Dramas of Kalalau by Terence James Moeller


finished 03.24.11

Over the years and my visits to Kauai, I have hiked the first two miles of the Kalalau trail twice (2004, 2007), and have always wondered what it would be like to hike all 11 miles. And wondered about the people who go in and camp, and the people that I heard lived in Kalalau Valley (illegally). Thanks to this book, I now have a good idea both about how the trail is and about the people in the valley. The book gives both detailed descriptions of the trail and tips for hiking it, as well as past and recent histories of the valley. There are also a lot of interesting short stories written by people who live in the valley or who have visited it. Also, in some stories I recognized a family name of one of Dallas’s relatives. He confirmed that they were one of the last Hawaiian families to legally live in Kalalau Valley, so the book was also interested from a family history aspect. Recommended to anyone who loves Kauai and has been on the Kalalau Trail.