Last Big Expedition to Alakai Swamp - Part II

After working the first night and spending the next morning processing my failures I decided to take the short Po'omau canyon trail. The 20 minute pleasant hike through a dark shadowy forest ends when the barren red cliff face peers at you from the end of the trail. The disconnect between the wet moist forest trail and the place you end up - an outlook of the barren Po'omau canyon - is striking to the eye.

Po'omau canyon outlook. Along the trails in Kokee the park service places mile marker signs that let you know how far along the trail you have walked. My favorite part of this 0.3 mile hike is at the terminus of the trail, which abruptly ends at a cliff, the Park Service placed a ubiquitous 'mile-marker' brown sign with park-service yellow paint but it reads - END. As if the steep drop into the canyon is not of a indication enough that the trail has ended.

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.

I was mesmorized by the dripping water and the patterns it made on the stagnent stream.

If you don't love ferns then don't take this hike.

The boardwalk gracefully drops down into the lush fern valley. It was a perfect day for the hike - overcast and cool. I walked for hours and never saw another person - especially this far into the trail. Most hikers bail after the first 2 miles and never get to see the really unique views. The boardwalk is so wonderful that it really feels like a stroll than a hike.

The colors along the swamp are muted greens and reds. Occasionally you see a splash of bright color and it seems so vivid in contrast to the rest of the sullen landscape.

This is one of my favorite pictures - a cloud drifting across the land like a giant ghost, light reflecting off stagnant pools, the solitary boardwalk snaking through dwarven trees.

For some reason I kept thinking of an Scottish moor and was awaiting to hear the howls from the hounds of Baskerville.

At the end of the 3.75 mile hike in is this cute little rest spot and outlook for Hanalei valley. As you can see the valley was draped in heavy white clouds. It was surreal looking out into the blinding white cloud. You know there is a 3,400 foot drop just off the edge of the cliff but you cannot see it. I sat for a few minutes and then turned around to return to camp.