LIHU‘E — The nation’s largest trail advocacy organization announced that Ke Ala Hele Makalae Trail is the newest member of the Rails to Trails Conservancy Organization Hall of Fame. LIHU‘E — The nation’s largest trail advocacy organization announced that Ke Ala Hele Makalae Trail is the newest member of the Rails to Trails Conservancy Organization Hall of Fame. Ke Ala Hele Makalae Trail, whose name translates to “The Path that Goes by the Coast,” is being recognized by Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), the nations largest trails organization.
RTC is iluminating the exemplary trail celebrated for its social, economic and quality-of-life value it brings to the island of Kaua‘i. The trail was among three nominees voted by the public between July 26, 2024, and Aug. 4, 2024, securing nearly 45 percent of the vote.
Ke Ala Hele Makalae joins an iconic list of Hall of Fame trails recognized for their outstanding scenic value, use, amenities, historical significance and community benefits, such as Wisconsin’s Elroy-Sparta State Trail, California’s Bizz Johnson Trail, Idaho’s Route of the Hiawatha and Indiana’s Monon Trail, to name a few. “Hawai‘i’s trails are in a class of their own, said Ryan Chao, RTC’s president “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.