Humu’ula Trail on the Slopes of Mauna Kea

Posted: June 4, 2009

Over the Memorial Day weekend I hiked the Humu’ula Trail to see the forests of ohia and koa trees that thrive on the slopes of Mauna Kea along the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island.

The historic Humu’ula Trail starts at the 1,000 foot level of Mauna Kea and climbs 5.5 miles to the Keanakolu Cabins at 5,280 feet elevation. The trail is 30 miles north of Hilo on Hawaii Belt Road (Hwy 11). Turn mauka from Hwy 11 onto Ookala Road at the 30 mile marker and drive 2.7 miles up the paved road which becomes rutted for a short distance and then continues to the edge of a mixed forest of introduced and native trees.

Pete Morton, my hiking buddy on the Big Island, examines the signs and kupukupu ferns at the Humu’ula trailhead. Eucalyptus, pine, and other introduced trees grow along with native trees at the trailhead. The trail is a constant up-hill climb — it gains 4,280 feet over 5.5 miles providing excellent cardiovascular exercise.

Right at the start of the trail, a grove of introduced pines and strawberry guava give way to large ohia trees almost 3 feet in diameter and 60 feet high covered with mosses, ferns, and other epiphytes. Once ohia trees (metrosideros polymorpha) reach a substantial size, they like to elevate the main trunk off the ground by growing legs, and then lifting and buttressing themselves off the surface.

Hapu’u tree ferns (Cibotium chamissoi) almost 15 feet high dominate the understory of the forest. The native forests along the Hamakua Coast receive 300 inches of rain per year. But rainwater does not last long or collect on the surface because a substrate of porous lava underlies the soil. Instead the water drains through the underlying lava rock and joins the ground water. Moisture does, however, collect in gullies and other low places creating muddy spots throughout the forest.

Pa’iniu, the native lily (Astelia menziesiana) produces silvery foilage that is a favorite food of pigs. Since pigs devour pa’iniu on the ground, they can only survive as epiphytes growing on trees that are out of reach.

While climbing up the Humu’ula Trail, we saw tantalizing red akala berries and their cute pink flowers along each turn in the trail. Akala (Rubus hawaiensis) is the native raspberry. While the berries were plump and juicy, they were actually not very sweet and were somewhat bitter.

After gaining some elevation on the trail, the sound of native forest birds filled the air. We heard the fluttering of wings and the calls of `oma`o, `amakihi, `apapane, and `elepaio. When the canopy opened up we could see some of them high in the tree tops above. I was thrilled to photograph this pair of red `apapane (Himatione sanguinea) in an ohia tree just before they darted off to another tree. This historic trail was used in ancient times by bird catchers who snared the birds for their feathers and fashioned them into feathered capes, helmets, leis and other articles.

One of the special things about the Humu’ula Trail are the large koa trees (Acacia koa) that grow right along the trail, many of them 4 feet thick with branches reaching a hundred feet in the air. Maile vines and native ferns thrive in the understory of the koa forest.

Charming communities of mosses, ferns, and ‘ala’alawainui (perperomia spp.) make their home as epiphytes on large koa trees. Indigenous palapalai (Microlepia strigosa) and endemic Asplenium spp. thrive on the trees.

One of the more unexpected sights along the trail was a gnarled and twisted kopiko tree (Psychotria spp.) hunched over with a trunk 2 feet in diameter — a size I have never seen before. I did not know that kopiko could ever reach anywhere near this impressive age, size and character.

When we reached “Coffee Gulch” — a sign on a tree gave away its name – we saw a number of oha wai (Clermontia parviflora) in bloom with cute little white flowers. With its large ohia trees 4 feet thick providing ample shade, Coffee Gulch is a great place to rest and relax — it is about the half-way through the native forest.

This cute little white clermontia flower is just over an inch long and is part of the lobelia or bellflower family. The flowers of many species in the lobelia family have co-evolved with native forest birds — their curved flowers matched the beaks of birds. After the flowers are pollinated, the petals and stamenal column falls off and a fruit begins to develops.

Not long after proceeding from Coffee Gulch, clouds began to desend on the forest. Pete climbs up past a native i’o nui fern (Dryopteris wallichiana) as the mist begins to creep down the slope.

The higher we climbed the more misty and otherworldly it became. The trail became less distinct in this area with multiple paths. Hikers must take note which path they have taken in order to make their way back out again.

The native forest came to an abrupt end at 4,280 feet elevation when we reached the pasture. Pete climbs over the fence to check out the road which climbs another half-a-mile or so to the cabins at Keanakolu at 5,280 feet elevation. Backpackers can get a permit from the State Department of Land Natural Resources to stay overnight at Keanakolu.

Thick clouds immersed the 100-foot tall koa trees and us in a thick damp fog. Since rain felt imminent, we decided to forgo the cabins, turn around and make our way back out.

While the 10.5 mile round trip on the Humu’ula Trail makes for a nice day hike, it would be great to stay overnight at the Keanakolu Cabins for several days to explore the surrounding area and see more native forest birds. The cabins were constructed in the 1930s and played a big role in transforming the landscape into cattle grasslands and bringing paniolo cowboy culture to the island. Despite these changes, pockets of relatively undisturbed native forests still remain at Humu’ula and the neighboring valleys along the Hamakua Coast. Lots of great places to explore!

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SOURCES

The Lion of Keanakolu, by Elizabeth Leina’ala Kahahane, Hohonu, A Journal of Academic Writing, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii Community College

Keanakolu Campground, Alternative Hawaii

Mauna Kea – Ka Piko Kaulana O Ka Aina (Mauna Kea — the Famous Summit of the Land)
A collection of Native Traditions, Historical Accounts, and Oral History Interviews for: Mauna Kea, the Lands of Ka’ohe, Humu’ula and the Aina on the Island of Hawaii, Kumu Pono Associates LLC, By Kepa Maly and Onaona Maly, Office of Mauna Kea Management (University of Hawaii-Hilo)

Humu’ula Trail, Na Ala Hele, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii

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Humu’ula Trail on the Slopes of Mauna Kea

Posted: June 4, 2009

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