Hanakoa Camp: The Good, the Bad, and the Muddy

Few topics related to the Kalalau Trail are as polarizing as Hanakoa Camp and whether or not it’s a good idea to spend the night there. For some, it’s a mosquito haven they’d rather avoid, for others, it’s a way to break up the challenging trail and seek some rest in a true jungle setting.

So which is it? Should you seriously consider stopping there for the night?

Facts first: Hanakoa Camp is a campsite located in Hanakoa Valley at approximately mile 6 of the 11+ mile Kalalau trail with a cumulative elevation gain of approximately 2,000 ft from Ke’e Beach. It’s the only legal campsite on the trail other than Kalalau Beach camp. It extends on both sides of the Hanakoa stream which runs through the middle of the campsite and features two basic shelters and one outhouse.

The layout of the site is depicted below:

A small side trail starts close to the second shelter and leads to Hanakoa Falls. Unlike Hanakapiai Falls, the trail is only about 1.5 miles long (in and out) and can easily be completed in a little more than one hour round trip.

The Pros

Here are a few reasons to consider Hanakoa as an overnight stop:

• At almost the half-way mark of the full trail, it’s a great way to break the long and challenging trek up, especially if you’re not in peak shape, made less progress on the full trail than expected (e.g. due to weather), or got a late start and won’t make it to your destination before dark.
• It’s a way to rest up to be physically and mentally fresher before tackling Crawler’s Ledge.
• It’s usually cooler in the valley than on Kalalau Beach. 
• The shelters have benches to sit and tables to cook on.
• There are flat areas for tents and a number of good spots for hammock campers as well.
• The excursion to Hanakoa Falls is relatively easy and short, especially if you don’t have your full pack on. The falls are a little smaller than Hanakapiai Falls, but still a good size and also feature a pool for swimming.
• Easy access to fresh water.
• There’s an outhouse; while not pleasant per se, it’s functional. 

The Cons

Some things to be aware of:

• The campsite has more of a jungle feel and is not as spectacular as Kalalau Beach.
• There are more mosquitoes than at Kalalau Beach (more on that below).
• Given the location and topography, it’s more likely to rain here.
• If it rains heavily and for an extended period of time, you will obviously deal with muddy and wet conditions, in camp and on the trail.
• Be aware that there are boar in that valley and there have been reports of them getting into tents overnight in search of food and even dragging off packs. 
• The temperatures drop overnight and you might want a sleeping bag vs a bag liner, especially outside of the hot season.

My Experience 

I had heard differing comments about Hanakoa; some said it was pretty good, others warned about mosquitoes. Since then, I’ve stayed there overnight several times. I found it pretty pleasant overall and a nice way to make the trek less daunting. 

If I choose to stay at Hanakoa, I do it on the way back from Kalalau Beach. (I suppose the adrenaline and excitement of heading out to Kalalau always motivate me enough to make the journey to the beach in one day.) 

Yes, there are more mosquitoes but I’ve found them to be manageable. I always have long clothes to slip into and even bring a net for my head, just in case, but I’ve never used it. I found that taking a dip in the stream and washing off my sweat does not only make me feel better, it also makes me less attractive to the flying critters. 

I enjoyed the evening in the jungle and being able to take in Hanakoa Valley in peace and without just rushing through. I like to sit on the big rocks in the stream and just listen to the water while the day slowly fades.

I had a fun little encounter at night when, sitting in camp, I all-off-a-sudden noticed a pair of red eyes glaring down at me from atop a close-by big rock by my campsite. When my head darted up with the headlight illuminating the owner of the eyes, it turned out to be a feral cat looking down at me. (Ever since, I’ve seen cats there repeatedly, so they probably hang around the campsite, maybe hoping for food scraps.)

One night I stayed in Hanakoa, I was lucky to have a full moon and clear skies, so the whole jungle was illuminated, which was a magical sight.

In transparency, I’ve also gotten dumped on for 4-5 hours in the middle of the night, so you do want to be prepared for a downpour as well.

I’ve done the short side trek to Hanakoa Falls both after arriving in the afternoon as well as in the morning after spending the night. Both options seem good, although I may have a slight preference for doing it after arriving (and resting a bit), so that I can get back on my main journey first thing in the morning. On one occasion, I came across a group of three boar about halfway up the trail which got startled and ran off. Tusk marks on tree trunks definitely showed that at that time there was a good amount of boar activity in that area.  

Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to stay in Hanakoa

• Hang your packs, both because of the boar and to avoid mud splatter if it does rain.
• Be prepared for rain. Put on the rain fly or tarp on your tent/hammock when setting up even if it’s clear. If the rain starts, it may be intense and you won’t struggle to put it on in a panicked rush at 3 AM.
• Be prepared for lower temperatures at night, e.g. low 50s (F) even in summer.
• Sites do fill up, especially during the busier dry season. Try to arrive between 2 and 4 PM to still have choices for campsites.
• Wash off in the stream to feel better and be less interesting to mosquitoes. There’s a pool-like spot in the stream a little up from where the main trail intersects it (close to the Hanakoa Falls trail).
• If the weather is sketchy, cross the stream first, then set up camp. That will help avoid getting stuck at a swollen stream the next day and not being able to cross.
• Common courtesy: Don’t take over a shelter and camp in it. The shelters are for all to use and not campsites.
• This should go without saying: Don’t leave trash or gear - take out what you brought in.
• While many people do light fires, they’re illegal at Hanakoa Camp (and on Kalalau Beach camp).
• You probably don’t want to set up camp too close to the outhouse since the smell may wafter into your campsite.

 

Hanakoa is not everyone’s cup of tea; some may prefer to power through the whole trail while others take it slower, are less ambitious, or simply enjoy the jungle experience. Overall, it’s probably better than its reputation and not the muddy mosquito hell some make it out to be. In my opinion, it’s a pretty good way to break up the long hike and take in a different environment. With some preparation and proper expectations, you may find you’ll actually like it. At a minimum, it’s a good option to have in your back pocket if your hike turns out differently than expected and you need an overnight spot for one reason or another.