Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [138]
The Nature Conservancy (587-6220; www.nature.org\hawaii) leads monthly hikes on trails in the Honouliuli Forest Reserve on the slopes of the Wai′anae Range north of Kapolei. Check out the website for upcoming hikes and general information about joining.
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KUNIA ROAD (HIGHWAY 750)
If you’re not in a hurry (and why would you be?) this slightly longer route through the center of the island is a scenic alternative. It may add a few minutes to your drive from Hololulu, but the scenery along the way is far more interesting compared to the H2 speedway. Follow H1 from Honolulu to the Kunia/Hwy 750 exit, 3 miles west of where H1 and H2 divide.
The drive starts in sprawling suburbia but soon breaks free into an expansive landscape with 360-degree views. As you gain altitude, views of Honolulu and Diamond Head emerge below; be sure to stop off somewhere and look back at the landscape. Cornfields give way to enormous pineapple plantations, all hemmed in by the mountains to the west.
The rural landscape continues until you pass by Schofield Barracks Military Reservation. This massive army base is the largest on the island and is a hive of activity – it’s not uncommon to be passed on the highway by camo-painted Humvees while a Black Hawk chopper hovers overhead.
At 1724ft, Kolekole Pass occupies the gap in the Wai′anae Range that Japanese fighter planes flew through on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor. Film buffs may recognize the landscape, as the historic flight was re-created here 30 years later for the classic war film Tora! Tora! Tora!
Kolekole Pass, on military property above Schofield Barracks, can be visited as long as the base isn’t on military alert. Access is through Lyman Gate on Hwy 750, 0.7 miles south of Hwy 750’s intersection with Hwy 99. Follow Lyman Rd for 5.25 miles, passing a military golf course and bayonet assault course, to reach the pass.
In Hawaiian mythology, the large, ribbed stone that sits atop the ridge here is the embodiment of a woman named Kolekole, who took the form of this stone in order to become the perpetual guardian of the pass.
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WAHIAWA
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Wahiawa isn’t the sort of destination that most travelers seek out. That is, of course, unless you are looking for a new tattoo, some used stereo equipment or a meal from a chain fast-food establishment. There is one notable exception – the serene Botanical Garden, which shines all the more for its contrasting surrounds.
Sights & Activities
WAHIAWA BOTANICAL GARDEN
While much of Wahiawa is drab, grey and bordering on ugly, this botanical garden (621-7321; 1396 California Ave; admission free; 9am-4pm) a mile east of Kamehameha Hwy (Hwy 83) is a slice of arboreal heaven. Nature lovers and gardeners will delight in the rollicking grounds that stretch for at least 27 acres. There is a mix of the manicured, with beautiful lawns and pruned ornamental plants, and the wild, with a gully of towering hardwoods, tropical ferns and forests of bamboo.
The garden has a long and interesting history – started 80 years ago as an experiment by the local sugarcane farmers, it has evolved into a striking oasis of horticultural perfection. There are several paths that weave their way through the garden, about half of which are wheelchair-friendly. An enthusiastic volunteer staff is on hand to answer questions and point you in the right direction.
DOLE PLANTATION
This busy complex (621-8408; 64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy ‘Hwy 99’; admission free; 9am-5:30pm) has a split personality – outside the maze and train are great fun for the kids and the young at heart. Meanwhile inside the gift shop is overflowing with pineapple-flavored tacky tourist items. It’s a sickly sweet overdose of everything pineapple – the final touch being the pineapples for sale for 20% more than the grocery store in