Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [329]
Maui County, the Trust for Public Lands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have jointly purchased 70 acres at Mu′olea point, including the tide pools where the limu is found. The property is culturally important in other ways, too. It includes the ruins of a heiau that seems to be aligned with the Pleiades constellation, a summer residence of King David Kalakaua, and rare native plants. Hawaiian cultural organizations, including Kipahulu ′Ohana (Click here), are hoping to eventually restore the heiau and establish educational programs there.
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SIGHTS
Charles Lindbergh moved to remote Kipahulu in 1968. Although he relished the privacy he found here, he did occasionally emerge as a spokesperson for conservation issues. Following his death from cancer in 1974, Lindbergh was buried in the graveyard of Palapala Ho′omau Congregational Church. The church (c 1864) is also notable for its window painting of a Polynesian Christ draped in the red-and-yellow feather capes that were reserved for Hawaii’s highest chiefs.
Lindbergh’s desire to be out of the public eye may still be at play; many visitors fail to find his grave. To get there, turn left at the sign for Maui Stables, which is 0.2 miles south of the 41-mile marker and then veer left after the stables. The church is 0.2 miles further. Charles Lindbergh’s grave, a simple granite slate laid upon lava stones, is in the yard behind the church. The inscription reads simply, ‘…If i take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea…C.A.L.’
Walk a minute or two past the graveyard to reach a hilltop vantage point with a fine view of the jagged Kipahulu coast – one look and you’ll understand why Lindbergh was so taken by this area.
ACTIVITIES
Ride in the wilderness with Maui Stables ( 248-7799; www.mauistables.com; 3hr ride $150; departures 10am), on horseback trips that mix breathtaking views with Hawaiian storytelling and chanting – a real cultural immersion experience. It’s between the 40- and 41-mile markers.
EATING
Laulima Farms (snacks $3-5; 10:30am-5pm) Pedal power takes on new meaning at this off-the-grid fruit stand (between the 40- and 41-mile markers), where customers take the seat on a stationary bike and rev up enough power to run the blender, juicing their own fruit smoothies. Everything sold here, from the hand-picked organic coffee to the GMO-free veggies, is homegrown. Refreshing in every way.
PI′ILANI HIGHWAY
The untamed Pi′ilani Hwy travels 25 ruggedly scenic miles between Kipahulu and ′Ulupalakua Ranch as it skirts along the southern flank of Haleakalā.
Diehards will love this road, while the more timid may wonder what they’ve gotten into in these lonesome boonies. Signs such as ‘Motorists assume risk of damage due to presence of cattle’ and ‘Safe speed 10mph’ give some clues that this is not your typical highway.
The road winds like a drunken cowboy but most of it is paved. The trickiest section is around Kaupo, where the road is rutted. Depending on when it was last graded, you can usually make it in a regular car, though it may rattle your bones a bit. But after hard rains, streams flow over the road, making passage difficult, if not dangerous.
Flash floods sometimes wash away portions of the road, closing down the highway until it’s repaired. The county public works department ( 248-8254; 6:30am-3pm Mon-Fri) fields calls about road conditions, or ask at the Kipahulu Visitor Center (Click here) at ′Ohe′o Gulch.
The best way to approach the drive is with an early-morning start, when the road is so quiet you’ll feel like the last soul on earth. Take something to munch on and plenty to drink, and check your oil and spare tire. It’s a long haul to civilization