Last year a caravan of friends and I went to the Haiku Bamboo Forest hike to celebrate Sean's birthday. It's a short, satisfying trek to the bamboo brightly punctuated with a lot of waterfalls.
Yesterday, I got a chance to lead my own caravan of friends on the hike. My dad's friend, John, is visiting from out of town with his family. I met them for the first time at dinner last week, and they were itching to see some waterfalls. I instantly knew that the Bamboo Forest hike would be a hit.
Bryan and I met John and his family in Paia, where we were also met by my friend Shaina and her girlfriend visiting from out of town. Then in three separate cars we began driving up north towards Haiku for our hike.
The trailhead is unmarked on the side of the highway. The only real indication that there's something there is the line of cars parked on the side of the road in both directions.
You step off the highway and over a torn down wire fence to start your climb down into the bamboo.
{first stream crossing}
{bamboo}
{Bryan}
A little ways into the hike, you see your first waterfall on the left hand side of the trail. You continue on towards another small waterfall with a small swimming hole. To continue on towards the third waterfall, you have to climb a short rock wall, aided by a rope that someone has left behind.
The third waterfall is the best place to set up a base camp and hang out. Once we arrived there, we all dove right in. The water is cold, but not terribly so. It was refreshing after our humid hike through the bamboo.
After our short swim, I rallied the troops for the next leg of the hike. You have to get above this third waterfall by climbing a ladder, rock scrambling upstream, then when the trail ends, you have to jump into the river, swim 50 yards to a man-high waterfall, climb it and then be rewarded with your own private 50 foot waterfall and swimming hole.
It's definitely a hell of an adventure, and certainly not for everyone. Linda stayed behind to bask in the sun and valiantly watch all of our gear. The rest of us trekked on.
This is a picture that Bryan took of us after we jumped into the river at the end of the trail. We're about to make the short swim to the last waterfall.
{from left to right: Mike, Kim, Jamie, me, John and Temaine.}
The last waterfall at the end of the hike:
{not a lot of water running down the rock yesterday, but the swimming was epic}
{that's me!}
{a short video of the waterfall}
After hanging out at this fall and jumping off the rocks, we started trekking back.
{Bryan and me after--the short waterfall behind us is the one you have to climb up and over to get to the last big waterfall}
{a short video from our swim back to the trail}
The hardest part of the hike is the climb back down the ladder to get back to the big watering hole. I wish I had got a picture! Everyone made it back safe and sound. On the way back down, I jumped back in the water from halfway down the trail.
{that's me!}
{the water is fine}
{float on}
{the third waterfall and swimming hole: this was where we spent most of our time on the hike}
{Aw. Aren't we cute?}
After drying off, we started our hike back out.
{the second waterfall after climbing back down the rock wall}
{waiting for everyone to make the climb down}
{the first waterfall off the trail}
{stream crossing}
John and his family headed back to the hotel, Shaina and her friend headed back to town to get ready for their dinner out, and Bryan and I went back to Paia for margaritas and lunch at Milagros.
{guava margarita}
What a way to end the hike. Yum.
We got home after our late lunch just in time to clean up for the new Star Trek movie. It was a fun ride from start to finish. The major highlight of the movie was Simon Pegg as Scotty. He's just so fantastic.
After our big hike yesterday, I woke up hungry!
I roasted brussels sprouts, a carrot and garlic with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
And whipped up some black forbidden rice and a parsley-avocado gremolata.
Voila!
Lunch is served.
I have to work tonight and tomorrow, but then I'm going back to Hana on Sunday! Two Hana trips in one month! How did I get so lucky?
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