Hawaii National Park, HI - Everyone is invited to participate in free guided hikes and programs in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in November. Visitors can also explore Kahuku on their own, Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kahuku will be closed on Thanksgiving, Thurs., Nov. 22.
Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a 50-minute drive south of the park’s main entrance. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended for all hikes. Entrance and all programs are free.
Park rangers introduce natural, cultural and historic attributes of Kahuku to the first-time or been-awhile visitor during 20-minute Kahuku Orientation Talks, held at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station. Enjoy multi-cultural demonstrations at Kahuku on Sat., Nov. 3 and Sat., Nov. 17 at 12:30 p.m. Programs and supplies are free. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station.
Get to know your park and your neighbors at a Coffee Talk about the Little Fire Ants in Ka‘ū., Fri., Nov. 30 at 9:30 a.m. Free. Ka‘ū coffee, pastries and tea are available for purchase.
Guided hikes
Paths & Trails Guided Hike. Discover the Pali o Ka‘eo Trail, a two-mile, moderately difficult trail that offers spectacular views of Kahuku. Discover the paths people, animals and plants followed to arrive in this special section of Ka‘ū; Sat., Nov. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop that traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku offers. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, remnant native forest and volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures; Sun., Nov. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship (He Pilina Wehena ‘Ole). Be inspired by a place where hulihia (catastrophic change) and kulia (restoration) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow and its pioneer plants, to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. This moderate hike is about two miles; Sat., Nov. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Pu‘u o Lokuana is a short 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone, Pu‘u o Lokuana. Learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Ka‘ū; Sun., Nov. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Birth of Kahuku. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku. Traverse the vast 1868 lava flow, see different volcanic formations, including the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. This guided easy-to-moderate hike is offered Sat., Nov. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
People and Land of Kahuku is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites hold clues about ways people lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands - from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of the park; Sun., Nov. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Realms and Divisions of Kahuku. Experience the intersection of nature and culture on this moderately difficult two-mile, two-hour guided hike on Pu‘u Kahuku Trail. Bring a snack for the “talk story" segment of this hike; Sat., Nov. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua. Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree, and the disease, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this program, which is an easy, one-mile (or less) walk; Sun., Nov. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Commemorate your trip to Kahuku and purchase the NPS Passport Book from the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association store and get your special Kahuku Unit cancellation stamp. A wide range of educational and cultural items are offered, and proceeds support your park.
Can’t make a guided hike but want to get to know Kahuku better? The Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will tailor a customized trek just for you. Contact Friends through their website. Proceeds support Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Kahuku events are posted to the park website, https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm.
-NPS-
Tags: volcanoes information
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
