Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PU'U KOLEKOLE
On the same 4WD road leading to the Pepe'opae trailhead, hikers who take the fork to the
right will instead reach the start of the
Pu'u Kolekole trail.
This two-mile trail leads you
to the 3,951-foot summit of Pu'u Kolekole. From here the view overlooks the southern
shoreline and fringing reef to offer the best view of southern Moloka'i.
West Moloka'i
Given the lack of mountains in western Moloka'I, most of the hikes on this side of the is-
land follow the coastline.
KAWAKIU
A nice walk from the condo complexes of Kaluakoi is to follow either the coastline or a
dusty dirt road to the secluded beauty of
Kawakiu Nui Beach.
From Maunaloa Highway
(Hwy. 460) take the Kalukaoi Road exit and follow it to the bottom of the hill before mak-
ing a right on Kaka'ako Road. Finally, a left on Lio Place brings you to the Paniolo Hale
parking lot, where you can follow the signs for the beach, crossing over the fairway of the
old golf course before you reach the shoreline. Make a right, and 45 minutes of walking
along the coastline will bring you to Kawakiu. Or, if the tide or surf is too high to walk
along the coastline, turn inland past Make Horse Beach. After a few minutes, you'll meet
up with a dirt road which leads north and deposits you at Kawakiu. About 100 yards be-
fore the road drops onto the sand at Kawakiu, there's an ancient Hawaiian
heiau
out on the
rocky point. Show respect for this centuries-old site; don't remove any rocks.
East Moloka'i
Deeply carved down from the 4,961-foot summit of Kamakou, the valleys of eastern Mo-
loka'i beckon to be explored. Despite being beautiful, forested, and laden with waterfalls,
many of the valleys are cut off from public use. Liability concerns have forced landowners
to restrict access to many valley trails, although some are still available by taking part in a
guided tour.
PU'U KOLEKOLE
The only hike on this side of the island realistically available to casual hikers is the
Pu'u
Kolekole trail
which leads to the same summit as the one accessed from Pepe'opae Bog.
If you still want to see the views from Pu'u Kolekole but don't have a four-wheel drive to
get you into the forest reserve, an alternate route is to follow Highway 450 east of Kaun-
akakai until you reach the left turn into the Kawela I housing development. Once you pass
the rows of plumeria trees, take the first left leading uphill and ascend a steep road until
