Trails
MAUNAHUI - MAKAKUPAIA TRAIL
Na Ala Hele Demonstration Trail (Central Molokai) A rugged trail along approximately 17.5 miles of forest reserve access road with an elevation range from sea level to 3,700 feet. Recommended for experienced hikers and four-wheel drive vehicles only. Route: The trail starts at the Maunahui Forest Reserve access road and Highway 46, gains in elevation until it reaches the Waikolu Lookout and then descends via the Makakupaia Forest Reserve access road to Highway 45 at One Alii Beach Park on the south shore. Note: The Makakupaia Section is for foot traffic only. You cannot drive this section. Vegetation: Vegetation in the lower elevations of the Maunahui area consists of dry land kiawe forest, koa haole, and various grasses. As one gains in elevation, the landscape first opens into pastures containing silk oak, ironwood, guava, black wattle and eucalyptus trees, and then becomes a closed canopy eucalyptus forest as one enters the Molokai Forest Reserve. The trail continues to climb until it finally reaches the Waikolu Lookout and Picnic Grove. The Lookout offers a magnificent view of Waikolu Valley. (Note: the view from the Lookout is sometimes obscured in the afternoon when tradewind clouds envelop the upper Waikolu Canyon.) Dramatic changes in vegetation can be observed as one descends from the intersection of Maunahui and Makakupaia access roads. Rainfall can vary by 75 inches during the year between this road intersection and the southern coast. Native mesic rain forest at the trail's peak elevation (3,500 ft) quickly changes from moist native shrub-lands to plantation woodlands to open, dry scrub-lands along the Makakupaia access road. The final descent from the Forest Reserve boundary long the Makakupaia road in Hawaiian Homelands property is rocky, dusty and dry. Lowland non-native shrub and grasslands dominate with kiawe trees and some scattered native dry land vegetation; prime habitat for axis deer and game birds. Camping: Camping is allowed at the Waikolu Lookout with a permit issued through the Maui District's Forestry and Wildlife Office in Wailuku on Maui (see Camping). Camping is not permitted in the adjacent Nature Conservancy's Kamakou Preserve. There is no drinking water at Waikolu. Camping is also allowed at One Alii County Park, where there are bathroom and camping facilities near the shoreline. A permit is required and can be obtained from the Molokai District Dept. of Parks and Recreation (see Camping). Note: During rainy periods, the road may become impassable. Along the trail are spectacular views of Molokai's southern coastline, dramatic valleys, waterfalls, and contrasting landscapes. The area is rich in scenic, scientific, educational, and recreational value for people of all ages. A well-known historic site in the Forest Reserve, the famous Sandalwood Measuring pit or "Lua Na Moku Iliahi", lies adjacent to Maunahui road. There is no drinking water available along route. Open fires are strictly prohibited. Portions of the road pass through private lands and Hawaiian Home Lands. Wandering off the road or trespassing on these lands is prohibited. PEPEOPAE TRAIL (East Molokai) Distance: 3 miles (Round Trip) Access: 12 miles down a rough dirt road, access to this trail is limited to experienced drivers with 4 wheel drive vehicles. The trail is under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Nature Conservancy Kamakou Preserve. For more information and directions, please contact the Conservancy's Molokai office at 808-553-5236. Route: The trail climbs through dense native cloudforest to Pepeopae Bog and ends at a scenic overlook into Pelekunu Valley. A narrow raised wooden boardwalk and platform has been constructed to eliminate trampling damage to the trail and the fragile bog ecosystem. KAMAKOU PRESERVE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF HAWAII Note: The Kamakou Preserve is open to the public but the preserve is located in a remote mountainous area of northeast Molokai and reaching it requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle and excellent driving skills. For more information, please call the Conservancy's Molokai staff at 808-553-5236. (East Molokai) The Nature Conservancy's literature states: The rain forest of Kamakou Preserve (2,774 acres) lies near the summit of Molokai's highest mountain. Here you will find more than 250 species of Hawaiian plants - at least 219 of which can be found nowhere else in the world. This lush rain forest is also home to countless native insects, supporting a unique array of birds. The last known sightings of the extremely rare Molokai thrush (oloma'o) and Molokai creeper (kakawahie) were in this forest region, and the vivid green 'amakihi can still be seen, as can the 'apapane and the Hawaiian owl (pueo). Nature Conservancy staff and volunteers lead a monthly hike along a narrow boardwalk through Kamakou Preserve. Hike leaders will meet you at the Molokai airport at 8:30 am, serve as interpretive guides throughout the hike, and return you to the airport by 3:30 pm. Advance reservations and a deposit are required. Space is limited and the hikes are often booked several months in advance. For more information, please call the Conservancy's Molokai staff at 808-553-5236 or visit their Web site. MOOMOMI PRESERVE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF HAWAII Note: The Moomomi Preserve is open to the public but reaching it requires a 4-wheel drive and a Nature Conservancy issued permit. For more information, please call the Conservancy's Molokai staff at 808-553-5236. (West Molokai) At first glance, the dunes of Moomomi appear nearly barren. However, in addition to the rare coastal species that grow at Moomomi, and the numerous Hawaiian archaeological sites around Moomomi Bay, the Nature Conservancy literature states: Deposits of bird bones reveal that the dunes were once home to at least 30 bird species, about one-third of which have since become extinct: a sea eagle, a falconing owl, a flightless ibis, and a giant flightless duck. The pueo (Hawaiian owl) is one of the few native land birds that can still be observed regularly at Moomomi. Native shorebirds, like sanderlings and plovers, and seabirds, like the great frigatebird ('iwa) can also be seen along the preserve shoreline. Nature Conservancy staff and volunteers lead a monthly hike through this beach dune preserve. Hike leaders will pick you up at the Molokai airport at 8:30 am, serve as interpretive guides throughout the hike, and return you to the airport by 3:30 pm. Advance reservations and a deposit are required. Space is limited and the hikes are often booked several months in advance. Please call the Molokai office for more information at 808-553-5236 or visit their Web site. Top BIKING TRAILS MOUNTAIN BIKING IN MOLOKAI'S FOREST RESERVES - TRAILS AND ROADS Respect, Enjoy, and Conserve our Forest Resources Here are some ways to show that you care about your sport. Stay on the designated trails and roads. Riding off the trail/road destroys vegetation and can cause erosion. Know where you're permitted to ride and where you're not. Respect private property and closed areas. Always be courteous when you pass hikers and hunters on the trail or other vehicles on dirt roads. If hunters have dogs with them, stop your bike and let the hunters gather their dogs before you proceed. When you meet a horseback rider, go slowly and stop on the outside of the trail. Take off your helmet and say hello. Speak in a calm, normal voice. The horse needs to recognize you as a human. Avoid any sudden movements. It is recommended that riders stay on the designated roads, rather than riding on foot trails. Listed trails are open to bikes but should not be ridden when the trail is wet. Bicycle tires can cause serious soil erosion and deteriorate the ecosystem. Some listed trails are steep and can be very dangerous to both the rider and hikers. MAUNAHUI - MAKAKUPAIA TRAIL Na Ala Hele Demonstration Trail (Central Molokai) A rugged trail along approximately 17.5 miles of forest reserve access road with an elevation range from sea level to 3,700 feet. Recommended for experienced hikers and four-wheel drive vehicles only. Open to bikers but please STAY ON THE TRAIL. Route: The trail starts at the Maunahui Forest Reserve access road and Highway 46, gains in elevation until it reaches the Waikolu Lookout and then descends via the Makakupaia Forest Reserve access road to Highway 45 at One Alii Beach Park on the south shore. Note: The Makakupaia Section is for foot traffic only. You cannot drive this section. Vegetation: Vegetation in the lower elevations of the Maunahui area consists of dry land kiawe forest, koa haole, and various grasses. As one gains in elevation, the landscape first opens into pastures containing silk oak, ironwood, guava, black wattle and eucalyptus trees, and then becomes a closed canopy eucalyptus forest as one enters the Molokai Forest Reserve. The trail continues to climb until it finally reaches the Waikolu Lookout and Picnic Grove. The Lookout offers a magnificent view of Waikolu Valley. (Note: the view from the Lookout is sometimes obscured in the afternoon when tradewind clouds envelop the upper Waikolu Canyon.) Dramatic changes in vegetation can be observed as one descends from the intersection of Maunahui and Makakupaia access roads. Rainfall can vary by 75 inches during the year between this road intersection and the southern coast. Native mesic rain forest at the trail's peak elevation (3,500 ft) quickly changes from moist native shrub-lands to plantation woodlands to open, dry scrub-lands along the Makakupaia access road. The final descent from the Forest Reserve boundary long the Makakupaia road in Hawaiian Homelands property is rocky, dusty and dry. Lowland non-native shrub and grasslands dominate with kiawe trees and some scattered native dry land vegetation; prime habitat for axis deer and game birds. Note: During rainy periods, the road may become impassable. Along the trail are spectacular views of Molokai's southern coastline, dramatic valleys, waterfalls, and contrasting landscapes. The area is rich in scenic, scientific, educational, and recreational value for people of all ages. A well-known historic site in the Forest Reserve, the famous Sandalwood Measuring pit or "Lua Na Moku Iliahi", lies adjacent to Maunahui road. There is no drinking water available along route. Open fires are strictly prohibited. Portions of the road pass through private lands and Hawaiian Home Lands. Wandering off the road or trespassing on these lands is prohibited. |
Preserves
HALAWA VALLEY
Located about 27 miles from Kaunakakai, at the end of the road (Highway 450) at the northeast tip of the island. (East Molokai) A lush valley that once supported a large population that grew taro in the numerous wetland fields fed by the valley's streams. Many are now being restored. Locale of ancient heiaus and two plunging waterfalls, the 250-foot Moaula Falls and the 500-foot Hipuapua Falls. A beach park is located where the valley meets the sea. HAWAII FORESTRY & WILDLIFE DIVISION Maui District Office Department of Land & Natural Resources 54 South High Street, Room 101 Wailuku, HI 96793 Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri. (Closed weekends/holidays) (Island of Maui) Tel. (808) 984-8100 Information on Molokai's Forest Reserves. HAWAII STATE PARKS Dept. Of Land & Natural Resources 54 South High Street, Rm. 101 Wailuku, HI 96793 (Island of Maui) Tel. (808) 984-8109 Hours: 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. (Closed Weekends and State Holidays) Information on Molokai's Palaau State Park. KALAUPAPA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK P. O. Box 2222 Kalaupapa, HI 96742 (Central Molokai, North Shore) Tel. (808) 567-6802 The park contains the Kalaupapa Peninsula, site of the historic Hansen's Disease (leprosy) settlements of Kalaupapa and Kalawao, adjacent cliffs and valleys, and submerged lands and waters out to 1/4 mile from shore. Spectacular north shore sea cliffs, narrow valleys, a volcanic crater, rain forest, lava tubes and caves, and off-shore islands and waters are in the park. Several of these areas provide rare native habitat for threatened or endangered Hawaiian plants and animals. There are 8,725 acres of land and 2,000 acres of water within the park's authorized boundary. Hawaiian people inhabited the peninsula and valleys for hundreds of years prior to the establishment of the first isolation settlement at Kalawao in 1866. Evidence of this occupation is relatively undisturbed and represents one of the richest archaeological preserves in Hawaii. Listed below are other sites of interest in the park and park access requirements. For more information, please visit the park's Web site. The Molokai Lighthouse , the tallest U.S. lighthouse in the Pacific Ocean, stands on the northern tip of the peninsula. Built in 1909, its 138-foot concrete tower remains unchanged since its construction and is one of the few original lighthouse structures still in use in Hawaii. The Park Visitor Center has interpretive materials and artifact display cases. Wayside exhibits on the peninsula's people, history and archaeology are located throughout the park. The two churches: Siloama, established in 1866, and Saint Philomena associated with the work of Father Damien (Joseph De Veuster). Both are located in Kalawao on the windward side of the peninsula. The Puu Uao Lookout which offers a view of the Kauhako Crater claimed by limnologists to be one of the most peculiar lakes in the world. The surface of the lake is very near sea level and the bottom is over 800 feet deep - the fourth deepest lake in the United States. Its deep columnar tube, layered with fresh, brackish, and salt water, is home to two species of native shrimp. Access (Restricted): NOTE: Not only is access to the peninsula limited, but access to the resources on the peninsula is limited. Visitors on the tour learn mostly about the history of Hansen's disease in Hawaii and its famous caregivers, especially Father Damien. There is little opportunity to view, or to learn much about many of the other resources. There are three types of visitation at the park: those who view the peninsula from the overlook at Palaau State Park, visitors who tour historic Kalaupapa and Kalawao through a commercial tour, and guests of residents. There is no vehicular access to the Kalaupapa Peninsula. It is surrounded on 3 sides by ocean and on a 4th side by a steep cliff (pali). There is a trail from topside Molokai down the cliffs but the trail has a 1,700 feet elevation, is 3 miles long and has 26 switchbacks resulting in a steep climb back! Most accidents that occur are slips and falls while hiking down the trail. During the wet season (usually winter), the trail can be very wet and slippery. The trail is accessed off Hwy. 470 near Palaau State Park and the Kalaupapa overlook. The park can be reached by air through commercial and charter flights from Honolulu, Oahu, from Maui, and from Hoolehua, Molokai. Some visitors arrive by private boats. Others hike the steep Kalaupapa trail or arrange for a mule ride tour through the Park Concessionaire Molokai Mule Rides, Inc. Damien Tours, owned and operated by a Kalaupapa resident, offers the commercial tour of Kalaupapa. The administration of the Hansen's disease settlement and control of public access into the area are still under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Health. All visitors to the park must receive a permit from the Department of Health to enter the Kalaupapa settlement. The commercial tour company arranges the permit for their customers. Guests of residents have their permits arranged by their sponsor. No children under age 16 are allowed on Kalaupapa. MOLOKAI DISTRICT Dept. of Parks & Recreation 90 Ainoa Street P. O. Box 1055 Kaunakakai, HI 96748 (Central Molokai) Tel. (808) 553-3204 Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri. (Closed weekends/holidays) Information on Molokai's county parks. MOLOKAI'S NATURAL AREA RESERVES (East Molokai) Molokai has 2 natural area reserves: the Puu Alii (approx. 1,330 acres) and the Olokui (approx. 1,620 acres). Both are located in the extremely remote and inaccessible mountainous area of northeast Molokai. For more information, please contact the Natural Area Reserves System, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 224, Honolulu, HI 96813, Tel. (808) 587-0063. NATURE CONSERVANCY OF HAWAII Molokai Preserves Office P. O. Box 220 Kualapuu, HI 96757 (Central Molokai) Tel. (808) 553-5236 The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's mission is to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy, a non-profit organization, has three Preserves on Molokai: the Pelekunu Preserve, the Kamakou Preserve and the Moomomi Preserve. The Nature Conservancy's literature states: Pelekunu Preserve: (Not open to the public due to its fragile nature and for safety reasons.) The Pelekunu Preserve (5,714 acres) is located along Molokai's extremely rugged north coast, featuring the tallest sea cliffs in the world. Pelekunu Preserve protects one of Hawaii's last remaining free-flowing streams, home to at least seven native aquatic species. Kamakou Preserve: (Open to the public - Requires 4-wheel drive vehicle and excellent driving skills.) The rain forest of Kamakou Preserve (2,774 acres) lies near the summit of Molokai's highest mountain. Here you will find more than 250 species of Hawaiian plants - at least 219 of which can be found nowhere else in the world. This lush rain forest is also home to countless native insects, supporting a unique array of birds. Moomomi Preserve: (Open to the public - Requires 4-wheel drive vehicle and a Nature Conservancy issued permit.) At first glance, the dunes of Moomomi appear nearly barren. Yet within vast communities of native grasses and shrubs grow more rare coastal species than in any other single place in the main Hawaiian Islands. In addition, the Moomomi Preserve (921 acres) is a last stronghold of a major Hawaiian coastal ecosystem, a holdover from an ancient era that contains numerous archaeological sites. Call for information on hikes, volunteer work trips, and memberships, or visit the Conservancy's Web site. PALAAU STATE PARK Located at the end of Hwy. 470, about 10 miles northwest of Kaunakakai. (Central Molokai) 233.7 acres of heavily wooded park sitting at an elevation of 1,600 feet on the edge of steep cliffs that drop to the ocean. There is an excellent view from an overlook at the edge of the cliffs of the historic Kalaupapa peninsula to which persons with Hansen's Disease (leprosy) were once banished. Wayside exhibits at the overlook interpret park themes. Short trail leads to a phallic stone thought to enhance fertility. Tent camping only in an ironwood grove (see Camping). No drinking water is available. |