Hiking Trails on Oahu

Kauai Hiking 2018 We  had the sole intention of hiking The Kalalau Trail. We scheduled our flights, bought permits, and planned like heck. However, the hiking gods gave a grim forecast and in the end Kauai got the worst flooding in years, so much so that a lost Buffalo ended up in the ocean and someone had to save it.  picture from civil beat Kilauea Lighthouse - March 22, 2018 With the road closure and the Kalalau trail closed, we needed to regroup. Close by was the Kilauea Lighthouse. This place is a refuge for native flora and fauna.  It was freezing cold when we got out of the car. My goal was to identify as many native plants as possible. The mood was not the best as everyone knew Kalalau was a no go and probably a no go for the entire trip as bad weather was forecast. Daniel had to fork over Michelle and I's $5 per person fee as we didn't have any cash. A huge akoko grove was in the parking lot and we took pictures of the healthy plant. akoko There was one plant we ...

Aiea to KST - March 3, 2018 I wanted to do this hike because of the plethora of native plants. But I think everyone had their own agenda. Erik, Daniel, and Bernice wanted to get to Red Hill. Daniel wanted to get in shape. Michelle came because...I'm not sure.  The plan was to start on the Aiea Loop Trail and crossover to Red Hill. I thought the hike would take about 12-15 hours because of the distance.  A cloudy day was in the forecast, but earlier in the week the forecast called for rain so we rolled the dice.  Tomi, Bernice's husband met us at Moanalua Valley Park and drove us to the Aiea Trail Head. Yup the gate was open, we saved 15 minutes walking up the hill.  Most of us had a big pack and a heavy load, it was slowing us down. The hike on Aiea Loop was short, about 45 minutes. Aiea ridge beckoned and the beginning parts of H3 could be seen from the ridge trail. The Hirano tunnel was still far far away.  The good part of Aiea ridge was the native plants. Th...