Kauai - Hawaii with Kids - page 392

Alakai Swamp Trail If you want to see the “real” Hawaii, this is it—a big
swamp that's home to rare birds and plants. The trail allows you a rare glimpse
into a wet, cloud-covered wilderness preserve where 460 inches of rainfall a year
is common. This 7-mile hike used to take 5 hours of sloshing through the bog,
with mud up to your knees. Now a boardwalk protects you from the shoe-grab-
bing mud. Come prepared for rain. (The only silver lining is that there are no
mosquitoes above 3,000 ft.)
The trail head is off Mohihi (Camp 10) Road, just beyond the Forest Reserve
entrance sign and the Alakai Shelter picnic area. From the parking lot, the trail
follows an old World War II four-wheel-drive road. Stick to the boardwalk; this
is a fragile eco-area (not to mention the mud). At the end of the 3.5-mile slog,
if you're lucky and the clouds part, you'll have a lovely view of Wainiha Valley
and Hanalei from Kilohana Lookout.
Cabins & Tent Campgrounds Camping facilities include state campgrounds,
one private tent area, and the Kokee Lodge (p. 354), which has 12 cabins for
rent at very reasonable rates. At 4,000 feet, the nights are cold, particularly in
winter. Because no open fires are permitted at Kokee, the best deal is the cabins.
The Kokee Lodge Restaurant is open daily from 9am to 3:30pm for conti-
nental breakfast and lunch. Groceries and gas aren't available in Kokee, so stock
up in advance, or you'll have to make the long trip down the mountain.
The state campground at Kokee allows tent camping only. Permits can be
obtained from a state parks office on any island; on Kauai, it's at 3060 Eiwa St.,
Room 306, Lihue, HI 96766 ( & 808/274-3444 ). The permits are $5 per night;
the time limit is 5 nights in a single 30-day period. Facilities include showers,
drinking water, picnic tables, a pavilion with tables, restrooms, barbecues, sinks
for dishwashing, and electric lights.
Tent camping at Camp Sloggett, owned by the Kauai YWCA, 3094 Elua St.,
Lihue, HI 96766 ( & 808/335-6060; www.campingkauai.com), is available for
$10 per person per night. (Children under 5 stay free.) The sites are on 1 1 ⁄ 2 acres
of open field, with a covered pit for fires and a barbecue area, plus volleyball and
badminton nets. There's also a hostel-style accommodation at the Weinburg
Bunkhouse, with bunk beds, separate toilets, showers, and kitchenettes ($20
per person). To get here, continue on the highway past park headquarters and
take the first right after the Kokee Lodge. Follow the dirt road and look for the
wooden CAMP SLOGGETT sign; turn right and follow the bumpy road past the
state cabins into a large clearing.
BEACH CAMPING AT POLIHALE STATE PARK Polihale holds the dis-
tinction of being the westernmost beach in the United States. The beach is spec-
tacular—some 300 feet wide in summer, with rolling sand dunes (some as high
as 100 ft.), and the islands of Niihau and Lehua just offshore. Bordered by a cur-
tain of Na Pali Coast cliffs on the north, razor-sharp ridges and steep valleys to
the east, and the blue Pacific on the south and west, this is one of the most dra-
matic camping areas in the state.
The campgrounds for tent camping are located at the south end of the beach,
affording privacy from daytime beach activities. There's great swimming in sum-
mer (even then, be on the lookout for waves and rip currents—there are no life-
guards), some surfing (the rides are usually short), and fishing. Camping is on
sand, although there are some kiawe trees for shade. ( Warning: Kiawe trees drop
long thorns, so make sure you have protective footwear.) Facilities include rest-
rooms, showers, picnic tables, barbecues, and a spigot for drinking water. You
can purchase supplies about 15 miles away in Waimea.