Explore Hawaii: Ka'au Crater loop
Monday, October 07, 2013 |
| View from the top facing the inside of Ka'au Crater with Diamond Head and Waikiki in the background. |
Ka'au, a small crater tucked against the spine of the Koolaus, is one of 3 tuff cones around Honolulu, Hawai'i. The other two consisting of Diamond Head & Koko Head.
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| Fresh hand picked guavas. |
Level of difficulty: Intermediate - Advance
Duration: 5 - 5 1/2 hours
The essentials: Water*, mosquito spray, protective clothing**, shoes
* For reference: I brought along my CamelBak with a 70 oz / 2 L hydration capacity. Evan and I together finished all the water before we even reached the top. So if you're a heavy water drinker like us, then pack accordingly.
** You'll ramble through painful low lying brush... and you WILL get scraped up. So cover up your legs.
Oh shit, bag (Or more properly known as an Emergency Kit... better safe than sorry): Gloves for rope climbing, head light (if you start this trail late, it does get dark and there are plenty of roots, rocks, and slippery leaves that can sneak up on you, especially if there's low visibility), change of clothes and shoes to change into after (you will get dirty).
The trail begins in the back of Palolo Valley. The first half of the trail's pretty straight forward & clearly marked. It's very visible from all the foot traffic.
Follow the stream through the valley. You'll see a few ropes & large water pipes along the way. Follow these. After a good hike, you hit the first waterfall.
Stay to the right. Ascend up & over the waterfall.
You will soon reach the second waterfall. It's bigger than the first. Follow the trail up & over. It's such a gorgeous view standing at the top & looking over this waterfall. (CAUTION: Keep away from the edge. It's very slippery & dangerous). Cross over & continue on.
You then reach the third and final waterfall. I love this part! It's such an unreal experience seeing, hearing, and feeling the water flowing right under your feet as you scale the falls.
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| About mid way up, grab the rope above and cross over the water. |
Finally, you get your first glimpse of the breathtakingly green Ka'au Crater.
Continue further up, keeping to the right side of the crater.
You will reach a narrow trail that ascends to the top of the summit. Get ready. This is where the real fun begins!
Follow this trail. This is the start of the loop. It will take you up & around the crater, then back down to the stream where you started.
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| This half of the hike's the most difficult part & can be treacherous if you're an inexperienced hiker or don't proceed with adequate caution. Just watch your footing & use your own judgement. You're the only one who knows what you are capable of handling. Otherwise, if you're like me then you won't want this half to end. All of these "cautions" are what I live for. I love the thrill factor of it all. |
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As you can see in the following pictures, there's
portions where you will be hiking slippery grounds,
sliding down steep narrow cliffs, climbing verticals,
& rambling through overgrown thick sharp foliage.
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| A breathtaking view from the top of Ka'au Crater loop. It's truly remarkable how lush & green this scenery is. |
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| Gorgeous orchids pop up all around at the top of the loop. Mother nature sure knows how to decorate the 'aina. |
It's a fairly long trek down so don't take too much time at the top. Plan accordingly. Allow ample time to finish the trail. The trail will take you straight back to the stream. Travel downstream & it will lead you right back to the start. There are colored markers tied to branches throughout the hike. Look for them to guide you if you get lost.
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