Hiking Iao Valley: Beyond the Signs
Many people drive just outside of Wailuku, Maui to see the famous Iao Needle. It is part of a ridge line that has survived the test of time while the rest of the ridge eroded away under the incredible amount of rainfall in the West Maui Mountains. Evidence of this water can even be seen on beautiful, clear, sunny days like this one in streams that constantly flow down to the valley floor. My good friend Hunter and I decided to explore the trails leading away from the beaten path at Iao. I've heard of people trying to make it all the way through to Lahaina, only to be turned back by a steep precipice or an unclimbable waterfall. However following the streams in either direction take you to some hidden area not often visited. Suddenly you have a lush Hawaiian valley all to yourself to enjoy the sounds of nature all around you. Iao has a storied past as the site of one of the bloodiest battles during King Kamehameha's conquest of the islands. Maui's warriors backed i...