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The island
of Ni'ihau lies 17 mile off the west
coast of Kauai. This "forbidden" island
is inhabited by approximately 200
full-blooded Hawaiians that keep
completely to themselves.
Less than a mile up the Waimea Canyon
Drive between mile markers 13 and 14 is
the large Pu‘u Hinahina Lookout. The
viewing area perched above the jagged
crumbling slopes looks straight down the
head of another gorge. Hundreds of
colors paint the canyon walls like a
masterpiece of the natural world. More
than any other, two colors are mixed in
different proportions as the day goes
on. By the evening, one side glows with
crimson highlights, the other basks in
shades of dark green.
To the
right of the same parking lot at Pu‘u
Hinahina is the Ni‘ihau Lookout. If you
are lucky enough to be here on a fairly
clear day you should be able to make out
the cloud-shrouded island of Ni‘ihau.
It’s flat against the ocean with a large
plateau, so it is not always an easy
find. Directly to the island’s right is
the tiny pyramid-shaped island, Lehua.
The island is 18 miles long by 5 miles
wide - 90 square miles. It is mostly
barren with no steams or rivers. The
residents work on the cattle and sheep
ranch of the Robinsons who own the
entire island.
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