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Makawao resident Cole Christie, 22, catches air off the Akamai Track in the Kahakapao Recreational Area of Makawao Forest Reserve on Tuesday. Kahakapao mountain bikers said a recent state announcement on âillegal trailsâ built by area mountain bikers cast the riders in a poor light and they want to spotlight the positive work they have been doing. The Maui News / KEHAULANI CERIZO photos
MAKAWAO Mountain bikers who volunteer their time to maintain trails in the Makawao Forest Reserve said they’re not to blame for the illegal trails that have become an ongoing problem for state forestry officials.
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources issued the following announcement on Dec. 2.
At one time, workers with the state’s Na Ala Hele Trails and Access System counted 21 illegal trails crossing the popular Pineapple Express mountain bike trail at the Kahakapao Recreational Area. A series of legal, planned, and engineered trails at Kahakapao provide thrills and fun for mountain bikers of all ages and experience levels, as well as for hiking and horseback riding. For everyone’s safety, certain trails were built to keep various uses separated.
Scott Fretz, the Maui Branch manager for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) explained, “This network of bike, equestrian, and pedestrian trails were put together through a planned process and to a degree they separate out different users for safety. There are specific trails where you don’t want to have bikes and pedestrians mixing; where bicyclists are moving very fast.”