Hoapili Highway (Kings Highway)

 

The Kings Highway, is a path created by the early Hawaiian kings to transport fish from the fish ponds around Waikoloa to the King’s villages in Kailua-Kona.  Thi trail is about 37 miles long, and conncts to other trails and the ring trail that surrounded the island.

When transporting the fish, the Hawaiians tasked with this effort ran to ensure the food was delivered fresh, amazing.

When the white man came to the islands, Hawaiians were allowed to pay their tax in maintaining this trail, and the trail became the peferred horse or mule transport.  The horses knew the trail so well that they kept walking even if their owners fell asleep.  Hawaiian autopilot.

This webite adds more details, and is a great resource of the islands.

http://www.hawaiiweb.com/hawaii/html/sites/default.htm