Kahana Valley State Park  | Hawaii |  | Honolulu County |  |
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Address http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/kahana.html 52-222 Kamehameha Highway Kahana, HI 96717 (808) 237-7766 |
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From Waikiki take H-1 West to Hwy. 63 (exit 20A). Stay on Hwy. 63 for 7 miles and turn left onto Hwy. 83. Follow Hwy. 83 for 14 miles along a mostly coastal road until you reach Kahana State Park.
Description:
The trails for Ahupuaa O Kahana State Park are located opposite the beach park. A quarter of a mile drive leads to a rundown looking building which is the Orientation Center. The center was closed on my visit (a Sunday) but flyers about the local area and trails were well-stocked and informative. There are two main trails at the park. One, the Kapaeleele Koa and Keaniani Lookout trail is only a mile long and includes breathtaking views of Kahana Bay. This was the trail I took, which begins just past the tin-roofed rest room. The trail itself is a path cut through knee high grass. Long pants are recommended as is hiking or tennis shoes. You will eventually break out of the tall grass, passing through groves of banana plants. During my visit, I could hear strange bird calls, which turned out to be wild peacock.
The trek to the Keaniani Lookout is relatively short. It took me only 15 minutes before the trail opened up into amazing views of Kahana Bay. This lookout was used by local fishermen who would search for schools of fish, and direct other fishermen in canoes to where the fish were, who would then surround the fish with their nets. The trail continues to the left. Despite being only a mile long, at least an hour needs to be allowed for this trail, as it is steep, sometimes requiring scrambling on all-fours to get to the top of Pu’u Piei (the most prominent peak on the Pauao ridge).
The other major trail at Kahana State Park is the Nakoa trail, named for the numerous koa trees that grow around the trail. This trail is a 2.5 mile loop, which the flyers states will take about 2 hours to complete. Owing to the stream crossings required for this hike, I did not walk this hike. Good mud shoes are recommended for the stream crossings. In addition, for both trails, mosquito repellant is also highly recommended, as is rain gear, as Kahana valley is amongst the wettest places on the island. After walking either of the trails, Kahana Beach Park, is located just across the road and has numerous tables for picnics.
Written By: Shiromi Arserio
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