Sunday headed out at the crack of dawn for Koke'e. A new local friend offered to drive his 4WD truck off-road so we got to go to trails I would normally be able to reach with my rental car.
First stop was at the Waimea Canyon lookout to watch the sun come up over the mountains across the valley.
We were headed for Miloli'i Ridge trail ... but the gate was locked. Attempted to get through from another entrance, but no luck. Plan B was to go out Polihale Ridge ... also locked gate.
Plan C was to drive in to Sugi Camp ... a good five miles by dirt roads. Definitely good to have a tough truck with 4WD though the road was in good condition - not much mud, and not so dry that we raised a lot of dust either.
We walked about a mile up Kawaikoi stream. Far from the highway there are few people around and it's perfectly quiet. Ideal to observe birds and see plenty of flora.
Late lunch at the Koke'e Lodge - Apple salad (lettuce, apple slices, macadamia nuts, feta cheese, with a mustard dressing) and cornbread: recommended, especially the salad.
I learned that ferns here can be dangerous according to my friend who was full of local stories. He said the ferns grow densely layer after layer, sometimes reaching out over the edge of a dropoff or cliff. Hikers have been known to tromp out over the ferns, and once past the edge the ferns won't support their weight and they plummet down over the edge in this insidious trap by the local flora.
Photos:
Sunrise over Waimea Canyon
Leaf backlit by early morning sun
Dried out ferns
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