Mud Pit Hiking
This is the kind of trail that is often called a "corduroy road" because all the logs laid across the trail resemble an extremely large example of corduroy fabric. While it's muddy (the logs rot at different rates), it's better than no logs.
A lava flow in 1959 ejected pumice cinders that covered a large region down range from the Volcano. This trail is built on top of the pumice and shows how life is reclaiming the area.
This about half an hour into the Awaawapuhi trail - quite possibly the most slippery trail I've every hiked. The hike takes you out one of the long fingers toward the ocean, but the views aren't as spectacular as the lookouts from the road. Nice hike though!
This trail is one of the most damaged I've ever hiked. People have put fallen logs over the muddy spots (a lot of the trail) but the logs are very slippery so people walk around them - widening the trail.
This trail is one of the most damaged I've ever hiked. The soil over the rock is thin and easily washes away once the vegetation has be trampled. Anything vertical (that used to be covered with tree roots) is now exposed (slipery) rock.
