Kaena means "red-hot" or "glowing" in Hawaiian; the name refers to the brilliant sunsets visible from the point. During winter and spring months, humpback whales are a familiar sight offshore. [6] The grasslands of the north entrance and the merciless lava of the west entrance give way to white sand and low shrubs. The spirits could help revive the body if the death was not final. It was the first time in years I had been on the coastal trail traversing remote Kaena Point, one of the last intact sand dune ecosystems in the main Hawaiian Islands. Walk-ins permitted. From here, follow the road that stretches to the west- this is the trail. A not-exactly welcome, if unexpected chance to absorb my surroundings. An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. This spot has a white sandy beach that runs from Oahu's western tip to the Waianae Mountains. Seeaosite for updates. Laysan albatross fledgling populations are up 25 percent this year and native plants such as ohia and sandalwood are now covered in fruit. The spirits journey continues toward Na ulu o lei walufor final judgmentthe good go right, while the bad go left. [4] The fence is about 2,133 feet long (650 m), and encompasses 59 acres (24ha) of land. A protective fence surrounding the point keeps out predatory animals and invasive plant species. The "Loop" is the most obvious and popular choice as it goes through the islands center through pineapple fields, to the North Shore and communities like Haliewa (Holly-ay-vah), Waimea (why-may-ah), down by Chinamans hat park, the . Happy Adventuring. A big white stone on the north side of Kaena Point was the literal leaping place of souls into the land of po heaven. Ka'ena Point Space Force Stationis located atKaena Pointon theislandofOahuinHawaii. When the deceased soul was ready to depart, it was guided to Leinakauhane white rock, where the soul would make its plunge into the ocean on its way to eternity. The Vehicle Access Special Use Permit is required to drive a vehicle into Kaena Point State Park Reserve, Mokuleia Section, beyond the gate and the paved road that ends at the gravel parking area. So it was named for himkaena means red hot in Hawaiian. In Hawaiian,Kaena means the heat.Kaena Point is the legendary Leina ka Uhane or Leaping place of souls for recently deceased Hawaiian spirits. Kaena Point, the westernmost point on Oahu, is the site of one of the last intact dune ecosystems in the main Hawaiian Islands. They were dark and stormy. The area is abundant with native coastal plants such as ilima, naio and hinahina ku kahakai. Required fields are marked *, Hey guys, Im Vy! To stop, release the enter key. It is rumored that Kaena Point typically has waves (up to 15 metres or 49 feet in height) larger than those at Waimea Bay, one of Oahu's world-famous surfing locations. Today, you can walk there among the living: Hawaiian plants and animals that have made the rugged ancient shoreline their home for thousands of years. In the event the body was indeed dead and could not be returned, the bad soul wandered for eternity out on the hot and dry western extremity of Oahu. Detachment 3,21st Space Operations Squadron,a geographically-separated unitofSpace Delta 6from Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, operates theHawaii Tracking Station onsite as part ofSpace Base Delta 1. Is this it? one of my friends asked, pointing toward a basalt outcropping further away that reached into the churning ocean. Length 6.1 miElevation gain 528 ftRoute type Out & back. For more than a quarter century, the state has protected nearly 60 acres of land at the point, first as a nature preserve and, more recently, as an ecosystem restoration project for endangered and protected coastal plants and seabirds. The park wraps around the northwest corner of the island of Oahu and is composed of two sections: the Ka'ena Point Mokuleia Section (north shore of Oahu) and the Ka'ena Point Keawa'ula Section (west side of Oahu). If the death was final, the ancestral guides would entertain the soul, comfort it, and begin leading it on its journey off the earthly plane. Parking is limited. Most of the tracks were destroyed by a tsunami in 1946. Legend has it that both of these landmarks came to be because of the actions of one man on a dark, stormy night many years ago. All I could find was an unmanned, acetylene light tower erected in 1919 by the Bureau of Lighthouses. On the northwestern coast of Oahu is a point of land called Ka'ena Point. In the deep waters, just off the point, spinner dolphins play and hunt for food. The soul then arrives at Kaena Point where it meets two gods. It's a relatively remote and wild coastline. Is this where were supposed to jump?, Maybe, I answered. A Hawaiian euphemistic term for dying was to travel west, and in the case of prople on Oahu it was a journey to Kaena Point on the western extremity of the island. Please contact us if you do not receive an update 30 days after applying. But just whats so alluring about this ruggedstretch of land? As of 2010, it has a population of 3,792,621, and is built on a land area of 468.67 square miles. Nothing else threatening can. For example, in line 5-7, it says "The storm was so vicious that the unrelenting rain that fell from the black clouds washed the red soil down through the valleys and soon the flooded streams and thundering waterfalls churned as red as blood." Experience this 6.1-mile out-and-back trail near Waialua, Oahu. slot nexus bonanza. Now, he faces deportation to South Korea. Intrepid hikers must make the last leg of the trek by foot, where they're met with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. 44 Hawaiian and Pidgin Phrases Every Visitor Needs to Know, 6 Colorful North Shore Towns You Won't Want to Miss, 8 Local and Independent Book Shops You Need to Visit in Hawaii, Heres Why You Need to Taste Zippy's Malasada Hybrid, Taste Mocktails that Pack a Punch With a Purpose at this Wahiaw Shop, Matsumoto Shave Ice Celebrates 72 Years of Business with $1 Shave Ice. Check out our hike to Kaena Point here or read up on our whale watching, snorkel tour with Wildside, located on the way to Kaena Point here. There are many private pockets of sand along this route, and if youre simply searching for a private beach, then there is no need to trek all the way to the point. Hot and dry area with little shade. [HAWAII] UPDATED 1/20/23: Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area WATER OFFLINE in the park, facilities impacted. While roads extendtoward the shore, they quickly diminishinto rutted two tracks and narrow paths. On the northwestern coast of Oahu is a point of land called Ka'ena Point. If the death was final, the ancestral guides would entertain the soul, comfort it, and begin leading it on its journey off the earthly plane. Kaena Point Prev Next Hawaii's U.S. House delegation introduced legislation today that could lead to the creation of the first National Heritage Areas in the state and include Kaena Point. Ancient Hawaiian mythology describes a colorful array of spirits and dimensions in the afterlife. In addition to seabirds, the reserve is a haven for the rare Hawaiian monk seal, and honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles) can often be found resting along the coastline. The majesty of this place makes it clear why it is such a spiritual place in Hawaiian culture. As the trail morphed from jagged rock to smooth sand dunes near Kaena Point, we took off our hiking shoes and made a beeline toward the shore. During the winter breeding season, humpback whales will frequent the waters surrounding the point. There is a door in the fence that allows hikers to pass through. Steeped in history and legend, Kaena Point is also an area of rich cultural significance. The volcano that created the Waianae Mountain Range last erupted over three million years ago. Both are required by permit conditions. He gathered many people from the village and they set out in canoes of all sizes, with torches and their largest fishing nets. Learn more about Kaena and its resources on the interpretive signs placed throughout the trail. A total of 11 plants found at Kaenaincluding awiwi, puukaa and dwarf naupakaare on federal endangered species lists. On an island known for its bustling city, Oahus Kaena Point is a refuge for animals and humans alike. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. Print/PDF map. In Hawaiian, kaena means "the heat". Step off the tourist path, however, and youll discover a paradise rich with tales of the spirit world. The park wraps around the northwest corner of the island of Oahu and is composed of two sections: the Kaena Point Mokuleia Section (north shore of Oahu) and the Kaena Point Keawaula Section (west side of Oahu). Parts of them are visible along the Ka'ena Point Trail. This is the driest area of Oahu, and the climate here is harsh, hot, and rugged. [OAHU] UPDATED 4/12/22: Sand Island State Recreation Area WATER OFF,camping and comfort stationsCLOSED. Kaena Point (or Kaena Point)lies on the westernmost tip of Oahu. Kaena is steeped in numerous legends. I cant wait to share all of our crazy adventures with you! In the beginning of the story, the first two paragraphs really set the tone of the legend. After applying, you should receive two email notifications. [MAUI] UPDATED 1/26/23:Iao Valley State Monument CLOSED August 2022through April 15, 2023. It puts a picture of an incredibly buff man throwing a giant boulder into the ocean. Though long uninhabited, Kaena was once an important community for fishing, feather . Half asleep, Huapu imagined a group of warriors coming from Oahu to attack his people, and so he rushed to the edge of a nearby cliff, heaved up a huge boulder and flung it out across the channel between the two islands. Here the wandering soul would lurk as a ghost, subsist by eating spiders and moths until an aumakua guardian angel ancestor deity would take pity on the soul and guide it away. All rights reserved. Painted to blend with natural surroundings, the stainless steel, fine-mesh fence, which crosses a half-mile of the peninsula from the south to north coast, had an immediate positive effect. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'to_hawaii_com-box-3','ezslot_5',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-to_hawaii_com-box-3-0'); On this night, when the wind raged, lightning struck, thunder rumbled and the rain beat down from the heavens upon the islands of Hawaii, a baby boy was born. Hiking proved a bit easier for our group than biking, as parts of Kaena Point Trail were too rocky or narrow for a comfortable ride. The boulder, they named the Rock of Kauai. To the north, the north shore is laid out before you, stretching to Kahuku and showing off the white windmills that dot the hills above the coast. Its an eerie wail that seems to rise out of the ocean, like the distant callsof lost souls. Its home to a high degree of biodiversity and sustains an ecosystem brimming with flora and fauna. Ka'ena Point Hike trailhead - Waianae, HI 96792 Coordinates:21.556306, -158.248494 Parking: The coordinates will take you directly to the small parking lot right in front of the trailhead of the Kaena Point hike. The plants that found their way from other continents and islands to Hawaii did so only very rarely scientists estimate that one successful colonization occurred every 100,000 years. A 5-mile trail (8.0km) can be entered from Keawaula Beach or Mokuleia.[6]. BECOME A LEGEND. (2) The second notification should say your permit has been approved. As the storm raged on, a rainbow appeared above the house in which the baby was born. Yes! There are only 1,400 monk seals left in the wild, and Kaena Point is a great place to possibly glimpse them. During that famous swell in January 1998, several people reported seeing waves with 6080-foot (1824m) faces at Kaena Point. The official endpoint of the hike is the decommissioned lighthouse at the edge of the point. The two orbs are known locally as the golf balls and are commonly used as a landmark by offshore fishermen. Here, beyond the end of the busy roads of Oahu, is an area known since ancient times as leina a kauhane, the leaping place of souls, where the spirits of the recently dead could be reunited with their ancestors. If you are interested in contributing to these efforts, please contact: Mahalo for helping Hawaii State Parks conserve and protect our valuable natural, cultural, and recreational resources. HIGHLIGHTS: This 2.5-mile hike features breathtaking views up and down the coast, abundant . On the narrow western point, the hard volcanic rock shows the mark of a millennia of pounding waves the carved sea cliffs of Mokuleia that rises above Kaena. Naio (Myoporum sandwicense var sandwicense), Naupaka kahakai (Scaevola taccada var. This is how long humans have been in the islands. Kaena Point is the legendary Leina ka 'Uhane or "Leaping place of souls" for recently deceased Hawaiian spirits. The tone was almost scary. The creativeness is really amazing. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 17 min to complete. Mahalo for helping Hawaii State Parks conserve and protect our valuable natural and cultural resources. While its a relatively easy walk over even terrain, there is little to no shade for the entire route. Route. There are two Kaena Point trailheads, one on the north shore and one on the west side. And its at this point that the natural world meets the afterlife, according to Hawaiian folklore. The station originally opened in 1959 to support theCoronareconnaissance program. The legend is very magical. The Kaena Point light tower nearly disappears amidst the sand dunes. Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Native Ecosystems Protection & Management, Landowner & Community Assistance Programs, Native Ecosystems, Invertebrate, and Plant Management, N Ala Hele Statewide Program & Hiking Safety, Native Species Backgrounds for Phones, Computers, & Meetings, Share Your Voice: Give input on plans, policies, & meetings, Forestry & Wildlife Statewide Announcements, Final Environmental Assessment for the Kaena Point Ecosystem Restoration Project, Kaena Point Executive Orders 3162 and 4091, To learn about the Kaena Point Restoration project please.