Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [263]
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NATIONAL, STATE & COUNTY PARKS
The crowning glory of Maui’s parks, Haleakalā National Park embraces the lofty volcanic peaks that gave rise to east Maui. The park has two distinct faces. The main section (Click here) encompasses Haleakalā’s volcanic summit with its breathtaking crater-rim lookouts and lunar-like hiking trails. In the park’s rainforested Kipahulu section (Click here), you’re in the midst of towering waterfalls, cascading pools and ancient Hawaiian archaeological sites.
A must-see among the Maui’s state parks is ′Iao Valley State Park (Click here), whose towering emerald pinnacle rises picture-perfect from the valley floor. For the ultimate stretch of unspoiled beach, head to Makena State Park (Click here), the northern portion of which is a haunt for nude sunbathers. On the east side of the island, Wai′anapanapa State Park (Click here) sits on a gem of a black-sand beach. To explore a dreamy cloud forest, head to Upcountry to Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area (Click here), where a lightly trodden network of trails winds beneath lofty trees.
Maui’s county parks center on beaches and include some hot places, like Kanaha Beach Park (Click here) and Ho′okipa Beach Park (Click here) for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Camping
NATIONAL PARKS
For the best camping on Maui, head to Haleakalā National Park. Drive-up camping is available in both the summit (Click here) and Kipahulu (Click here) sections of the park, and no fees, reservations or permits are required. Haleakalā also offers free backcountry camping on the crater floor (with a permit), as well as high-demand $75 cabin rentals (Click here).
STATE PARKS
Maui has two state parks with both campsites and cabins: Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area (Click here) and Wai′anapanapa State Park (Click here). Polipoli, deep in the rain forest, has one primitive cabin at the end of a rough access road that usually requires a 4WD vehicle. If you’re not a pig hunter, you’ll find the dozen beachside cabins at Wai′anapanapa, just north of Hana, more to your taste. Book well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Camping permits are required for state parks. Tent camping costs $5 per day per site and cabins cost $45. For permits and cabin reservations, contact the Division of State Parks ( 984-8109; www.hawaiistateparks.org/camping; Room 101, State Office Bldg, 54 S High St, Wailuku, HI 96793; 8am-3:30pm Mon-Fri).
COUNTY PARKS
Kanaha Beach Park (Click here) is just north of Kahului Airport and allows camping Wednesday through to Sunday; Papalaua Beach Park (Click here) is on Hwy 30 south of Lahaina and allows camping Friday through Wednesday. Camping is limited to three consecutive nights. Permits cost $5 to $8 per adult per day ($2 to $3 for children under 18) and are available from the Department of Parks & Recreation ( 270-7232; www.co.maui.hi.us; 700 Hali′a Nakoa St, Wailuku, HI 96793; 8am-1pm & 2:30-4pm Mon-Fri) at the War Memorial Complex at Baldwin High School.
ACTIVITIES
Maui has primo conditions for virtually anything you can do in the water, from snorkeling to kiteboarding – and the surfing and windsurfing here is the stuff of legends.
The adventures on land are equally awesome. Haleakalā National Park boasts crater trails so unearthly that astronauts trained for their moonwalk there. Or take it airborne on a zipline rip above the treetops at eagle speed. On Maui, the sky’s the limit.
At Sea
KAYAKING
Kayakers, there are some great places to dip your paddle. The top spot is Makena (Click here), an area rich with marine life including sea turtles,