Koke'e State Park
Kōkeʻe State Park is located in northwestern Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. It includes a museum at the 15 mi (24 km) marker on State Road 550, which focuses on the weather, vegetation, and bird life; a lodge which serves food and sells gifts; cabins for rent; and hiking trails. The park is just north of Waimea Canyon State Park at 22°7′49″N 159°39′32″W / 22.13028°N 159.65889°W / 22.13028; -159.65889Coordinates: 22°7′49″N 159°39′32″W / 22.13028°N 159.65889°W / 22.13028; -159.65889 and includes 4,345 acres (17.58 km2) of mountainous terrain.
The main attractions of Kōkeʻe State Park trails are the native vegetation, native forest birds, and the scenic cliffside views. Situated on a plateau between 3,200 and 4,200 ft (980 and 1,300 m), much of Kōkeʻe is a montane (infrequent frost) mesic forest (50 to 100 in/1,300 to 2,500 mm annual rainfall with moist soil conditions) dominated by koa (Acacia koa) and ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees. The park receives around 70 inches (1,800 mm) of rain per year, mostly from October to May.
At the end of the state road is a lookout onto the Kalalau Valley, once home to thousands of native Hawaiians. The valley was the backdrop for Jack London's short story Koʻolau the Leper.
In October it is the home of a festival honoring Queen Emma of Hawaii.
Read more about Koke'e State Park: Hiking Trails
Famous quotes containing the words state and/or park:
“Lead bullets flattened by human teeth have been found on the camp site. Soldiers who had been caught stealing food from nearby farms customarily chewed on a bullet as the lash was laid on their bare backs.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Therefore awake! make haste, I say,
And let us, without staying,
All in our gowns of green so gay
Into the Park a-maying!”
—Unknown. Sister, Awake! (L. 9–12)