views of the Pacific, and along this ocean shoreline the refuge provides additional protection for Hawaiian Monk Seals (‘ilio holo i ka uaua), Spinner Dolphins (nai‘a), Green Sea Turtles (honu), Humpback Whales (koholā), and more than 60 species of fish.
National Trails Day 2010
National Trails Day 2010 is Saturday June 5, 2010. It is a celebration that brings awareness to trails and recognizes many people for their support and hard work, including volunteers, land agencies, and outdoor minded businesses. It is also a day to introduce people to the many joys and benefits of trails. With 200,000 miles of trails in America, we have access to the natural world for recreation, education, exploration, solitude, inspiration, and good physical and mental health.
National Trails Day evolved from President Ronald Reagan’s Commission on Americans Outdoors. In 1987, the report recommended that all Americans be able to go out their front doors and within fifteen minutes, be on trails that wind through their cities or towns and bring them back without retracing steps. This recommendation became the impetus behind several parties joining American Hiking Society in launching National Trails Day in 1993.
It takes many hours of planning, labor, and negotiating to develop trails, and there are many groups involved to thank: American Hiking Society, Nature Valley, Backpacker magazine, Fetzer Vineyards, Merrell, YMCA of the USA, REI, American Park Network, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
With already 76.7 million people hiking, 13.5 million backpacking, 40.4 million trail running, National Trails Day has grown to inspire many more people to enjoy our trails. The Directory of Kauai continues to list organized hikes around the island on our Kauai Events Calendar, and we continue to produce videos and written descriptions of Kauai Hikes for you to enjoy.
Kauai Hike – Okolehao Trail
The Okolehao Trail on the North Shore of Kauai offers scenic views surrounding Hanalei Bay. The red clay trail begins along the remains of an old dirt road used when okolehao (a Hawaiian liquor) was being distilled from the roots of ti plants. You can see ti and other native plants as the trail gains 1,235 feet up to a plateau and overlook. A bench has now been added here to rest and enjoy the sweeping views of Hanalei, Hanalei Bay, taro fields, Princeville, and the Kilauea Lighthouse. If you are content sitting here and enjoying the view… then this is as far as you need to go. If you want to hike father along Kaukaopua Ridge for another half mile you will enjoy subtle elevation loss and gain and more sweeping views including the mountains in the center of the island like Namolokama (4,420 feet). You will also begin to see the endemic Ohi’a tree with its bright red blossoms.
If on the other hand, you are an adrenalin junkie, and a hike is not a hike unless you return sweaty, muddy, bloody, and exhausted… then continue on at your own risk. Sharp vegetation begins to encroach on the trail ripping at skin and clothing, and at times the trail narrows to only a foot wide as it follows along a knife-edge ridge which drops straight down on both sides. There is a false sense of security along the ridge with fern growing out on either side, but this is just ‘green air’. You will come to several ropes to help you navigate down slippery slopes, and then comes rope after rope to assist you straight up several very steep pitches to the twin peaks of Hihimanu (2,400 feet).
Directions: Traveling north from Princeville, proceed about one mile to the bottom of the hill and turn left immediately after the one-lane bridge crossing the Hanalei River. This is Ohiki Road, which takes you through the taro fields. Drive 1/2 mile to the parking lot on the left, and the trailhead is across the street at the foot bridge with the Okolehao Trail sign.
Trail Length: 2.25 mi.
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult (or Strenuous)
Elevation: 1235 ft
