Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)

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Connecting Hawai'i

Established in 2000 for the preservation, protection and interpretation of traditional Native Hawaiian culture and natural resources, the Ala Kahakai NHT is a 175-mile trail corridor full of cultural and historical significance. It traverses through hundreds of ancient Hawaiian settlement sites and through over 200 ahupua'a, or traditional sea to mountain land divisions. Cultural resources along the trail include several important heiau (temples), royal centers, kahua (house site foundations), loko 'ia (fishponds) ko`a (fishing shrines), ki‘i pohaku (petroglyphs), holua (stone slide), and wahi pana (sacred places). Natural Resources include anchialine ponds, pali (precipices), nearshore reefs, estuarine ecosystems, coastal vegetation, migratory birds, native sea turtle habitat, and several threatened and endangered endemic species of plants and animals.

		Comprehensive Management Plan The Final Comprehensive Management Plan is available for review. You may access the report online by clicking more. Limited printed copies of the report are still available. If you would like to request a copy of the report, please contact the park. more...

Ho'olohe, Nana: Listen, Look - Podcasts and More!

Ho'olohe (listen) and nana (look). Stories of national significance are yours as you hear and observe the places and cultures within the Pacific Island National Park units.

Pacific Islands National Parks blog

Sense of Place: Music and Talk Story

A grant from the National Park Foundation to support the launch of "Sense of Place: Music and Talk Story", an innovative project that creates small informal music events to share and preserve stories of three communities along the Trail was awarded to Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. The grant is part of the National Park Foundation's America's Best Idea, a nationwide program which connects underserved and under-engaged populations throughout the United States with their national parks in innovative and meaningful ways.

"With this project, we will bring people together at gatherings that celebrate the past, present and future of each community and allow us to appreciate and continue to nurture our unique culture." said Aric Arakaki, Superintendent of Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.

Ala Kahakai Trail Association and Hui Kuapa (Friends of the Future) are assisting community groups to organize the three 2011 events.The dates and locations are August 28 at Kailapa Hawaiian Homestead in Kawaihae, October 9 at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park in Kona and November 6 at the church lot in Honaunau.

This project is made possible in part by a grant from the National Park Foundation through the generous support of Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, the Anschutz Foundation and the Ahmanson Foundation.

For more information, click PLAN YOUR VISIT Things to do.

Steps into History

West Hawaii National Parks and Trail, PBS Ken Burns "America's Best Idea"

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Download Original File: alka-westhawaiivideo.mp4 (14488 KB)
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Write to

Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
73-4786 Kanalani Street, #14
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

E-mail Us

Phone

Park Information
(808) 326-6012

Fax

(808) 329-2597

Climate

The temperatures in Hawai'i are typically in the mid to upper 80's. Rainfall and weather conditions may vary at various locations where the trail is found around the island.

Steps into History

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