This easy flat trail led 1.4 miles out and back from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Cataract Falls. The trail had many tree identification markers. The trail ran mostly parallel to Fighting Creek, a tributary of the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. Near the falls we hiked a little of the Cove Mountain Trail. Rosie unnoticedly almost stepped on a long beautiful blue colored snake. I snapped a few photos as it slithered along the bank below the trail and identified it as a blue rat snake.
This was one of three trails surrounding the Kuwohi Observation Tower totaling about 1.4 miles and was a good morning trail to warm up our muscles since it was about 50 degrees. Recent rains made the trail (a former stream bed) a little wet in parts but descended just below the highest point in Tennessee and ended near the Kuwohi parking lot and Visitor Center. The trail was rocky and slow going with occasionally gave us views of the ridge and valley. Some leaves were changing colors, and we saw squirrels periodically cross our path. We ran into a couple who were jogging this trail going in the opposite direction uphill towards the peak. We also met a nice Asian family on the trail and there friendly, talkative daughter named Eva. This trail is a nice hiking trail to take to and from the Kuwohi Observation Tower in leu of just hiking up the .6-mile steep paved path to the tower.
Just below the highest point in Tennessee (6,643 feet) at the summit of Kuwohi (formerly named Clingman’s Dome) we began hiking a section of two iconic trails. From the Sugarlands Visitor Center down in the valley, the temperature had dropped at this height nine degrees to 48 degrees, and it was quite foggy in the low clouds. The trail was tight, but the trees kept the wind from making it even colder on this high ridge. Occasionally there were small openings in the trees so when the fog parted you had great views of the distant ridges. Although the national park was very crowded with people coming to see the fall tree colors, the trees had not really turned beautiful yet except for small areas way up here on the peaks. One of the photos below shows some fallen leaves that were quite colorful. We hiked about a mile before connecting with another trail.
This memorable trail we last trekked in October 2020 and found a GoPro camera in the stream of water flowing down from the falls. Due to peak season in the park, we were lucky to find a parking spot about .4 miles down the road from the trailhead. A mile back before we parked, we spotted a mother bear and a baby cub foresting for berries near the roadside. Another sign said just under 3 miles to the falls. The sign at the trailhead warned hikers about feeding bears. By the time we hiked a side trail then up to Rainbow Falls and back, we hiked about 9.1 miles. The first part of the ascent, LeConte Creek ran parallel to the trail on the right side. The trail was rocky with lots of tree roots but scenic through the thick forest with the sounds of the creek. The elevation gain was 1,500 feet from the trailhead to the Rainbow Falls and I really felt it the last half mile. A tip to hikers, there are two small waterfalls just before reaching Rainbow Falls so don’t turn around too early.
The 80-foot-tall Rainbow Falls is huge and beautiful. There are slippery rocks on the left to climb closer so be extremely careful.
Near the end of the hike, I heard a something in the woods to my left and saw black, hairy bear. About fifty yards later I got a clear picture and video of the bear.
One of our favorite and prettiest hikes of the trip. Lots of photos because this trail was so beautiful and the ecology so diverse. The trail was two miles up and two miles back. The trail began near the visitor center and climbed 800 feet past guava, avocado and mango trees (I put several mangos and avocados in my backpack to eat later), lots of greenery and parallel to a stream. The trail was rocky, with some stone steps or tree roots to trip over. We came to an enormous banyan tree whose long arms spread across the entire trail. After half a mile there was an opening and overlook in the trees to see a gorge and the 200-foot Makahiki Falls. One problem – the falls were almost bone dry. Just a trickle spilling down. It made me think, will Waimoku Falls at the end of the trail be dry?
As we ascended the trail, occasionally a mongoose would dart across the path (Photo#11 is a mongoose – they were so fast that I could never snap their photo). We eventually came to a bridge over Paikea Stream with a small waterfall and fast flowing water. Clinging to the bridge was a beautiful colorful gecko. At the end of the bridge began the incredible bamboo forest (Photo#6,7 & 8). The mostly boardwalk trail through this area wound through these hard, vigorous trees for quite a while. The trail ended at the base of a ridge and ahead was the beautiful 400-foot Waimoku Falls which was fed by Pipiwai Stream, a spring and by rainfall. We rested and admired the view as temperatures had risen to 83 degrees.
Rosie loves sunrises and sunsets and captured many beautiful photos while at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or Haleakala National Park (or near their entrance).
Two consecutive nights we drove through the national park, parked and hiked this short trail using flashlights. The overlook was the closest spot to see the crater which by day was hot, boiling and steaming. By night you can see the boiling fires of lava, fire glow and red flares. Overhead, you could see hundreds of stars and on the first night, a ring around the moon! The last photo is the volcano erupting two weeks before we arrived.
Our sixth and final trail on the east and high-altitude side of this national park was short – only .2 miles. It led us past dozens of silversword plants and took us to the summit at 10,023 feet. We had great vista views in all directions, and it was cool being high above the clouds. Off to the south a quarter mile away was the private Haleakala Observatories which are closed to the public.
A light rain fell as we hiked this one-mile trail through a green rain forest to the five-hundred-year-old Thurston Lava Tube. The tube was created by a river of 2,000-degree lava. The Hawaiian name, Nahuku, possibly refers to the lava drippings that once hung from the ceiling. The lava tube was 600 feet long and we used flashlights although some lighting was erected in the tube. After exiting the lava tube, we continued on the trail through the rain forest and back to the parking lot. I saw this colorful gecko (Photo#5) on a footbridge along the trail.
After finishing the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Trail, I crossed the road and hiked just a mile on this 11.3-mile trail that ran parallel to the Pacific Ocean. The trail passed over dry windswept lava fields and scattered grasslands. I passed stone walls, remnants of very old fishing villages and early 1900 goat ranches. As I kept my eyes open for deep earth cracks and thin lava crust areas, I enjoyed the beautiful coastal views of the ocean.
