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Imagine this, you’re hiking through a Hawaiian paradise, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, and everything seems perfect — until it isn’t. Somewhere between admiring the sweeping ocean views and navigating the dense, jungle-like terrain, your are hit so suddenly, so powerfully, that you can’t help but think: Why me?
Hawaii is known for its breathtaking beauty, but also its unpredictable, and sometimes volatile, environment. Dangers aren’t uncommon in the islands, but this one? Oh, this one was unexpected by all — and it left many unprepared hikers wishing they’d maybe stayed home that fateful day.
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The Perfect Day...Until It Wasn't
Our story begins on Kauai’s famous Kalalau Trail, a rugged, beautiful hike that leads you through some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes you’ll ever see. The crystal-clear waters below, the lush green cliffs, the kind of views that make you forget all your problems… or so you think.
But here’s the thing about nature: it’s unpredictable. One minute, you’re walking along with nothing but the sound of your boots hitting the trail, and the next, you feel something — something deep within — that’s just not right. Could it be a distant echo of Kīlauea’s eruption over on the Big Island? No… this feels more personal. More primal.
At first, everything’s idyllic. Hikers stroll along the trail, snapping photos of the stunning landscape. But something feels… off. There’s an odd tension in the air. It’s like the calm before the storm. Suddenly, the trail doesn’t seem so relaxing. The air feels heavy. Every step is more intense than the last. The natural beauty surrounding you starts to blur, and all you can think about is getting through this. But what exactly is this?
Your gut churns like a poorly scripted disaster movie. You feel an odd brewing sensation, but it’s not from excitement or nerves. No, this is something deeper. Something… unstoppable.
Paradise with a Side of Panic
You notice a few hikers are walking with a little more urgency, faces tight with concentration, like they’re trying to hold something in. You chuckle to yourself — hey, it’s probably just the trail’s steep inclines, right? Wrong. Oh, how wrong you are.
As you continue, something strange happens. The once cheerful faces of fellow hikers are now replaced with looks of quiet panic. You make eye contact with a few of them, and there’s an unspoken understanding, a connection through mutual suffering. But no one’s saying a word.
Soon, other hikers are glancing at each other with shared looks of concern. A handful of hikers start peeling off the trail, darting into the foliage with suspicious urgency. What could it be? A hidden treasure? Some rare species of bird? Oh, dear reader, the treasure they seek is far more… practical.
Other hiker’s pace picks up a bit. No one wants to be the first to show weakness, but everyone knows that a reckoning is coming. Something big. Whatever it is, you hope you’re ready for it.
Mother Nature's Wrath
As the trek wears on, the situation escalates. The once serene hiking experience has become a high-stakes race against time. Hikers are sweating, but not from the Hawaiian heat. No, this is a cold, panicked sweat. You overhear hushed whispers of “It’s happening!” followed by frantic footfalls as people dart off the trail like they’ve seen a ghost — or worse, something far more terrifying.
You begin to pick up on the clues. This is no ordinary hike. This has become a mission. A survival game. You can almost hear a voiceover, “In a world where every step could be your last, one group of hikers must navigate nature’s cruelest challenge.”
Hikers are starting to scatter now, some falling behind, others speeding ahead with a little too much urgency. You see one guy sprinting past like he’s racing for the last seat on a plane. You chuckle to yourself — this isn’t that kind of hike, dude! But then, you feel it again. That deep, inner rumble. This time, you can’t laugh.
You’re starting to realize that nature has many ways of reminding you who’s boss, and today, it’s not just the Earth that’s about to erupt.
The Unseen Enemy
The Great Kalalau Mystery
It wasn’t the heat. It wasn’t the altitude. It wasn’t even the difficulty of the trail. No, the real culprit behind today’s chaos was something far more sinister: norovirus. Yes, that sneaky, microscopic monster that turns a scenic hike into a full-blown gastrointestinal nightmare. Like a stealthy ninja, it crept up on hikers, turning paradise into a personal hell.
Between August and early September, at least 50 Kauai hikers fell ill with norovirus along the famed Kalalau Trail, which has been closed since September 4 for a deep cleaning. The rugged 11-mile trail runs along the northwest coast of the island, giving adventurers breathtaking views of stunning sea cliffs and Kauai’s lush valleys. It’s situated just north of Waimea Canyon State Park, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
I'm a Public Health Risk
The once-beautiful Kalalau Trail became a battlefield of sorts. “It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. I feel really fortunate to be able to be there, and appreciate and respect that land,” one hiker who fell ill in late August told The Washington Post. “My guts exploding all over that land was not what I wanted to do at all.”
That hiker, Danielle Burr, told the Post that she was one of at least eight people in her 12-member group to fall ill with vomiting and diarrhea after they had reached the Kalalau beach campsite, where the trail dead-ends at the foot of towering fluted ridges. After a night of relentless heaving outside of her tent, she was unable to make the 11-mile return trip and was taken to the hospital by helicopter just after sunrise.
There was no way I could physically do that trail to get out,” she said. “And I was spreading the virus all over the place, like, I’m a public health risk.”
At first, responders assumed that some of the hikers had picked up leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that spreads from contaminated water and soil and is known to lurk along the trail. But, the brutal illness continued its lightning spread, with reports of other hikers along the trail erupting like biological volcanoes. Testing on September 5 determined that norovirus—a germ notorious for igniting explosive outbreaks in the great outdoors—was to blame.
Norovirus is a savage wilderness virus because it is highly contagious and generally unfazed by hand sanitizers. Any settings with large groups, limited clean water, and infrequent hand washing are prime norovirus territory. The virus spreads through the nauseating fecal-oral route. An infected person sheds billions of tiny viral particles in their stool, but it only takes a few particles transferring from hands, surfaces, or food to spark another infection. Once infected, a person typically develops diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain within 12 to 48 hours, with recovery following in one to three days.
Life's a Bleach
On Kauai, park officials have cleared out the trail and are doing maintenance and cleaning. Derrick Louis of Hawaii’s State Parks Division reported that employees are taking extra care to clean the Kalalau beach campsite’s comfort station. “We swept the floor and bleached the whole bathroom, floors, railings, toilets, everything,” he said. “Waited at least 7 to 10 minutes, cleaned everything, and did it again, and then we wiped everything down with a disinfectant.”
The state’s health department, meanwhile, released a survey for all recent visitors to the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, which encompasses the Kalalau Trail, to identify additional cases and identify locations and activities linked to getting sick and not getting sick. The trail is scheduled to be closed at least until Thursday, September 19.
3 Ways to Stay Safe and Make the Most of the Trails
Hiking is seriously fun and should be approached with knowledge and the right equipment. Next time you plan an outdoor adventure, remember: wear sturdy shoes and carry a highly functional day pack stocked with reef-safe sunscreen, a great camera, emergency essentials and enough Pepto-Bismol to last through any unexpected natural disaster.
We scoured through thousands of trail-friendly offerings on Amazon to ensure you are covered for safety and performance while outdoors–or during any travel. Safe Travels!
The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clam-shell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s know the value of packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but female testers noticed the improvement right away.
A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. When flying, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking and when navigating airport security. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended Hawaiian trips or weddings where you may need numerous outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s always better to cut when it comes to traveling.
4.7 / 5 stars on Amazon ★★★★★
With even more grip for any trail–including the rugged Kalalau Trail on Kauai–and featuring a more dynamic upper set a new high-bar on performance and fit, these trail shoes will keep you safe and secure. To create the next generation SPEEDCROSS 5, we went back to the source code, capitalizing on the values that make SPEEDCROSS legendary. And with better stability and a refined look, a new legend has arrived: the Salomon Speedcross 5 Gore-tex Trail Shoes.
Whether you love road running in your neighborhood, an escape to a local trail, or something more rugged, Salomon makes shoes that ensure you have a smooth ride on any and all terrain. Salomon has shoes and gear for kids, men and women to help you conquer a new distance, personal record, or event.
I’ve worn some 13 pairs of the Speedcross series through version 5. While I wear them on all types of terrain, I especially recommend these for their sole on loose and rocky climbs and descents; wherever you want to concentrate on your foot placement vs worrying too much about slipping or losing traction.
4.7 / 5 stars on Amazon ★★★★★
Limits were meant to be crushed and DJI Osmo Action is the outdoor camera that lets you do exactly that with countless features that are as powerful as they are intuitive. Capture the raw exhilaration of any moment with striking image quality and unmatched flexibility, even when the lights dim. Osmo Action empowers outdoor-seekers to record it all, share the rush, and set the tone.
You can now sync visual information from Osmo Action’s color temperature sensor for eye-opening details beneath the waves. Dual water-stain resistant touchscreens – to 18m without a case – make turning the action camera around for parameter adjustments during selfies, mode switching, or video playback a thing of the past.
This camera records very good outdoor footage. The stabilization is great except for one oddity which I’ll explain below. The options and features are very convenient and there’s a useful app for controlling the camera when it’s mounted on your head or something.
4.6 / 5 stars on Amazon ★★★★★
What's your time and comfort worth?
TSA estimates that 95% of PreCheck passengers wait less than 5 minutes in the security line. Don't have TSA PreCheck yet? Get approved by CapitalOne and get your PreCheck application fee reimbursed for free, plus the best travel perks anywhere with this exclusive, limited-time special offer - Over $78 in savings!
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Safe Travels Hawaii September 2024 Update
Many Parks And Top Attractions In Hawaii Now Require Reservations To Visit
More will certainly be added to the list in the next year or two. This is to help keep crowds down, reserve space for residents and help maintain some environmental balance.
Also, some areas have become off-limits except to approved tour companies. So, though Waipio Valley on Hawaii Island isn’t a park and doesn’t have a public reservation system, you do need to book a tour in advance to visit that particular area.
But at time of publishing, reservations are mandatory and required at top parks and key locations that have been overwhelmed with visitors – especially since the post-COVID visitor surge.
In most cases, these aren’t make-or-break fees for many people. Rather, it’s a few bucks that you need to pay online to secure your spot. But don’t hesitate to book early all spots are on a first-come basis and do not stay available – especially during peak travel dates!
What Are You Paying For When You Make a Reservation?
Some reservation systems require you to pay a full entry fee when you sign up online. Others like Hale National Park Sunrise Reservations require you to pay a couple of dollars online and then pay your remaining entry fee at the gate. Review what you’re paying for as you make your reservations so there are no surprises later.
How Far In Advance Can You Reserve?
Most parks have a revolving window where you can make reservations. For example, you can make Pearl Harbor reservations up to 8 weeks in advance, with additional tickets becoming available the day before.
Heading back to Hawaii soon or know someone that is?
There are new 2024 mandatory traveler requirements that ONLY apply to Hawaii VISITORS! These requirements will adversely impact your ability to access top attractions & more in Hawaii! A lot has changed for visitors since the pandemic. Uncertain about the changes? We suggest you choose to get the requirements, plus updates whenever enacted, by our convenient messaging service. We assure you, the simplicity & added peace-of-mind is well worth it.
