Kalopa State Recreation Area

This 100-acre State Park and Recreation Area is a bit off the beaten path, located near the village of Honoka’a, about 15 miles east of Waimea and about 40 miles north of Hilo. The location of the Park keeps the traffic light. If you’re looking for solitude, you have a great chance of finding it here. Located on the upcountry, windward slopes of Mauna Kea, the Park gets a significant amount of rainfall. This rainfall creates an enchanting and lush native forest. A ‘native forest’ attempts to preserve the endemic Hawaiian ecosystem as it existed before contact with man. 

Most of the plant species in the Park were on the island before the first Polynesians discovered and settled Hawai’i. The Park has a family-friendly loop called the “Nature Trail,” with easy hiking and lots of information about the native forest. There are also several other trails that criss-cross the Park and provide many opportunities to create different loops to explore the extent of the land. There are restrooms but no water.