Powerline Trail

On Kauai they say that if it's rainy where you are, just drive around to the other side of the island and it probably will be sunny. With a storm front approaching [Wet Sunday for Kauai and Oahu] from the west, today seemed like a good chance to go hike the east side of the island. While the west side didn't get as much rain as originally forecast, it was great weather where I was, about a 30 mile drive.

Overview 

True to its name, the Power Line trail follows the power lines through the Keahua Arboretum, over the mountains, and through to the north shore. If the power lines must go through this beautiful forest, it's great to have a trail through there as well. Whenever the trail was sketchy or uncertain, one look up at the power lines would confirm that I was on track. Another favorite hike exceeded my recollection and I got further than before, up to the summit for a view to the north coast.

Trail head

Take Highway 50 to Wailua (from the south side, head to Lihue, then go left toward Kapaa) and turn onto Kuamoo Road (Highway 580), just after crossing the Wailua River, and follow the road to the end in the Keahua Arboretum. The paved road ends at a little parking parking lot just beyond a stream you cross by car (typically just a few inches of water over the road, as always, use precaution). With the 4WD Jeep I drove on less than a half mile up hill to a little broken down shed at the trail head, but it isn't far if you want to walk up there. The road bends off to the left, but our trail begins here leading uphill with a rough stone paved road.
Can be done one-way from the end of Kapaka (near Princeville) if you can manage two car shuttle.
Expect some mud on this one. Long pants highly recommended for slogging through the overgrown trail. And plenty of water, as always.

The hike

The trail is not maintained and after the initial stretch narrows in places alternating between looking like a dirt road, to an ATV road, to just a beaten path through the bushes. The power lines are almost always in view, to one side or the other. Weather was completely dry today but overnight rains made it wet and downright muddy in spots, but always passable. It's great that you can look at the power lines and see roughly where the trail is headed further on.
Further on the trail turns to clay and rock (not unlike the first stretch of Pihea trail) and leads up hill toward an overlook to the north.  Up top you can see the power lines extending toward Kilauea along with disused older generation power pole as well. I turned around when I say the ocean to the north and retraced by path.

Along the way

(see link to the right
for a better photo)

I had never before seen the Asian Spinyback Spider which had crafted webs in a few places across the trail. No reason a spider can't have such a large body, but had never considered such a thing might exist. Easy to spot, all the webs were well off the ground so I was able to duck under easily and not disturb.
Unfortunately, on the return, I heard the sound of two-cycle engines on the trail and had to step aside as three ATV sped by; and of course, grasses and shrubs along the trail - including the narrow paths I had walked through on the way up - were now mashed down to the ground at least a yard wide.
Worse yet, further down the trail some dude had felled a huge monkeypod tree right over the trail. The fallen tree completely blocks the path so I don't think the ATV boys will be pleased to see their way unpassable. I didn't think confronting the guy would have been productive with the tree already down so I moved through best I could.

Post-hike

Kapaa's Mermaids Cafe for early dinner: Ahi Cilantra Wrap ($12) was terrific, with plenty of Sriracha hot sauce. "Seared ahi with our homemade cilantro sauce, rice, cucumber and soy sauce wrapped in our green tortilla. " The place is real hole-in-the-wall next door to the Java Kai a few shops down from the Hawaiian Bank. A couple of tables out front and a bar with a row of stools along the side. Food is simple but good, no table service, run by twenty-somethings, very very island casual.
The Pono Market is closed Sundays or I would have been there, totally. And the 30 mile drive back.

Here's my trek from today as a map. Also: more photos with captions are.