Getting to the Parks

To visit Waimea Canyon and Koke’e State Parks, drive up from the coast on Highway 50 from the town of Kekaha, which is about 3 miles past the town of Waimea.

Highway signs clearly mark the turn up to the mountain parks. You’ll be driving up through abandoned cane fields which are now being taken over by introduced trees like Silky Oak, Black Wattle, and Paperbark Eucalyptus, all Australian transplants. Reforestation to control erosion caused by cattle began in the 1930s with the introduction of these Australian trees. During spring, horizontal clusters of feathery orange-gold blossoms cover the tall silky oak trees.