Kamakou Preserve

Today we did a hike in the middle of the island in the Kamakou Preserve, guided by The Nature Conservancy. We met the group at 8:30am and were driven up a pretty gnarly 4x4 road for 16 miles to about 4,000 feet elevation. Before entering the forest, they usually recite a special chant asking for good weather and permission to enter.  Since I was the only local in the group they had me read the Hawaiian version of it aloud.  Fun!  From there we hiked 3 miles roundtrip on a 2x6 boardwalk over boggy terrain. It was great to get up into the mountains for a change among lush ferns, pretty ohia trees and their red lehua blossoms, tall hapu'u tree ferns with fist-sized fronds, and other native plants. The trail ended at a viewpoint of steep waterfall-stained Pelekunu valley on the north side of the island. Blessed with clear dry weather, we could also see the actual Kamakou peak at 4,961 feet, the highest elevation on Molokai which is usually shrouded in mist. I've been on more spectacular hikes in Hawaii, so this one was only OK, but I did see the rare endemic red Apapane bird and the Blue Hawaiian Butterfly.