
Let's go out on a limb and say Kalopa is Hawaii's best bet for tree and plant lovers who want to take a stroll in the park or a walk in the woods. Set at a cool 2,000 feet about 15 miles south of Waipio Valley on the Hamakua Coast, the park's well-kept gardens and grounds and arboretum surround a picnic pavilion and some of the island's best rustic cabins.

If the Big Island weren't so big, Kalopa State Park would be hum with visitors. As it is, only a relatively few tourists make the several-mile drive up to Mauna Kea's lower slopes to take in this world of plants. Volunteers help unusually dedicated staff uphold the park's long-standing reputation as a top-flight nature fix.