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Hawaii Volcanoes national park
Located on the Big Island, the crown jewel of Hawaiian parks boasts both the world’s most active volcano – Kilauea – and the world’s largest volcano – Mauna Loa. Ranging in elevation from sea level to the 4,168-metre, sometimes snowy, summit of Mauna Loa, the park encompasses a diverse array of ecosystems, from lush tropical rainforest to barren volcanic deserts.
A number of active and historical lava flows can be seen throughout the park, including the ongoing eruption from the summit of Kilauea at the Halema’uma’u crater, often visible from the overlook at the Jaggar Museum . Keep an eye out for the two types of Hawaiian lava: the smooth and ropey Pahoehoe and the jagged, sharp a’a. The park offers two campsites (one with cabin rentals), and upscale rooms are available at the Volcano House Hotel , reservations highly recommended.
Top tip: The Crater Rim road takes visitors past many of the park’s highlights, including the Jaggar Museum and the Kilauea overlook, but be sure to get out of the car at the marked scenic stops for a better look at the steam vents, lava tubes and historical lava flows along the route.
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau national historical park
This park, on the Big Island’s western Kona coast, protects one of the most sacred and significant archaeological sites in the Hawaiian island chain. In the native Hawaiian language, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau , means “place of refuge”. In ancient times, the islands were governed by strict laws – and violating certain rules, called kapu, was punishable by death, unless the accused could make it to the “place of refuge”, to have their crimes absolved by a priest.
The site, enclosed by a 295-metre-long, 3.6-metre-high L-shaped masonry wall, still standing 400 years after its construction, also served as a haven for women, children and injured warriors during times of war. The concept of sanctuary was important in Polynesia, and many such sacred places were once found in the Hawaiian islands. Today, the park has several ancient and reconstructed archaeological sites, including temple platforms, royal fishponds, sledding tracks and a coastal village.
Top tip: This park is one of the best places to learn about traditional Hawaiian culture. Artisans give daily demonstrations on weaving, fishing, carving and other trades and crafts. Visitors to the Royal Grounds can also try their hand at konane , a traditional Hawaiian board game similar to draughts.
Puako Petroglyph archaeological preserve
Rock art can be found in several places in the Hawaiian islands, but nowhere more abundantly than at the Puako Petroglyph archaeological preserve on the north-west shore of the Big Island. Puako boasts the largest collection of petroglyphs in the Pacific, with more than 3,000 designs etched in black basalt.
The carvings, known as k’i’i pohaku to native Hawaiians, are thought to have been made thousands of years ago – rock art is notoriously difficult to date – and include images of boats, dancers, family groups, warriors, dogs, chickens, turtles and deity symbols. A 1.5-mile trail winds through the lava field, past more than 1,200 carvings – most found on horizontal rock faces on the ground.
Top tip: Puako is on the Kona coast, whose unique microclimate produces some of the finest and most expensive coffee beans in the world. After your petroglyph hunt, be sure to stop in a cafe for a homegrown cup of Kona coffee. Even in Hawaii, it’s still expensive.
Haleakala national park
The only currently active volcanoes in Hawaii are on the Big Island, but all the islands in the chain are volcanic, formed from a series of eruptions over the past 28m years. This park on the east side of the island of Maui protects the Haleakala crater, a massive fissure seven miles across, two miles wide and more than 760 metres deep.
Haleakala last erupted in around 1500AD and is currently inactive, so it’s possible to hike down into the crater for a closer look. Visitors can even sleep in the crater at the campground or stay at one of three historic cabins along the trail . Tread lightly: Haleakala is home to more endangered species of plants and animals than any other US national park. These include the Hawaiian goose, which nests in the crater.
The skies above Maui are some of the darkest in the world for stargazing and the park is home to the Haleakala observatory, operated by the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy. A number of dive shops in the area rent binoculars and telescopes, and star maps are available from the visitor centre.
Top tip: Even if you don’t sleep in the crater, be sure to catch sunrise or sunset from the summit of Haleakala.
Iao Valley state monument
On the western half of Maui, the lush Iao Valley is home to the Iao Needle, a 366-metre pinnacle of basalt that presides over the Iao River valley. Known to the natives as Kuka`emoku and representing the phallic stone of Kanaloa — the Hawaiian god of the ocean – the Iao Needle served as a natural altar and a lookout during times of war. No trails run to the top, but a few hardy hikers have bushwhacked their way up the thickly foliaged spire to the summit .
Today the Iao Valley is a peaceful place, offering relatively easy hikes, a dizzying array of tropical plants and clear swimming holes, but in 1790, this was the site of an historic battle between King Kamehameha I and the Maui army. Because of its narrow opening and abundant resources, the Iao Valley was a natural stronghold in times of war. So when King Kamehameha I invaded Maui in the summer of 1790, the Maui army made their last stand at Iao. Their defeat was a major turning point in Hawaiian history, leading to the unification of the islands’ many chiefdoms in 1810.
Top tip: Climbing the Iao Needle is very dangerous and should only be attempted by experienced hikers, but a 0.6-mile loop trail runs along the Iao river, through an ethnobotanical garden to an overlook of the formation.
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By: Mary Caperton Morton
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/aug/15/top-10-national-state-parks-hawaii
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