Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail

Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
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Name	Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Location	Hawaiʻi (island), United States
Established	2000
Governing body	National Park Service
Length	175 miles (approximate)

Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail that follows portions of the prehistoric and historic coastal paths of Hawaiʻi along the western and southern shores of Hawaiʻi (island). The corridor preserves sections of ancient Ahupuaʻa trail systems, linking Kohala to Kaʻū and connecting cultural sites such as Heiau, fishponds, and traditional coastal settlements, while intersecting with modern communities like Kailua-Kona, Hōlualoa, Kealakekua Bay, and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. The trail is administered through partnerships involving the National Park Service, State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, and numerous Native Hawaiian organizations.

Overview

The trail preserves coastal corridors and archaeological features stretching roughly from Kawaihae in northern Kohala through North Kona, South Kona, Kaʻū and portions of Puna, linking sites such as Makaʻoa Point, Kalaemanō, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, and Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site. It emphasizes protection of traditional Hawaiian cultural practices associated with ʻāina through collaborative stewardship with entities including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaiʻi County, and community groups from Waikoloa, Waimea (Kohala), and Hawi. The designation supports interpretation aligned with statutes like the National Trails System Act and policies from the Department of the Interior and National Park Service Cultural Resources programs.

History and Cultural Significance

The corridor follows segments of coastal trails used for generations by aliʻi and makaʻāinana connecting ʻahupuaʻa such as Kona and Kaʻū with sacred loci like Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau and historic battlefields associated with chiefs including Kamehameha I. Archaeological deposits include petroglyphs, heiau, fishponds like those found near Kaloko, and habitation sites recognized by the Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Division. Oral histories preserved by families in Hōnaunau, Kealakekua, Milolii, and Kaupō inform interpretive planning by the National Park Service and Hawaiʻi County cultural programs. The trail contributes to revival of practices tied to Hawaiian language revitalization efforts, hula traditions, and traditional fishing managed under customary rights advocated by organizations such as the Kamehameha Schools and the Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi.

Route and Geographic Features

The route traverses diverse coastal geomorphology: lava flows from eruptions attributed to Mauna Loa and Kīlauea create ʻaʻā and pāhoehoe surfaces crossed by trail segments near Kailua-Kona and Ka Lae (South Point), while fringing reef ecosystems at Kealakekua Bay, Honaunau Bay, and Puʻukoholā support coral assemblages studied by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers. Inland vistas include views of Mauna Kea and Hualālai, and coastal ecosystems host endemic flora like ʻōhiʻa lehua and fauna recorded by the Bishop Museum. Trail corridors intersect federally recognized conservation areas such as Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park boundary regions, Kona Coast State Park, and marine areas under Papahānaumokuākea-inspired management models though on a different island.

Management and Conservation

Management is collaborative among the National Park Service, State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaiʻi County, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and community organizations including Friends of Ala Kahakai and local ʻohana. Conservation plans integrate guidance from the National Historic Preservation Act, inventories by the Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Division, and resource monitoring by academic partners such as University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Pūlama Hawaiʻi initiatives. Land tenure across the corridor involves private landowners, Kamehameha Schools trusts, state lands, and federal parcels, requiring easements, cooperative agreements, and cultural easement models similar to those used at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park and Puʻukoholā Heiau.

Recreation and Access

Public access varies by segment, with established trailheads near Kawaihae Harbor, Spencer Beach Park, Kiholo Bay, Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, and South Point. Activities include cultural interpretation, guided traditional practice workshops hosted by hālau hula and ʻohana, snorkeling at reef sites supervised by marine guides certified through programs by National Marine Fisheries Service partners, and birdwatching aligned with Hawaiʻi Audubon Society surveys. Visitors are encouraged to respect kapu practices communicated by local stewards and comply with regulations enforced by Hawaiʻi County Police Department and park rangers from the National Park Service and Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

Threats and Preservation Efforts

Threats include coastal erosion accelerated by sea-level rise studied by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, invasive species documented by Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance, urban development pressures in Kailua-Kona and Waikoloa, and volcanic activity from Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Preservation efforts employ climate adaptation measures promoted by the United States Geological Survey, archaeological mitigation overseen by the Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Division, and community-based stewardship exemplified by Hoʻokuleana projects and partnerships with The Nature Conservancy and IUCN affiliates. Funding and legislative support come via federal appropriations championed by delegations including representatives from Congressional delegations from Hawaiʻi and state initiatives coordinated by Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees and county councils.

Category:National Historic Trails of the United States Category:Protected areas of Hawaiʻi (island) Category:National Park Service