Pele's magical haunt, the big island of Hawai'I encompasses spectacular and diverse landscapes, from shimmering bays to exhilarating 14,000-foot volcanoes. In this thoroughly updated new edition, choose from 58 hikes that explore Mauna Loa, Kilauea, Kaumana Caves, and Mauna Kea State Park, among other fabulous places. Discover black sand beaches, sea turtle coves, lava lanes, and rainforest valleys.

Pele's magical haunt, the big island of Hawai'I encompasses spectacular and diverse landscapes, from shimmering bays to exhilarating 14,000-foot volcanoes. In this thoroughly updated new edition, choose from 58 hikes that explore Mauna Loa, Kilauea, Kaumana Caves, and Mauna Kea State Park, among other fabulous places. Discover black sand beaches, sea turtle coves, lava lanes, and rainforest valleys.

Experienced and novice hikers alike will benefit from the information in this updated and expanded edition of the best-selling The Hikers Guide to O‘ahu. The author describes in detail 52 trails that will take you to O‘ahu’s lush valleys, cascading waterfalls, windswept ridges, and remote seacoasts. Although 8 trails from the previous edition are no longer open to the public, 10 new hikes have been added. Included for each hike are directions for reaching the trailhead, a detailed route description, and information on the length of the hike, degree of difficulty, and trail conditions. For GPS users, UTM coordinates have been added for the midpoint or endpoint of each route. An expanded notes section will help readers identify geological features, historical points of interest, and commonly encountered plants and birds along the trail. The full-color insert of 22 photos will inspire hikers to explore different trails.

O‘ahu has a varied, extensive, and distinctive network of mountain hiking trails. Stuart M. Ball, Jr., author of The Hikers Guide to O‘ahu, explores the history behind many of the island’s trails, beginning with early Hawaiians who blazed routes for traveling, plant and wood gathering, and bird catching. Sugar plantations constructed paths to access ditches that tapped stream water for thirsty cane. The U.S. Army built trails for training and island defense, while those developed by the Territorial Forestry Division and the Civilian Conservation Corps were mainly for reforestation and wild pig control. Most recently, volunteers and hiking clubs have created additional routes solely for recreation. The result of all this varied activity is a large network of just over a 100 mountain trails, a precious resource on a small, populous island. The book compiles the history of 50 of those trails. Most of them still exist, and many are open to the public. The trails are arranged by the group or organization that built them, moving from Hawaiian trails before 1800 to volunteer trails of the 1990s. Each chapter contains an overview that describes the background and purpose of the trail building during the period covered. The trail histories are self-contained, recording the major events from construction through 2010. Native Paths to Volunteer Trails will allow fans of O‘ahu’s hiking trails—and Hawai‘i history buffs—to trek into the past and learn about some of their favorite routes and research future ones.

Written in the same accessible style and format as the highly successful The Hikers Guide to O‘ahu, this updated and expanded volume includes the best day hikes and backpacks on the Big Island, Kaua‘i, Maui, and O‘ahu. Each island is represented by thirteen hikes, for a total of fifty-two in all. Together they offer residents and visitors the essential information to safely explore some of Hawai‘i’s most spectacular scenery. For each trip, the author provides directions to the trailhead, a detailed route description, a topographical map, and facts on the hike length, elevation gain, and degree of difficulty. For GPS users, UTM and latitude/longitude coordinates are added for the trailhead and endpoint of each route. The expanded notes section helps readers identify and appreciate geological features, historical points of interest, and commonly encountered plants and birds along the trail. An insert of color photographs highlights the breathtaking scenery enjoyed by hikers.

Experienced and novice hikers alike will benefit from the information in this updated and expanded edition of the best-selling The Hikers Guide to O‘ahu. The author describes in detail 52 trails that will take you to O‘ahu’s lush valleys, cascading waterfalls, windswept ridges, and remote seacoasts. Although 8 trails from the previous edition are no longer open to the public, 10 new hikes have been added. Included for each hike are directions for reaching the trailhead, a detailed route description, and information on the length of the hike, degree of difficulty, and trail conditions. For GPS users, UTM coordinates have been added for the midpoint or endpoint of each route. An expanded notes section will help readers identify geological features, historical points of interest, and commonly encountered plants and birds along the trail. The full-color insert of 22 photos will inspire hikers to explore different trails.