By dtam on Skatehive
Enjoying beautiful views, 6000ft up the side of Hualalai Volcano. This is a high ridgeline next to a massive volcanic fissure. In 1800 the land split apart and lava came fountaining out, creating this ridge we are on. Hawaii is filled with amazing hikes. There are hikes to waterfalls and up steep hills to WWII bunker relics. But some of my favorite hikes are well off the beaten path. That definitely describes the hike we went on today. Way up the side of the Big Island's Hualalai Volcano, behind closed gates, is a wonderful hike that passes interesting volcanic geology, through pristine native Hawaiian forest, all while being serenaded by endemic honeycreeper birds. All of these things are seldom seen by locals, and almost never seen by tourist visiting the islands. You need special permission to access these ancient royal lands, but that is why I wanted to take you with me through photos and stories into this wonderful, wild, place. Known as the 'Hidden Craters' hike, only one local v