Kauai 2009 Travel Planner - (Page 37) TREKKING the Back Roads Kaua‘i is filled with all kinds of hiking adventures, from short tropical paths to long coastal trails. K¯ke‘e State o Park encompasses a misty forest crisscrossed by 40 miles of footpaths that range from easy to strenuous. A shorter 90-minute hike brings you to Waipo‘o Falls in Koke‘e State Park. ¯ This waterfall starts with a 10-foot drop followed by a 20-foot cascade into a natural pool and then the spillover takes an 800-foot descent into the canyon below. The trail descends through yellow orchids and red torch ginger. Then you step out onto a point, hook a left and there it is—a blue pool fed by a waterfall in a red canyon on a green island in the middle of a turquoise ocean. Trail maps for Koke‘e State Park ¯ are available at the Koke‘e Natural ¯ History Museum. Depending on the detail, cost of the maps range from $1.60 to $9. A description of the trails can be found on their website at www.kokee.org. Nounou Mountain, also known as the Sleeping Giant, is a little over a mile inland from Wailua on the east side of Kaua‘i. Here, in the Nounou Forest Reserve you’ll find three, wellmaintained hiking trails to the top (1,200-feet) where the reward is a great view into the interior of Kaua‘i and down the winding Wailua River to the coast. For trail maps, call the Division of Forestry & Wildlife at 274-3433 or go online to www.hawaiitrails.org. Another web resource for hiking in Kaua‘i’s State Parks can be found at www.hawaiistateparks.org/hiking/kauai. KAUA‘I Hawai‘i’s Island of Discovery™ 37 PETER GARZKE Koke’e State Park encompasses a misty ¯ forest crisscrossed by 40 miles of footpaths that range from easy to strenuous. The 20-square-mile highland bog known as the Alaka‘i Swamp is a unique experience. This upcountry forest is home to rare plants, native birds and the state’s only native land mammal, the hoary bat. Put aside any thoughts of slogging through a swamp however, you’ll be treated to a boardwalk the whole way through. Ten inches wide with 1,000-foot drops to the sea. That pretty much describes sections of the Kalalau Trail on the Napali Coast. For the most-seasoned ¯ hiker, Kalalau Trail makes for an extraordinary experience. Don’t get distracted. Although you’re surrounded by spectacular scenery, each step must be carefully negotiated in these narrow spots. This ancient trail, said to date back a thousand years, leads you to picturesque Hanakapı ‘ai Beach two ¯¯ miles from the trailhead. To go beyond and complete the strenuous 11-mile hike to Kalalau Beach, you’ll need a permit from the Division of State Parks located in Lı hu‘e, 274-3444. ¯ http://www.kokee.org http://www.hawaiitrails.org http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/hiking/kauai
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