Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park

(formerly Kahana Valley State Park)

Wet, Wild Valley East of Honolulu

Description

Located 26 miles from Honolulu on the windward, wet side of Oahu, Kahana encompasses 5,300 acres. Prior to its contact with the West, this valley was a thriving "ahupua'a" (ancient Hawaiian land division) fully sustaining the community that lived there. Today, Kahana is the only publicly owned ahupua'a in the state, still supporting about a 100 inhabitants who lived there before the area was turned into a state park. Visitors to the valley will enjoy the rich variety of landscape they'll find here, from the lush coastline to the 2,670 feet peak at Pu'u Pauao on the crest of the Ko'olau mountain range. Enjoy swimming, body surfing, and other beach-related activities, or hike in the forest and pick some fruit; there's plenty to do, so bring along a picnic for a spread in the coconut grove, and make a day of it.