Rails to Trails Conservancy, the nation’s largest trails advocacy organization, announced in August 2024 that Ke Ala Hele Makalae on the Hawaiian island of Kaua‘i is the newest member of the organization’s Hall of Fame—an exemplary group of multiuse trails celebrated for the social, economic and quality-of-life value they bring to the communities they serve.
“Hawai‘i’s trails are in a class of their own, providing access to some of the country’s most picturesque and revered nature, while simultaneously creating the framework for walkable, bikeable communities valued by the people who live there and inspiring for the millions who visit every year,” said Ryan Chao, RTC’s president. “Ke Ala Hele Makalae captures the breadth of opportunity that trails deliver to the nation—through the joy it brings to everyone who experiences it and its transformative impact as part of the region’s active transportation strategy.”
Ke Ala Hele Makalae, whose name translates to “the Path that Goes by the Coast,” currently stretches along approximately eight miles of the shore from Lydgate Beach Park to Kuna Bay (Donkey Beach) on Kaua‘i.
This stunning trail was nominated for its scenic value, community connections and accessibility—creating new opportunities for people of all abilities to access nature and to walk or bike in the community where they live, supporting the region’s public health, mobility and quality of life goals.
The trail now connects coastal communities from Ahihi Point to Lydgate Beach Park through Kapa‘a, the most populous section of Kaua‘i, and is planned to expand to about 17 miles between Nāwiliwili and Anahola, extending its active transportation and recreational impact..
Mahalo to the Rails to Trails Conservancy for bestowing this honor on Kaua‘i's most ambitious multiuse trail system endeavor.
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