Hawaii Forest and Trails Mule Adventure..
A visit to the rugged Hawaii Kohala Coast via mule

by Tammie Thompson

I had ridden plenty of horses, but never a mule. "Think of it this way, a mule ride is a new adventure", I told my ten-year old son as we headed towards the mule station at the north end of the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

As we drove up the deserted highway, a double rainbow extending from the historic town of Hawi greeted us. The black lava gave way to green and the rugged lushness of old Hawaii. Mule trail tours depart from the historic Kohala Ditch Co. Mule Station. It looks out over the Pololu Valley on to the Waipio Valley. Views are stunning: distant waterfalls cascading into the sea from giant cliffs, a dense mist giving way to light rain.

Our mules were saddled up and ready to go. And so were we. There's nothing difficult about this adventure - just the mental part - giving in to the beauty of the valley, the lushness of the fields.

Our guide, Wally, an original Paniolo and 4th generation Hawaiian made the trip the adventure and experience that is was. He judged that my son was a bit apprehensive on his mule, Makule. He gave Jake some room, but kept the lead rope for emergencies (there were none). My mule, J.J. was steady and loved to nibble on fresh grass when given the chance.

We crossed the road to a cow pasture. The mules plodded along (a mule is a product of breeding a donkey with a horse). I learned that quarter horses make the best mothers - strong and stocky. They use mules because they are more surefooted and socialize better than horses, thus traveling better on the trail than horses.

As we headed into the pasture, the cows gave us some room. Jake was eyeing the big black one with horns. We both thought, "bull", but were informed that not all cows with horns are bulls. This was just another cow. Lesson 2: they were too busy munching grass to give us much attention. Nevertheless, meandering amid cows was pretty cool.

The wind came up, the mist got thicker, and then the rain came. And came, and came. Rivulets of rain ran down my face. We put on our raincoats (provided), slickers fashioned like cowboy oilskins (long to your legs, split to accommodated the saddle). We traversed the ranch land towards the flume creek, which would lead us to pristine waterfalls. Riding along the Kohala Ditch trail, we passed guava plants, huge ironwood and ohia-lehua trees. The sound of rushing water greeted us. The Kohala Flume was built in the 1800's to deliver water from the mountains down to the sugar plantations. 600 Japanese worked for 18 months to build the flume, which runs over land and through tunnels.

Today the creek was wild. It was running hard and brown. Wally didn't think it would be a good idea to attempt to cross it. From looking at it, I couldn't imagine crossing it. And the rain came down - and down. We climbed a few knolls to take a look at the Kapoloa Falls, a huge waterfall into the Pololu Valley. Wally was a wealth of information on Hawaiian history, culture and the nature of this land. We learned more in this short adventure than any history book could tell us.

I was fascinated by Wally's life. A native Hawaiian, Wally spoke of how he was a hunter and gatherer - how he would hunt wild boar and collect fruit, fish and other native food to feed his family. Everything they ate was either grown, gathered or hunted in this very region. As a Paniolo (cowboy), he lived and worked his own ranch, enjoying a few rodeos. Traveling to the mainland only a few times in his life, Wally and his family are truly happy living in the Pololu Valley.

And I could see why. Even in the pelting rain, the views of the valley were incredible. The Pololu stream opens up to the ocean, black sand beach, sets of waves, and iridescent green fields along the banks.

We rode slowly back to the mule station. I smiled. Jake smiled. Even the rain couldn't dampen our experience in this enchanted hamlet of the Kohala Coast. The mega resorts were left behind - the waterslides forgotten. We learned a bit about the real Hawaii - and longed for more.

Our ride ended much too soon. Soaked (did I say how much it rained?), we got off our trusty mules and headed to the porch for a snack. Wally put out some fresh fruit. Incredible white pineapple, topped off with strawberry bread - and we got a "talkstory". More tales of old Hawaii. The sun finally came out and the mist opened up the incredible coastline.

We got in our rental car and drove away giggling about all the rain, riding amid the cows with horns and the brown creek that we couldn't cross. But I was under the valley spell. The beauty of the Pololu Valley haunts me. As I sit in my deluxe hotel room I think about all the development that has devoured Hawaii. I'm as guilty as the next person for enjoying it. But Hawaii Forest & Trails is doing something about it. They are offering up experiences that embrace the Hawaiian culture, lifestyle and land. They offer up adventures that open the door to this incredible land. The adventures not only allow you to see the beauty - but educate you and your family as well. Both Jake and I learned more about Hawaiian lifestyle and history than any book could teach us.

Take your family. Do it today. For tomorrow they may "pave paradise and put up a parking lot."

Hawaii Forest & Trails offers many unique adventures: Kohala Country Falls Adventure; Kilauea Volcano Adventure; Hualalai Volcano Adventure; Mauna Kea Summit Adventure; Valley Waterfall Adventure; Rainforest Discovery Adventure; and Bird Tours.

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