Napali Coast Trail and Kalalau

Napali Coast Trail and Kalalau

Posted to OHE in August 2010 by Thea Ferentinos

I’ve always had a fantastic time in Kalalau. The trip a couple weeks ago was no exception – great times, great companions, great stories. I’d go again tomorrow. A few asked me about the trail and the valley, that’s a different story, in my view, a disheartening one of neglect and dishonor for such a special place.

Coast Trail

2 Mile Marker: 2008 was my last visit. Since then, the state has put a great effort into improving the first two miles of the trail. The trail is wider, graded, even rerouted a bit near the end of the descent to Hanakapiai beach. Along the way, there are more makai views through ti and hala, opened by trimming out weedy shrubs and small trees. Some recent plantings at a switch back for erosion control and shortcut prevention.

Once past the beach, there were no signs of change. Didn’t seem like the outhouse was any different, though I didn’t go in. The intersection of the Falls trail and Na Pali Coast trail is still confusing for first-timers. I had a nice chat with a couple I met on the coast trail near the top of the pu’u past the beach. They were looking for the falls; they really overshot it.

To 6 MM: Heading out and up from Hanakapiae, it’s brushy and scratchy. A small crew with sickles, machetes and loppers on a day hike in could do a lot of good. Otherwise the trail seemed similar as two years ago. I did not see any trash bags at Hanakoa. I did not use the facility there. Five in our group camped there; they should have details, and they seemed happy with their stay.

One in our group had asked if he could assist restocking toilet paper in the outhouses, as has been done before. Someone at the State told him that the outhouses aren’t stocked with toilet paper. This was almost always true in the past, but I don’t think it used to be acknowledged. I did not see a Park employee for the six days, five nights we were there. Rich had heard there was a permit sweep three days before we arrived. That reminds me of what shouldn’t be a funny story - we gave a Danish guy a ride to the trailhead from Anini, and then at the trailhead, he asked me where we needed to check in and show our permits (good one Danish guy!).

Hiking out, I chatted with some goat hunters at Space Rock. The goat population is extremely low they say. In five days, they killed just a few goats while hunting mainly Hanakoa to 7 MM. One of them believes someone is illegally trapping and killing large numbers of goats for eradication purposes.

7.5 MM: The famous “crawler’s ledge” stretch had one particularly bad spot where the sand is deep and slippery, from a sand slide from above. Viewed from across the way, the trail disappears there. Rich felt this section was the worst he’d seen it. Other than the sand slide, to me it didn’t seem much different than before. Funny how hiking back out on an incline this section is so much easier.

In this area there is this little gully you go down and cross; a false trail drops steeply towards the ocean, maybe a wash out spot. The real trail contours left but your eyes go to the washout. I heard there was an incident here where someone went down the false trail and was injured. As a result, the state put up a sign stating “hazardous trail conditions”, with warnings of danger, slipping, death, do not proceed. It was very confusing because it’s not a trail and it is not THE trail. I momentarily wondered if the entire coast trail was closed. Others were confused and paused here too. A simple sign stating “trail” with an arrow would have been more helpful.

8 MM: We did not see Bill the volunteer trail-maintenance guy on this trip. The 8mm camp area includes a well-kept odorless latrine up the hill with a full sized shovel to maintain it, a green nylon rain-tarp, neatly raked campsites, and an industrial wheelbarrow. The site was free of trash. Trail work on both sides of this camp are evident, for example the neat step-like cuts across the trail that improved traction. This campsite is unofficial and unsanctioned by the state.

Kalalau Valley

11 MM: The outhouses at Kalalau seem to look exactly as they did when I first saw them 8 years ago, plus eight years wear and tear. Same for the dilapidated ranger cabin/shed. Signs about how to use them properly are obscure - old, dirty, worn. Three outhouses lined up, rust colored, rickety framing - I think these must be the State Park’s ugliest facilities. No TP was provided, as promised. With the wrong winds, the odors reach the ranger cabin and adjacent helipad.

In 2008, a couple dozen, reeking, black trash bags sat near the outhouses. There were no trash bags there this time. I wonder if the recent 50% increase in permit fees goes towards trash removal fees (from rampant abuse and misuse by non-permitted visitors). At that helipad there was a bright red ocean rescue belt hanging on a black and white pole with easy to read instructions. The one service improvement to Kalalau beach!

Boat rides in and out of Kalalau continue daily, available for a fee, technically an illegal activity. The ferry guys’ camp is just Kalalau stream side of the ranger cabin under a big oceanfront tree. Most times when I passed, I felt the folks staying there exuded an unfriendly sort of authoritative entitlement. Along Kalalau stream, camps are common, not really hidden. Blue plastic tarps appear throughout the woods, rolled up, in use, or empty, maybe awaiting someone’s return, or awaiting the state to haul them out.

For crowds, the weekend was the worst. One group of 20 or so were dropped off by boat with several four-foot long iced beer-coolers. The beach was busy, particularly at sunset. Counting tents and people, there had to be 200 people within a mile. Kevin called it “Wilderness Waikiki”.

I camped at the area before the waterfall. There’s a sign before the trail reaches this spot that states "Area Closed - do not go beyond this sign”. Not really sure what it meant – the entire camp area, the outhouses, the waterfall too? Sign is before them all. Well regardless, the sign was unheeded. I noticed two fires at Kalalau. One must’ve happened months back; it was small, but on the beach’s heiau. It looks like a campfire was built front and center of the lowest heiau ledge.

The second fire was an active one – a brush fire not far up the valley trail, Honopu side, with a lot of billowing white smoke. July 31st, a helicopter came and dumped ocean water on it until dark. The valley is extremely dry right now (the land, not the streams).

When you first reach Kalalau, there is a damaged wooden sign welcoming you. The story told was that it was hacked up some years ago by a resident who was forced out. The sign asks you to give the Valley your utmost care and respect, and leave knowing you have preserved it for future generations. The word respect is particularly and fittingly disfigured.