We returned to the Alakai’i Swamp Trail one year after our previous hike (link to the previous story).   The winter of 2013-2014 was a wet one so all of Koke’e State Park up on the edge of the caldera was wet, muddy, and slippery.   We drive to the end of the road on top of the mountain knowing full well that the route would be a challenge in these conditions.   We started in sunshine, but the route was immediately slippery.   The first mile from Pu’u o Kila to Pihea Point was a slow-going process.   What passes as a trail is a deeply rutted, steep and muddy path.   We knew the best part was past this section, though.

From Pihea, the trail drops into the caldera and Parks has constructed a boardwalk system.   On the descent into the Alaka’i Swamp, thus is more of a stair system, with each tread covered by stiff wire for traction.   On the 4 mile route, about 2.5 miles are on boardwalks through the cloud-forest and swamp.   From a junction down in the caldera, we took the signed fork onto the Alakai’i Swamp Trail to Kilohana Lookout.   The route drops down to cross Kawaikoi Stream, then climbs a ridge to a wet plateau in the swamplands.   There would be no route without the boardwalk.

We managed to hike the 4 miles to Kilohana Lookout in clear conditions.   We could see the north shore around Hanalei Bay and the deeply cut valleys of the north shore far below.   This is a good place for lunch.   As we returned, the clouds moved in with fog and mist.

The Alakai’t Swamp is perpetually wet and we could feel the wet mists coating all the surfaces of the cloud-forest.  We spotted epiphytes that grew on trees, taking their moisture from the condensing vapours.   Vines, fungi, ferns, trees, and shrubs fill every space of light.  Only the boardwalk allows us space to move.   This is an other-worldly environment. The deep silence of the swamp smothers most sounds except for a few birds and distant helicopters.

The hike is on top of a mountain, inside a caldera, through a massive swamp in the wettest spot on the planet, on a boardwalk through a cloud-forest, on a 8 mile return hike to lookouts dropping 4000 feet to tropical shores.   Perfect+.