10-30-2016, 03:32 PM
the Hilo one sounds like more of a long coastal sidewalk... not really hiking, more like for strolling in public....
there are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Puna.... but you can get really lost in some...
for a stroll on smooth ground... all you really have in Puna is Lava Tree, but its not that pristine.. full of invasives really... very unHawaii-like... only cool plant there is a few planted out ma'o hau hele... there is short trails in HPP along coast... best coastal hikes for nature IMO are in the Honolulu Landing to WaaWaa area, and the heiau and old Kings Hwy trail areas near Kalani retreat and along coast in the Malama-Ki Reserve/McKenzie, and areas between Kehena and Kaimu on older pahoehoe flows but its all intercepted by areas of mostly rough ground very uneven because of the a'a lava in many areas along coast, but wide open so no way to get lost... and Puna is well know for having the most % of native plants along the coast as anywhere in state... because they never brought ungulates into lower Puna because of all the a'a... lucky us....
fwiw some of the best exotic hiking in state is in upper Puna and west of Hilo, but some of it is very advanced, very good chance to get lost and you will get muddy on most.. its jungle trails.. but super pristine in some areas ie 99.9% endemic and very very unique... Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve, Ola'a Forest Reserve, Ola'a Forest reserve in HVNP on Wright Rd in Volcano Village, Kahuaalea Natural Area Reserve, Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve, and HVNP including 'birdpark' and Mauna Loa summit trails... one of my easy favs and a nice straight one is "Tree Planting Rd' coming in from the Saddle Rd side... same with the 'powerline trail' of the old Pu'u O'o trail system also on the Saddle Rd side of Mauna Loa a bit higher up... both less muddy and wide open and straight...
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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha
there are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Puna.... but you can get really lost in some...
for a stroll on smooth ground... all you really have in Puna is Lava Tree, but its not that pristine.. full of invasives really... very unHawaii-like... only cool plant there is a few planted out ma'o hau hele... there is short trails in HPP along coast... best coastal hikes for nature IMO are in the Honolulu Landing to WaaWaa area, and the heiau and old Kings Hwy trail areas near Kalani retreat and along coast in the Malama-Ki Reserve/McKenzie, and areas between Kehena and Kaimu on older pahoehoe flows but its all intercepted by areas of mostly rough ground very uneven because of the a'a lava in many areas along coast, but wide open so no way to get lost... and Puna is well know for having the most % of native plants along the coast as anywhere in state... because they never brought ungulates into lower Puna because of all the a'a... lucky us....
fwiw some of the best exotic hiking in state is in upper Puna and west of Hilo, but some of it is very advanced, very good chance to get lost and you will get muddy on most.. its jungle trails.. but super pristine in some areas ie 99.9% endemic and very very unique... Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve, Ola'a Forest Reserve, Ola'a Forest reserve in HVNP on Wright Rd in Volcano Village, Kahuaalea Natural Area Reserve, Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve, and HVNP including 'birdpark' and Mauna Loa summit trails... one of my easy favs and a nice straight one is "Tree Planting Rd' coming in from the Saddle Rd side... same with the 'powerline trail' of the old Pu'u O'o trail system also on the Saddle Rd side of Mauna Loa a bit higher up... both less muddy and wide open and straight...
******************************************************************
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha
******************************************************************
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha