Ala Kahakai Trail

One of the great things about being a newspaper reporter on the Big Island of Hawaii is the assignments I get, or story ideas I come up with, especially since one of my main beats is the environment/science and nature. Sometimes I feel like a media version of Magnum PI - one of my great inspirations to move here. Last week I decided to do a story on the Ala Kahakai Trail, which follows the coastline down the west coast from the northern tip of Hawaii, around the southern end and along the east coast into Hawaii Volcano National Park -- a 175 mile corridor. The National Park Service has designated it a National Historic Trail and is working on plans to open it for tourism. Right now it isn't a 175 mile continuous route, but is broken into sections in various conditions from well-maintained to overgrown. Myself, Peggy (yes, she came on an assignment) and a photographer Mike set out to hike a 5-mile section that trail officials recommended. The trail left a place called Spencer Beach park and followed the shoreline to the Puako boat ramp. What is cool is that the trail passes through undisturbed natural settings, with rocky, black lava cliffs with the blue ocean pounding below, and through shaded forests of kiawe, palm and pine trees. But you also have to walk across four beautiful beaches to connect with the trail - Mauumae, Mauna Kea, Hapuna and Waialea Bay. Hikers also walk across sections of a gorgeous golf course and past multimillion dollar homes. The whole time the Pacific is on one side and the Kohala mountains are on the other. I will add a link to the story soon.