Tag: hiking in hawaii

Makiki Valley Loop Trail – a brief history

Oahu’s Makiki Valley Trail is one of the island’s most popular hiking trails. It’s part of the State DNLR’s Na Ala Hele trail system, well maintained and clearly marked. It comprises a series of connecting trails, including the Makiki Loop Trail. That makes it a kind of “choose-your-adventure” proposition for hikers of all ages and […]

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Kealia Trail – a forest foray

Wind and rain are battering my lanai, rattling the sliding glass doors and my normally steady state of relative calm. A “Kona low” has settled in over pretty much the whole state of Hawaii and I’m scrolling through the photo gallery on my phone, unable to muster the gumption to do…anything. Pictures of a recent […]

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Aina Lani Hikes: safe, guided exploring

The completion of improvements to the Koko Crater Stairs hiking trail made headlines in the local news media last week. It has become a popular hike for residents and visitors over the past few years. High traffic had degraded the trail, which is made of railroad ties. The trail is much safer now thanks in […]

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Hiking Hawaii safely

There is nothing we enjoy more than connecting Hawaii visitors with the natural beauty and wonders that the Aloha State has to offer. (Well, perhaps nothing more than enjoying them ourselves.) Here on this blog, on the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast, and in person, through video, or live planning sessions, we encourage our visitors to […]

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Na Ala Hele: Exceptional Hawaii hiking

The Na Ala Hele Trail & Access Program was begun by Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife in 1998. The program monitors and maintains a network of hiking trails, many of them ancient and predating Western contact in the Hawaiian Islands. We’ll list some of our favorites below. Concern […]

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Hiking Mauna Loa Volcano

The view from the summit of Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island is beyond compare. On a clear day, the horizon stretches out endlessly before you at 13, 678 feet above sea level. On an exceptionally clear day you can see the actual curvature of the earth itself. It is astonishing and absolutely unforgettable, and it […]

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Magic in the mountains

Hawaii’s beaches are its main visitor attraction. But to truly experience the breadth of Hawaii’s beauty, you have to also head for the hills, to be in Hawaii’s mountains. The magnetic appeal of Hawaii’s crystal-clear waters and white (and black) sand beaches draws visitors from all over the globe. On any sunny day throughout the […]

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