When the entire family came to Koke'e a couple of months ago I never got the opportunity to hike into the swamp proper and see the 'real Alakai swamp". The day that I left I decided to hike to the Kiohana lookout - it is at the end of a 2 mile leg of boardwalk that cuts across the center of the swamp. The lookout perches over Hanalei valley and you are supposed to be able to see Hanalei bay in the distance. It was an opportunity I could not pass up so I began the 7.5 mile roundtrip hike looking forward to both the journey and the destination.

The boardwalk was installed in the 1990's and it is one of the best use of tax money I have ever seen. At the beginning of the hike the trees are tall, spindly and thickly grown. Covered in red moss they look like they are dressed for the winter in fuzzy coats.