Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [344]
KAUPO TRAIL
The most extreme of Haleakalā’s hikes is the Kaupo Trail, which starts at the Paliku camp-ground and leads down to Kaupo on the southern coast. Be prepared for ankle-twisting conditions, blistered feet, intense tropical sun and torrential showers. Your knees will take a pounding as you descend more than 6100ft over 8.6 miles.
The first 3.7 miles of the trail drop 2500ft in elevation before reaching the park boundary. It’s a steep rocky trail through rough lava and brushland, with short switchbacks alternating with level stretches. From here you’ll be rewarded with spectacular ocean views.
The last 4.9 miles pass through Kaupo Ranch property on a rough jeep trail as it descends to the bottom of Kaupo Gap, exiting into a forest where feral pigs snuffle about. Here trail markings become vague, but once you reach the dirt road, it’s another 1.5 miles to the end at the east side of Kaupo Store.
The ‘village’ of Kaupo (Click here) is a long way from anywhere, with light traffic. Still, what traffic there is – sightseers braving the circle-island road and locals in pickup trucks – moves slowly enough along Kaupo’s rough road to start a conversation, so you’ll probably manage a lift. If you have to walk the final stretch, it’s 8 miles to the ′Ohe′o Gulch (Click here) campground.
Because this is such a strenuous and remote trail, it’s not advisable to hike alone. No camping is allowed on Kaupo Ranch property, so most hikers spend the night at the Paliku campground and then get an early start.
HOSMER GROVE TRAIL
Those looking for a little greenery after hiking the crater will love this shaded woodland walk, and birders wing it here as well.
The half-mile loop trail starts at Hosmer Grove campground, 0.75 miles south of Park Headquarters Visitor Center, in a forest of lofty trees. The exotics in Hosmer Grove were introduced in 1910 in an effort to develop a lumber industry in Hawaii. Species include fragrant incense cedar, Norway spruce, Douglas fir, eucalyptus and various pines. Although the trees adapted well enough to grow, they didn’t grow fast enough at these elevations to make tree harvesting practical. Thanks to this failure, today there’s a park here instead.
After the forest, the trail moves into native shrubland, with ′akala (Hawaiian raspberry), kilau ferns and sandalwood. The ′ohelo, a berry sacred to the volcano goddess Pele, and the pukiawe, which has red and white berries and evergreen leaves, are favored by nene.
Listen for the calls of the native ′i′iwi and ′apapane, both sparrow-size birds with bright red feathers that are fairly common here. The ′i′iwi has a loud squeaking call, orange legs and a curved salmon-colored bill. The ′apapane, a fast-moving bird with a black bill, black legs and a white undertail, feeds on the nectar of ohia flowers, and its wings make a distinctive whirring sound.
SKYLINE TRAIL
This amazing otherworldly trail, which rides the crater-dotted spine of Haleakalā, begins just beyond Haleakalā’s summit at a lofty elevation of 9750ft and leads down to the camp-ground at Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area (Click here) at 6200ft. It covers a distance of 8.5 miles and takes about four hours to walk. Get an early start to enjoy the views before clouds take over.
* * *
THE SUNRISE EXPERIENCE
‘Haleakalā’ means ‘House of the Sun.’ So it’s no surprise that since the time of the first Hawaiians, people have been making pilgrimages up to Haleakalā to watch the sun rise. It is an experience that borders on the mystical. Mark Twain called it the ‘sublimest spectacle’ that he had ever seen.
Plan to arrive at the summit an hour before the actual sunrise; that will guarantee you a parking space and time to see the world awaken. Around that point the night sky begins to lighten and turn purple-blue, and the stars fade away. Ethereal silhouettes of the mountain ridges appear. The gentlest colors show up in the fragile moments just before dawn. The