Over 60 ‘White Road’ Hikers Cited for Trespassing

More than 60 hikers were either cited or warned today for trespass into the closed Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island.

A team of eight officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement wrote citations to 49 adults and gave written warnings to 14 hikers under age 18.

Social media has popularized the so-called White Road hike, even though the forest reserve it passes through has been closed since shortly after a 2007 earthquake.

“People don’t realize this is a dangerous hike and if you get hurt there’s no cell service and help can be a long ways off,” said DOCARE North Hawai‘i Supervisor Verl Nakama.He hopes people who got citations today, requiring court appearances, will help spread the word that there are numerous, equally as stunning, safe and legal hikes across the state.

He said he hopes people who got citations today requiring court appearances will help spread the word that there are numerous, equally as stunning, safe and legal hikes across the state.

For most hikers trespassing into the forest reserve, their destination is a water flume on the Kohala ditch that drops 35 feet into a small, shallow pool. Officers say it’s amazing no one has been hurt sliding down the flume.

In addition to trespassing onto closed DLNR lands, hikers pass through private land, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property, and across physical features under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture.

As officers took individuals or small groups of hikers aside to explain why they were being cited, they asked if the trespassers crawled over two locked gates and noticed numerous closed and no trespassing signs.

In every instance, the hikers said the saw and ignored the gates and signs.

DLNR plans to inform travel-oriented websites and blogs that post encouragements to ignore the law, to let their readers know that they will be cited if they trespass into the Kohala Forest Reserve and the restricted Kohala watershed.

Hunters and others with valid permits from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife can legally enter the reserve as long as they are engaged in the activity listed on their permits.

“Shooting the flume is never one of those activities and is just one of the dangers trespassers don’t often take into account,” said Nakama.

DOCARE plans additional, unannounced sweeps in the future.

Trespassers at Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

Trespassers at Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

DLNR Officer James Ridzon at Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

DLNR officer and trespasser at Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.

For most hikers trespassing into the forest reserve, their destination is a water flume on the Kohala ditch that drops 35 feet into a small, shallow pool. DLNR photo.

Trespassers at Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. DLNR photo.