Leaving Hapuna Beach we drove a bit North before turning East and heading up to Waimea. Spread out to the south we could see the 3 volcanoes; Haulalau, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The girls took in the sweeping grasslands and grass covered cinder cones rising up out of them and remarked that if they lived in Hawai’i they would live here
We made quick stop at the natural food store in Waimea to pick up a few things and then made a short detour to the Tropical Dreams Ice Cream factory to eat some ice cream as we continued on our way to Waipio Valley.
We are hiking into Waimanu Valley tomorrow on the Muliwai Trail and had booked via Hipcamp a camp spot down in Waipio Valley. We drove practically to the overlook and parked on the side of the road near where our host lived and went and checked in with her. She had a beautiful house half of which was an AirBnB and she invited us in and told us she would drive us down into the valley to the campsite.
We went back to the car and re-packed our backpacks for our 3 day out and back hike and then climbed in the back of Cynthia’s pick up for the ride down the insanely steep road into Waipio.
We are only the 2nd people to camp with her, she is pretty new to Hipcamp and the property which was about a mile back in the valley really didn’t have any dedicated campsites. There were 2 ramshackle cabins one of which we could hang in, a toilet in an outhouse and a cat named Mango.
We found a dry spot out of the way and set up the tent and spent a lazy afternoon reading, eating, playing games before our hike into Waimanu tomorrow.
Colleen and I took a walk crossing many streams and walking the road until NO TRESPASSING signs stopped us. We sat in the road and watched horseback tours for awhile as walking with them made the horses skittish and the road ended at their stables.
We ate curry for dinner as the sunset and the flocks of white birds flew out of the valley. Just before dark a family of 3 arrived and we recognized them from Ho’okena Beach. Jason and his wife and daughter from Maine. We gave them the tour and chatted a bit before going to bed. Jason is going into Waimanu tomorrow while his family does something else.
Up at first light was I and began packing up slowly picking up the pace as the girls awoke. We got the routine down now, the girls pack the inside of the tent.
Colleen organizes the packs and I take down and stow the tent. We decided to eat breakfast at the trail-head at the base of the zig-zag path which was a 2 mile walk from our campsite.
We crossed 3 small streams before reaching the beach where we had to cross the river but it was shallow and easy. Across the beach we went walking on the sand at first before heading up into the trees where there was a broad path to the trailhead
We paused at the trailhead so the girls could have breakfast. I had an alarm set for 11am and my quart container of breakfast in my pack. After eating was completed it was up the zig zag path which took us up out of the valley with beautiful lookouts at each ends of the zigs and
2/3rds of the way up the path entered an ironwood forest and the trail was covered with a soft blanket of long needles. Not long after I was at the top and on the edge of an old growth forest with immense koa trees and Norfolk pines.
Ambiana caught up 10 minutes later and Colleen and Jakobi followed 20 minutes later. Then it was off across the top-lands hiking into and out of lush vallys with waterfall creeks in the center of them. Two little ones then a big one repeat 3 X’s pass 4 emergency heli-pads with mileage markers, pause at the waterfall bends at the bottom of the up and downs to snack and when my alarm went off to eat.
We took it leisurely enjoying the immense trees and waterfalls. Each headland brought us again into an Ironwood forest belt before dropping back down into jungle. We came across several day hikers and 2 couples hiking out and Jason from Maine caught up with and passed us 3 miles in.
By 2:20 pm we were at the long downhill into Waimanu Valley and it was as bad as I remember it. Steep long zig zags covered with long slippery barbed leaves of the kukui nut tree. My knees were aching 1/2 way down but the views of Waimanu were glorious to behold with it’s Kin Kong tall tall waterfalls dropping into cliff high basins only to fall away again to the valley floor.
At the bottom there was a deep creek to cross with a rope to hang onto. I went pantless as I only had one pair of shorts and wanted to keep them dry. The campsites are now numbered and were for the most part occupied. We passed 2 privy’s on stilts built right where the sweet valley viewpoint is on our way to campsite #7 and when we arrived Colleen broke out the chocolate.
Colleen and I set up camp and the hammock and the girls opened their books as I took a walk to soak in the valley view. I LOVE this valley, small and lush with towering cliffs and breathtaking waterfalls and us right up against the rounded rock strewn beach upon which break the ocean waves. when I had my fill of viewing the valley I sat upon the lava rock beach and took in the sea.
Ambiana joined me and we built towers of stone and played a rock tossing game trying to hit designated rocks. Colleen and I then took the waterfall trail and filled our water bottles and she then cooked us a cheesy mashed potato tuna yum for dinner
Twenty years later and the cheesy pasta has tuna in it and I am here not with a crazy psycho girl but with my lovey and our two daughters. It is good to be back. This hike and this valley are some of the prettiest country I have ever beheld. We ate on the log on the lava rock beach and watched the stars come out and the moon roll overhead. The beach faces NE, our direction home under Orion. Then it was tent time and some reading and tunes before sleep.
Day 2 in Waimanu
I got up before dawn the ground is so hard and crawled into the hammock until 1st light then went and watched the sun paint the back of the valley with sunrise before sitting on the log and communing with the waves. Happy New Calendar Day! We slept through the hypothetical point not caring. The group in Campsite #2 supposedly were having a party. Thank Goodness we have a full day here before hiking back out. The waterfall is our goal today and just chill the f—- out!
The Site #2 group marched past us early to explore the valley while we were in the tent playing Phase 10. Earlier I had fallen out of the hammock while escaping the rocky ground and my hip is sore. After the game, which I won, we packed a lunch and headed out ourselves along the forest path to the waterfall following a barely discernible trail and flagged trees.
I remember almost nothing of this trail (I’ve been here twice, in 1996 and 2000) and it was longer than I remembered as well but became familiar as we turned into the small cut made by the waterfall stream and emerged into the waterfall basin.
So high was the water falling down the cliff face into a the large pool. We stood a bit taking it in, hesitating a bit before plunging into the pool for a family swi and frolic in the not so warm water. It was exhilarating and I swam beneath the curtain of water and was transfixed by the deluge.
We waved at the copters overhead and then ate lunch in this sweet basin. We were expecting to pass the group from Site #2 on the way in or at least join them here at the pool but we never saw them and only hours later after we were back at camp they appeared bearing oranges did we learn that they hiked to the 2ND WATERFALL. We are going to have to come back so we can hike to that one as well.
Colleen urged me into the hammock with her and we crashed to the ground and after the laughter and tears subsided we ate an early dinner of pea soup pasta and then gathered on the log to toss rocks at rocks and watch the stars come out. Then it was another long dark night of the uncomfortable tent before dawns golden light called me forth to initiate the pack up procedure.
Day 3 in Waimanu Valley
Once the girls awoke we rallied and were ready to go by 7:30 am. Since we were flying to Kaua’i the next day I placed my Pele Stone and the rest of my pakalolo in a tree near our site and then we were off.
The tide was in and the stream was deeper than when we arrived and we all got wet crossing it and as we started up the trail a runner came running down hit the beach and passed us again running back up. This initial up out of the valley was the worst part of the hike and even it was not so bad and soon we were at the top where we had a stop for the girls to break their fast.
We had a glorious sunny day to hike the ins and outs and ups and downs of the 12 gulches between Waimanu and Waipio.
We paused in the 2 biggest for breakfast for me and then lunch and by 12:15 pm we were at the top of the Zig Zag Path and before we knew it were looking down on the beach.
Then we were down, a quick break at the bottom before crossing the beach to wade the river.
Now we had the steep uphill twisty road out of the valley looming before us and we thought we might get a ride but we didn’t but it didn’t matter as we powered up it; Ambiana and Colleen pulling far and away and Jakobi and I bringing up the rear. By 2:30 pm we were back at the car feeling STRONG!
We celebrated by going to the Tropical Dreams Factory again and getting ice cream. We then drove the Belt Road down to Kona and celebrated some more with Mexican food at Poncho & Lefty’s on Ali’i Drive bayside in the middle of touristy Kona: burgers, tacos, chimichangas and margaritas as the sun set into the sea.
We then celebrated further by going to see STAR WARS: THe Rise of Skywalker and the 10 previews that proceeded it It was better than the Last Jedi and a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker Saga. We were up late and did some shopping at Safeway (open 24 hours) and then drove just North of the airport to the same pull off the girls slept at 3 weeks ago upon arriving and slept there again; the girls in the car and me, after making my breakfast, on a tarp beside the car.
Waipio & Waimanu Valley
Leaving Hapuna Beach we drove a bit North before turning East and heading up to Waimea. Spread out to the south we could see the 3 volcanoes; Haulalau, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The girls took in the sweeping grasslands and grass covered cinder cones rising up out of them and remarked that if they lived in Hawai’i they would live here
We made quick stop at the natural food store in Waimea to pick up a few things and then made a short detour to the Tropical Dreams Ice Cream factory to eat some ice cream as we continued on our way to Waipio Valley.
We are hiking into Waimanu Valley tomorrow on the Muliwai Trail and had booked via Hipcamp a camp spot down in Waipio Valley. We drove practically to the overlook and parked on the side of the road near where our host lived and went and checked in with her. She had a beautiful house half of which was an AirBnB and she invited us in and told us she would drive us down into the valley to the campsite.
We went back to the car and re-packed our backpacks for our 3 day out and back hike and then climbed in the back of Cynthia’s pick up for the ride down the insanely steep road into Waipio.
We are only the 2nd people to camp with her, she is pretty new to Hipcamp and the property which was about a mile back in the valley really didn’t have any dedicated campsites. There were 2 ramshackle cabins one of which we could hang in, a toilet in an outhouse and a cat named Mango.
We found a dry spot out of the way and set up the tent and spent a lazy afternoon reading, eating, playing games before our hike into Waimanu tomorrow.
Colleen and I took a walk crossing many streams and walking the road until NO TRESPASSING signs stopped us. We sat in the road and watched horseback tours for awhile as walking with them made the horses skittish and the road ended at their stables.
We ate curry for dinner as the sunset and the flocks of white birds flew out of the valley. Just before dark a family of 3 arrived and we recognized them from Ho’okena Beach. Jason and his wife and daughter from Maine. We gave them the tour and chatted a bit before going to bed. Jason is going into Waimanu tomorrow while his family does something else.
Up at first light was I and began packing up slowly picking up the pace as the girls awoke. We got the routine down now, the girls pack the inside of the tent.
Colleen organizes the packs and I take down and stow the tent. We decided to eat breakfast at the trail-head at the base of the zig-zag path which was a 2 mile walk from our campsite.
We crossed 3 small streams before reaching the beach where we had to cross the river but it was shallow and easy. Across the beach we went walking on the sand at first before heading up into the trees where there was a broad path to the trailhead
We paused at the trailhead so the girls could have breakfast. I had an alarm set for 11am and my quart container of breakfast in my pack. After eating was completed it was up the zig zag path which took us up out of the valley with beautiful lookouts at each ends of the zigs and
2/3rds of the way up the path entered an ironwood forest and the trail was covered with a soft blanket of long needles. Not long after I was at the top and on the edge of an old growth forest with immense koa trees and Norfolk pines.
Ambiana caught up 10 minutes later and Colleen and Jakobi followed 20 minutes later. Then it was off across the top-lands hiking into and out of lush vallys with waterfall creeks in the center of them. Two little ones then a big one repeat 3 X’s pass 4 emergency heli-pads with mileage markers, pause at the waterfall bends at the bottom of the up and downs to snack and when my alarm went off to eat.
We took it leisurely enjoying the immense trees and waterfalls. Each headland brought us again into an Ironwood forest belt before dropping back down into jungle. We came across several day hikers and 2 couples hiking out and Jason from Maine caught up with and passed us 3 miles in.
By 2:20 pm we were at the long downhill into Waimanu Valley and it was as bad as I remember it. Steep long zig zags covered with long slippery barbed leaves of the kukui nut tree. My knees were aching 1/2 way down but the views of Waimanu were glorious to behold with it’s Kin Kong tall tall waterfalls dropping into cliff high basins only to fall away again to the valley floor.
At the bottom there was a deep creek to cross with a rope to hang onto. I went pantless as I only had one pair of shorts and wanted to keep them dry. The campsites are now numbered and were for the most part occupied. We passed 2 privy’s on stilts built right where the sweet valley viewpoint is on our way to campsite #7 and when we arrived Colleen broke out the chocolate.
Colleen and I set up camp and the hammock and the girls opened their books as I took a walk to soak in the valley view. I LOVE this valley, small and lush with towering cliffs and breathtaking waterfalls and us right up against the rounded rock strewn beach upon which break the ocean waves. when I had my fill of viewing the valley I sat upon the lava rock beach and took in the sea.
Ambiana joined me and we built towers of stone and played a rock tossing game trying to hit designated rocks. Colleen and I then took the waterfall trail and filled our water bottles and she then cooked us a cheesy mashed potato tuna yum for dinner
Twenty years later and the cheesy pasta has tuna in it and I am here not with a crazy psycho girl but with my lovey and our two daughters. It is good to be back. This hike and this valley are some of the prettiest country I have ever beheld. We ate on the log on the lava rock beach and watched the stars come out and the moon roll overhead. The beach faces NE, our direction home under Orion. Then it was tent time and some reading and tunes before sleep.
Day 2 in Waimanu
I got up before dawn the ground is so hard and crawled into the hammock until 1st light then went and watched the sun paint the back of the valley with sunrise before sitting on the log and communing with the waves. Happy New Calendar Day! We slept through the hypothetical point not caring. The group in Campsite #2 supposedly were having a party. Thank Goodness we have a full day here before hiking back out. The waterfall is our goal today and just chill the f—- out!
The Site #2 group marched past us early to explore the valley while we were in the tent playing Phase 10. Earlier I had fallen out of the hammock while escaping the rocky ground and my hip is sore. After the game, which I won, we packed a lunch and headed out ourselves along the forest path to the waterfall following a barely discernible trail and flagged trees.
I remember almost nothing of this trail (I’ve been here twice, in 1996 and 2000) and it was longer than I remembered as well but became familiar as we turned into the small cut made by the waterfall stream and emerged into the waterfall basin.
So high was the water falling down the cliff face into a the large pool. We stood a bit taking it in, hesitating a bit before plunging into the pool for a family swi and frolic in the not so warm water. It was exhilarating and I swam beneath the curtain of water and was transfixed by the deluge.
We waved at the copters overhead and then ate lunch in this sweet basin. We were expecting to pass the group from Site #2 on the way in or at least join them here at the pool but we never saw them and only hours later after we were back at camp they appeared bearing oranges did we learn that they hiked to the 2ND WATERFALL. We are going to have to come back so we can hike to that one as well.
Colleen urged me into the hammock with her and we crashed to the ground and after the laughter and tears subsided we ate an early dinner of pea soup pasta and then gathered on the log to toss rocks at rocks and watch the stars come out. Then it was another long dark night of the uncomfortable tent before dawns golden light called me forth to initiate the pack up procedure.
Day 3 in Waimanu Valley
Once the girls awoke we rallied and were ready to go by 7:30 am. Since we were flying to Kaua’i the next day I placed my Pele Stone and the rest of my pakalolo in a tree near our site and then we were off.
The tide was in and the stream was deeper than when we arrived and we all got wet crossing it and as we started up the trail a runner came running down hit the beach and passed us again running back up. This initial up out of the valley was the worst part of the hike and even it was not so bad and soon we were at the top where we had a stop for the girls to break their fast.
We had a glorious sunny day to hike the ins and outs and ups and downs of the 12 gulches between Waimanu and Waipio.
We paused in the 2 biggest for breakfast for me and then lunch and by 12:15 pm we were at the top of the Zig Zag Path and before we knew it were looking down on the beach.
Then we were down, a quick break at the bottom before crossing the beach to wade the river.
Now we had the steep uphill twisty road out of the valley looming before us and we thought we might get a ride but we didn’t but it didn’t matter as we powered up it; Ambiana and Colleen pulling far and away and Jakobi and I bringing up the rear. By 2:30 pm we were back at the car feeling STRONG!
We celebrated by going to the Tropical Dreams Factory again and getting ice cream. We then drove the Belt Road down to Kona and celebrated some more with Mexican food at Poncho & Lefty’s on Ali’i Drive bayside in the middle of touristy Kona: burgers, tacos, chimichangas and margaritas as the sun set into the sea.
We then celebrated further by going to see STAR WARS: THe Rise of Skywalker and the 10 previews that proceeded it It was better than the Last Jedi and a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker Saga. We were up late and did some shopping at Safeway (open 24 hours) and then drove just North of the airport to the same pull off the girls slept at 3 weeks ago upon arriving and slept there again; the girls in the car and me, after making my breakfast, on a tarp beside the car.