Local Food: Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail & Island Birder Trail Mix Recipe

By Brittany P. Anderson

One of my favorite hikes on Hawai‘i Island is the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail, located off Saddle Road (Daniel Inouye Highway/Route 200) at the base of Maunaloa, between the 22 and 23 mile markers. The nearly 9-mile long trail weaves through old-growth forest and ‘a‘ā lava, offering a variety of scenery along the way. The trail was once used as a cattle path for Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Ranch to take their cattle from the slopes of Maunakea to the Puna coast.

The historic trail connects kīpuka (forested pockets saved from lava flows) populated with ‘ōhi‘a, koa, and oversized ‘i‘o nui ferns, where native birds sing, flitting from branch to branch. Because the area is easily accessible, it is a favorite for local and traveling birders.

Carefully walking the jagged ‘a‘ā lava trailhead, my husband and I enter a forest of ‘ōhi‘a. Bird calls break the silence as a flash of red catches my eye in the periphery. Is it a bird or a flower? From the other side of the trail the ‘apapane, with its high-pitched squawk punctuating the end of its song, breaks the silence. About a half-mile in, the path comes to a clearing with another forest ahead. On a misty day, the grey creates a fairy-tale mood, and I can imagine cattle being driven by old-time paniolo (cowboys).

We travel further until the forest turns to grassland before the neighboring kīpuka. Flaming red birds swoop overhead from one forest pocket to the next so we decide to sit under a large koa. This area is an excellent spot to look for endangered Hawai‘i Island birds like the Hawai‘i ‘ākepa (Loxops coccineus), ‘akiapōlā‘au (Hemignathus wilsoni), and alawī (Loxops mana).

I put my water bottle down and sit under the large koa tree. Dried crescent-shaped leaves litter the ground as I look up into the branches overhead. “Over there!” my husband whispers as he points, but just as my head turns the bird flies from sight. Our heads swivel while the sound of birds come from all directions—one answering the other as they continue their dance.

Time seems to stand still on the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail. As we gaze into the trees, my stomach begins to growl letting us both know it is lunchtime. Suddenly, the bay of a sheep cuts through the trees to our right. Feral sheep and goat populations roam the lava fields, eating native plants along their way. Some critical habitats are protected with fences but not the kīpuka of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail.

As if to answer the sheep’s call, my stomach growls loudly again. I had forgotten snacks—a cardinal sin in hiking. Reluctantly, we get up from our cozy birdwatching spot pausing for a moment to catch one more glimpse of the blazing orange ‘ākepa flitting from ‘ōhi‘a to ‘ōhiʻa.

Don’t make the same mistake I made! Pack this hearty island-inspired trail mix on your next Hawai‘i Island adventure.

Island Birder Trail Mix

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup tamari almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
1/4 cup hazelnuts
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup local honey
1 tsp Hawaiian vanilla extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup dehydrated bananas cut into chunks

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet, or two smaller ones, with parchment paper, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, hazelnuts, cinnamon, and sea salt until evenly combined. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until combined. Pour the coconut oil mixture into the oats mixture, and stir until evenly mixed. Spread the granola out evenly on the baking sheet. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven, then add the coconut and bananas in, giving the mixture a good stir before cooking for another 5 minutes. The granola should be lightly toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool until the granola reaches room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month. Enjoy with milk for breakfast or as a snack on your favorite hike.