The location of this state park has some spectacular views. From Lake Lure, made famous by the movie Dirty Dancing, to the beautiful forest, and 404ft waterfall, this park has a bunch to see. The granite 315ft monolith, Chimney Rock,  protrudes from Hickory Nut Gorge and sits at an elevation of 2,280ft. Luckily for visitors, there is an elevator that will take you to the top so you do not need to tire yourself.  I highly recommend taking the stairs if you have it in you because you can take tons of photos along the way and it really puts into perspective just how high up you are.

Gneiss Cave

Before reaching the beginning of the staircase to the top of Chimney Rock is the Gneiss Cave, pronounced "nice". This tiny fissure is home to some bats, so the deeper parts of the cave are closed to visitors. Heading down the granite steps you will enter this itty-bitty cave where you can look over the railing into the darkness below.

The only photo I got of the inside of the small cave.

The Opera Box

The trek up the stairs was not too bad, but there is a reason it has the nickname of “The Ultimate Stairmaster”. But it really was worth the climb because the 75 mile view was breathtaking. We could see the lake far below, surrounded by the forest which was barely beginning to show spots of orange and red.
After taking a bunch of photos at the top, we decided to check out where the rest of the stairs went. Taking the Skyline Trail up, you’ll reach the “Opera Box”. From here you can sit on a bench under a rock overhang and see Chimney Rock. The shade from the above rock makes that bench a nice spot to rest before climbing the steps again.

View from the Opera Box!

Exclamation Point!

If you keep heading up then you’ll get to Exclamation Point, the highest peak in the park. At 1400ft above the entrance to the park, the sheer cliff face drops into the greenery below.
On the way down, we poked around some different paths and found a neat tunnel carved into the granite. We had to stoop to walk through it and discovered it leads to the top of a set of steps that join the main staircase.

Hickory Nut Falls

After going back down the winding stairs to the very bottom, we followed the signs to Hickory Nut Falls. This 1.5 mile hike is very easy and the trail is well-maintained. There are signs along the way describing the plants and rocks surrounding the path. When you near the end, you’ll see a viewing area where a staff member is posted.
Feel free to climb down from the viewing area to step in the stream below the falls, just be careful on the slippery rocks.

On our way out of the park we stopped to meet Grady the Groundhog, the mascot of the State Park. Just near the park entrance, Grady lives outside a small building which is home to some other critters that are natural in the area.



I hope this was helpful and inspires you to get outside and explore!






-Alecia

At milepost 418 of the Blue Ridge Parkway lies the beautiful Graveyard Fields Loop trail. The 3.2 mile loop takes you through a scenic valley with stops at 3 waterfalls. We actually decided to stop here because we saw the lower waterfall from the road and I’m so glad we did.

The name of this area comes from the catastrophic fires that destroyed the forest many years ago causing the tree stumps to look like gravestones in the aftermath. What was once a dense forest of spruce and fir trees is now filled with soil that lacks nutrients which many plants struggle to take root in. Slowly, the nature here is recovering.

The Hike

The Falls

Hamama Falls is one of the lesser known waterfalls on O'ahu. In the back of Waihe’e Valley, this 4 mile round trip trail takes you past a swimming hole before reaching the magnificent, 40 foot waterfall. Spring fed from the Ko'olau Mountains, this waterfall is always flowing. The hike is more of a nature walk than anything, as you just follow a gravel path to the base of the falls; kids and dogs can do this one.

Beginning

Swimming Hole

Trail

The Falls

Crouching Lion gets its name from the shape of a lion that the rocks form at the top. It is actually part of a larger hiking trail, that loops around the Pu’u Manamana mountain ridge. This hike takes roughly 30 minutes to reach the peak so it’s pretty quick.

Legend of Kauahi

It is always fun to learn a little something about the hikes I do. I usually find out some interesting stories wile researching for a planned hike and like others I have done, the Crouching Lion Hike has a legend behind it.

The story goes that the demigod, Kauahi, was sent from Tahiti to watch over Kahana Bay. Ancient Hawaiians had never seen a lion and actually thought he was a dog. Even though Kauahi wished to explore O’ahu, he never left his spot and eventually, he began to turn to stone. One day, Pele’s sister, Hiiaka sang to Kauahi. Her voice was so sweet that he tried to stand, breaking the strong roots that bound him. Unfortunately, he could go no further than a crouch before he was stuck, forever guarding the valley and bay.

Finding the Trail Head

Finding the entrance to the trail is easier than it seems. If you walk along the mountainside of the road, Trout Farm Road to your back, you will see the trail beginning just after the “Do Not Pass” sign. There are no trail markers but you can easily see where the footpath is.

Note: Do not park on Trout Farm Road, they will have you towed.

Short Trail

Since the trail is not clearly marked with ribbon or anything, the idea is to keep going up. You’ll see remnants of the trail and parts where it has worn away, but do not worry, it is pretty easy to navigate. You will walk through thick brush under the tree canopy for a ways, until you are out in the open. Strangely, the path becomes more defined the higher you get, once you’re out in the open, it is unmistakable. You will be increasing elevation rather quickly as you ascend.
Once you are free from the forest, you follow the dirt path under a cliff of sharp lava rocks, you might have to crouch as you pass this part. After this point, you can see the “crouching lion” (I did not get a good photo of it). If you choose to continue, this part is more tricky and dangerous. The loose rocks and dirt do not make for good footholds.

Spectacular View

From the peak, you can see the various blue shades of Kahana Bay and the small city of Ka’a’awa below. The greenery on the mountains is amazing, as usual, and from the height you can really take in all the scenery of the Windward side.

Please be safe and remember to pick up your trash so other can enjoy the beauty.