Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a long

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

located on the island of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. It is not yet a single continuous trail, but can be accessed at several broken segments along the coastline of the Big Island. The trail was established to access the traditional

Ancient Hawaii Ancient Hawaii is the period of Hawaiian history preceding the unification in 1810 of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great. Traditionally, researchers estimated the first settlement of the Hawaiian islands as having occurred sporadicall ...

an culture along with the natural

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

of the island. The trail was established 14 November 2000 as a

National Historic Trail The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...

which is managed under the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

.Ala Kahakai
on official National Park Service web site The trail has received funds from the

Land and Water Conservation Fund The United States' Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a federal program that was established by Act of Congress in 1965 to provide funds and matching grants to federal, state and local governments for the acquisition of land and water, and ...

Geography

''Ala kaha kai'' means "shoreline trail" in the

Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...

. The trail follows the coastline over ancient fishermen's trails through over 200

ahupuaʻa Ahupuaʻa () is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic, and climatic subdivision of land (comparable to the tapere in the Southern Cook Islands). It usually extends from the mountains to the sea and generally includes o ...

, the traditional sea to mountain land divisions. In ancient times travel would often cover both land, and sea in canoes for portions of the journey. It passes through both public and private lands, providing access to numerous beaches and resorts. Much of the trail receives only limited maintenance and sections have been eroded or developed into roads. Only the one section of the trail has signage. The Northern end of the trail is in

Upolu Point Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long and in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximatel ...

in the North Kohala District at the Moʻokini Heiau, coordinates . A part of the trail called Ala Loa (meaning "long trail" in the Hawaiian Language, another name for the same network of trails) was added to the state registry of historic places as site 10-10-11,334 on January 14, 1989, and to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as number 87001127 in 1987. This runs from Kiholo Bay to Kalahuipauaa near Puakō. After passing through the west side of island, the trail ends in

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is an American national park located in the U.S. state of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's mos ...

. Starting in 2002, a comprehensive management plan and environmental impact statement were prepared and published in 2008.Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Comprehensive Management Plan
from National Park Service The final comprehensive action plan was released by the National Park Service in May 2009. The plan is a guide for the comprehensive management of the trail for fifteen years following the plan’s release. The plan provides a historical overview of the trail’s significance for the ancient Hawaiian people and establishes a framework for trail maintenance and resource protection.

Trail map

References

{{Authority control National Historic Trails of the United States Protected areas of Hawaii County, Hawaii Hiking trails in Hawaii Protected areas of Hawaii (island) Protected areas established in 2000 2000 establishments in Hawaii Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii County, Hawaii

Geography

Trail map

See also

References