The last (for now!) blogpost of our Hawaiian adventures is about a pretty but also somewhat uncanny rainforest on Puna side of the Big Island that we explored using Ka-hau-a-Le’a trail, which is no longer recommended for visits by authorities and is officially closed. However, it is definitely among the most interesting hikes that I’ve done in my life thanks to a combination of several factors. The guidebook ‘Hawaii, the Big Island Revealed‘ was our inspiration again.
The day was rainy but very warm, appropriately for a tropical rainforest and that part of the island of Hawaii particularly, so the most appropriate attire was just our bare skin – you know it’s my favorite one anyways!
So, I kept my clothes (i.e., only shorts on that day) dry in the backpack for later 🙂
Given that the trail is formally closed and conditions were muddy, we didn’t expect to see many hikers (and we didn’t see any at all). Another indication for the lack of other visitors came from the fact that there were quite a few spider webs on the trails.
Among more pleasant sightings were bamboo orchids. These are quite tall (taller than human) free-standing plants, which is unusual for orchids.
But their flowers were very pretty, typically for orchids, and raindrops only added more charm to them.
There were a lot of differnet plants,
plants literally growing on top of each other,
as you might expect from a rainforest, albeit not a very tall one.
However, one plant growing in abundance there was much taller than its kind that I’m used to.
I’m talking about tree ferns, which made this forest look prehistoric. There was no sign of dinosaurs, however, only naked cavemen perhaps 😉
Walking under ferns was unusual and their inwrought leaves looked pretty from below.
Too bad they didn’t protect from the rain as good as these ones.
One shouldn’t look up all the time in that forest thought, as the trail is strenuous and is full of roots sticking off the ground.
Well, some roots were so hight above the ground that you’d just walk under them!
This variety of plant forms inspired Tod to make a photo of me being one with the tree!
We didn’t see any animals besides a couple of bugs and spiders, but we did see a lot of footprints of humans and dogs; in combination with the soft drizzle and exceptional quietness, all this gave the forest somewhat mysterious aura. We were happy to see that the trail was frequently tagged by orange straps.
After two and half hours or so, Tod decided to go back to the car, but I wanted to continue till the edge of the forest. Yes, the forest was supposed to end in an hour and give a view of a lava field and an active and fuming Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent. Pretty soon after we parted, I got to this narrow but deep (a few meters) crack crossing the trail – a sure sign of recent geological activity in the area!
And much sooner than I expected from the guidebook’s description, the forest ended indeed, with another, much more impressive sign of geological activity – a lava field!
Actually, the forest edge didn’t only appear earlier than in the guidebook, which was published in 2005, but also earlier than in both Google and Apple maps! So the must have come from a relatively fresh eruption. In fact, it was somewhat steaming, but I couldn’t tell whether it was because the lava was still warm after eruption or just got warm in the sun earlier in the day, which would be enough to make the cooler drizzle turn into fog by the surface. But of course I didn’t want to test just how fresh the lava was! I could also see numerous fallen trees with their bases burnt. Due to the foggy conditions, I couldn’t see the vent itself, but the view of the relatively fresh lava field and the devastation it cause was impressive enough!
Someone must have made this pretty menacing “monument” with a pig skull…
Well, the message was clear – I shouldn’t go any further. So, I turned back after a short lunch break. The dramatic ambience of the place must have influenced my thinking, and on the way back I got quite worried about the numerous (and pretty big!) dog footprints and even had some unpleasant flash visions of finding Tod attacked by dogs and then getting chased myself. But the forest was the same quiet.
It took me one hour from the edge of the forest to branching that lead to emergency helipad and 3 hours total to the car. I was happy to see that Tod made it back in one piece! However, my worry wasn’t entirely ungrounded – he did see 5 greyhounds on the trail, but apparently they were even more scared from the encounter and ran away quickly… Also, just a couple of minutes before my arrival, Tod had a convo with a local ranger, who came to the trailhead and amongst other things complained about “that blue book” that gave tourists all the wrong ideas 😉
Active Naturists 
I love hiking closed trails! How lucky you found such a great spot. And the pictures are really evocative with the mist and the deep colours from the overcast sky. Do you use a polarizing filter?
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I don’t have a polarizing filter. Do you think I should get one? In any case, you’ve just reminded me that I need to buy a filter for my new lens (just a UV filter which I use for nothing else but protecting the lens’ optics from scratches)
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I would totally recommend a polarizing filter. On cloudy days they make the colours on skin, foliage, and rock really pop; on sunny days they cut the glare and make clouds look spectacular. Of course, when to use one depends on the look you want – and in low light it makes getting a crisp shot harder – but I tend to have mine on standard and take them off if I feel the need. This is a great introductory article on them (I hope links work in this talk back): http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/polarizing-filters.htm
One reason they mention that having a polarizer in your kit is a good idea is that you can’t duplicate the look in Photoshop, which you can do with a lot of other filters.
Do you shoot RAW or JPEG? (You don’t have to answer; I could talk cameras all day!)
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I too have hiked naked in Hawaii, in my case on the windward side of O’ahu. Its a wonderful place to be at one with nature. The tree-ferns with silver undersides are Cibotium glaucum, one of Hawaii’s three endemic Cibotiums. The tall orchid is Arundina graminifolia, the bamboo orchid. The sprawling fern with forking fronds in your 15th photo is Dicranopteris linearis, called uluhe by the native Hawaiians.
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Thanks a lot for your input! Good to know there’s a botanist among my readers, so I can ask you when I cannot identify a plant 😉
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Looks like quite a magical hike, especially au natural. Was it a bit muggy? If so, must have been relaxing sans clothing.
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Reblogged this on Naturally and commented:
What a great hike!
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Such a wonderful walk. Naked in the rainforest. Nice.
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Reblogged this on Look at Both Sides Now and commented:
I was impressed with the beauty of this forest.
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What a beautiful place. It truly does look prehistoric and a perfect setting to be au natural. Thanks for sharing your experiences so we can live them vicariously. Peace.
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really really wonderfull!!! Congratulations… we travel with you!!!
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If any does, this posting truly proves that naked outdoors brings you ‘one with nature’! What a most fantastic day it must of been; how many days are full of adventure yet almost spiritual at the same time? To say the least I’m sad to think “our” days in Hawaii are over but, I can’t wait to see where “we’ll end up next “. 🙂
As always big thanks for taking us somewhere few will ever see-and doing it our favorite/and best way; naked!
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Great photos and description. I have done that hike before… Naked of course. 🙂 Though you are braver than I as I kept my boots on! It was a moderately clear day when I made the tri and we could see the steam rising from the volcano. Magnificent!
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I couldn’t do it barefoot either— but I would do it naked– LOL!!
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I must admit, the trail was quite rough indeed, but as I was flying out of Hawaii on the same day and wouldn’t have time to wash clothes, I thought I should better keep my favorite “barefoot” Vibram shoes dry and clean
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Your photos are magnificent!!! Can feel the peace and see the beauty almost as if I’m there. Thank you!!
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thanks, I think it’s the best compliment a photographer can get
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Another great report about a fascinating place, made the more “mystical” by the mist. Love the picture of you with the giant fern and standing beneath the exposed roots. Thanks for sending these along.
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yes, exactly, the mist made the whole experience mystical 🙂
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Wow — NICE!!! You find wonderful places to explore!! Good work!!
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yes, and I keep on looking for more 😉
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Yes!!!!!! See you on the beach soon!!!
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