http://www.gohawaii.com/hokeo/islands/bigisland.html
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm (many trips in this book)
Kilauea Volcano:
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/eruption.html
(numerous trips in this book)
Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park:
http://www.nps.gov/puho/ (Trip 53)
Puukohola Heiau National Historical Site:
http://www.nps.gov/puhe (Trip 57)
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park:
http://www.nps.gov/kaho/ (newly developed site)
Department of Land and Natural Resources:
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/Welcome.html
(state parks and forests)
Getting Permits or Permission
The trip descriptions in this book include information about what permits you need (if any) and to whom you should apply for them. In this book, there are currently no dayhikes on private property for which you are required to get a permit from the property owner. However, any hike on private property is subject to the owner’s wishes, and an owner may decide at any time to require permits or even to deny access altogether. To be absolutely sure your hiking plans won’t be foiled by such a change of heart, call ahead if possible. Check the trip descriptions for whom to call, if anyone. Note in particular that the Kona and Kohala coasts are being developed very rapidly, so that any hikes on those coasts that have not already been secured for the public (such as by the National Park Service) are subject to closure at any time.
As of this writing, the government agencies—federal, state, and county—don’t require you to have permits in order to dayhike on Hawaii in areas under their jurisdiction. Permits are required for all the backpacking trips in this book. For completeness, I also include the addresses and telephone numbers of the government agencies, as you may want to write or call them for more information. Appendix A in this book gives you detailed information about camping—car camping, tent camping, and cabins—including permit requirements, fees, etc
Waipio Valley camping (Bishop Estate)
Call Bishop Estate to find out what the current regulations are regarding camping in Waipio Valley: 808-775-9518.
Waimanu Valley camping (Division of Forestry and Wildlife)
Camping in Waimanu Valley, which is accessible only on foot, is strictly controlled by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. The area is now protected as the Waimanu National Estuarine Research Reserve. You must have a permit from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife to camp in Waimanu. The Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s address and telephone number are below under Division of Forestry and Wildlife. See Appendix A for more on the camping area.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
With one possible exception, you don’t need a permit to dayhike in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The exception is the Napau Crater Trail (Trip 34); park officials may require hikers to have permits in order to go as far as Napau Crater; check at Park headquarters before hiking this trail. Car camping and backpacking, including tent camping or use of the backcountry shelters and cabins, require permits. See Appendix A in this book. For more information, contact:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
P.O. Box 52
Hawaii 96718-0052
808-985-6000; www.nps.gov/havo/home.htm
Division of State Parks
Car camping or use of the cabins in a state park does require a permit and sometimes a fee; one park’s cabins are run by a concessionaire. See Appendix A in this book. For more information, contact:
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
Division of State Parks, Hawaii District
P.O. Box 936
Hilo, Hawaii, HI 96721-0936
808-974-6200
www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dsp/hawaii.htm
If you need to see them in person, they are currently in Hilo in the State Office Building at 75 Apuni Street, just inland of the visitor center and tsunami memorial in Wailoa River State Park.
Division of Forestry and Wildlife
This agency controls Waimanu Valley (above) and also controls several cabins along a 4WD road that arcs around Mauna Kea. For information from this agency, write or call:
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hawaii District
19 E. Kawili Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
808-974-4221
The office of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife is not co-located with the office of the Division of State Parks. Formerly in the Hilo Arboretum (Trip 16), it’s now around the corner on Kawili Avenue.
Weather
The short of it
The Big Island is:
Rainiest on its north side, which boasts rainforests. Waipio and Waimanu valleys have rainforest conditions, though agriculture has displaced most of the native rainforest vegetation on the valleys’ floors.
Less rainy on its east side, but still rainy enough to support lush tropical growth. Hilo’s streets, parks, and yards are bursting with flowers. A rainforest flourishes on the northeast slope of Kilauea volcano. Just think how much rain it must take to nourish a rainforest on the rim of the world’s most active volcano!
Driest and hottest on the south and west. These areas lie in the rain shadows of the island’s volcanoes. While a rainforest grows on Kilauea’s northeast slope, a desert stretches down its southwest slope.
Rainier in the mountains on any side of the island. However, the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea are frigid alpine deserts. At nearly 14,000 feet, altitude, not latitude, governs the climate of those summits.
The dry Kona and north Kohala coasts attract