Having a car is so liberating! I was able to join a caravan of vehicles to Haiku yesterday to join friends on the Bamboo Forest Hike--one that I had heard so much about but hadn't yet done for myself. Bryan and I woke up early and got ready.
Eight of us met in two cars met at the grocery store to load up on snacks and then we were off. A third car would meet us at the trailhead with another group of our friends.
We drove up north along the highway through Paia and headed into Haiku.
The trailhead isn't really marked except for a string of cars parked on the side of the road. I did my first parallel parking job in my new car and unloaded my passengers.
At the trailhead, heading into the bamboo.
Waiting for everyone in the cool shade of the towering bamboo plants.
The hike was a short stroll punctuated with a few adventurous bits: stream crossings, a little bit of rock scrambling aided by knotted ropes put in place by previous hikers and a few mud pits.
The first waterfall.
This was the second large freshwater pool we came across on the trail. We set up "base camp" here. After spending most of our time on Maui swimming in the ocean, it was refreshing to charge into fresh water--no matter how cold it was when we first hopped in.
We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The sun was hot above us all day, warming the pools.
Will serenaded us with his ukulele all afternoon.
Although this was where we set up base camp, the hike did not end here. The trail continued above the waterfall along the river and ended at another larger waterfall and fresh water pool.
To get to this last pool, you have to swim upriver and climb up a small waterfall, so I left the camera behind where it could stay safe and dry.
A group of us followed the trail from our base camp along the left hand side of the pool. We climbed over a steeper rock face aided by a rope, then had to climb up a rickety ladder that is attached to the cliffside by ropes. Once we got to the top, we were above the falls and we began our walk up river, using stepping stones when we could and squelching into mud when we couldn't.
We followed the trail as it sloped upwards while the water beneath us cut through the narrow valley. Then the trail ended abruptly. I was told that the river was our trail, and I hopped into the water from about six feet up.
I swam about in the natural pool waiting for Bryan to hop in behind me. Together we swam towards the back of the pool where a low waterfall waited us. We swam up to the waterfall, hauled ourselves out of the water and climbed up over the shallow wall.
Once we made it, we were rewarded with the last and largest waterfall of the hike. The water cascaded down from about thirty feet above us. The pool that the water fell into was large, cool and welcoming.
A few of the boys that I was with climbed up along the edge of the pool to a landing about fifteen feet up. I watched them spin flips and land into the water.
Thinking it over, I decided to clim up to them. With a little encouragement and a few moments looking down at the pool far below me, I jumped off too! There were no trick dives performed that time. Just a simple cannonball.
After watching a few of the guys perform a few more tricks, we headed back down to our base camp.
We spent another two hours at our camp, eating snacks, lounging, swimming and soaking up sun before heading back down the trail to our cars.
Bryan leading the way
The canopy of bamboo leaves above of us.
A very dark photo of me making my descent down a steeper part of the trail.
The bamboo was a nature-made wind chime as the stalks knocked against each other in the breeze above us.
Bryan carefully threading his way through the river using stepping stones.
A bowl of freshwater cut into a boulder along the river.
Crossing another stream.
What a beautiful day spent with friends! This was such an amazing spot, and I can't wait to come back to it!
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