Keahiakawelo, Lanai City, Hawaii

 

   Often referred to as the Garden of the Gods, Keahiakawelo is a rocky, almost barren region. It can be located in a remote canyon part of the island, approximately seven miles from Lanai City, at the end of Polihua Road. However, the road requires four-wheel drive, and it will take around 30-45 minutes to get from Lanai City to the site by car. 

     This land may not seem that exciting... until you know about the strange rock formations that are scattered everywhere. These rocks are what make Keahiakawelo so famous, and they are so precious to Lanai that it is forbidden (or "kapu") to move or stack them. Sources say that "the rock garden's various towers and spires look like something from another planet, especially when the sun sets at the end of the day and casts an eerie orange glow over the rocky landscape. In the windy and dry environment, with the rocks and ground painted in reds, purples, and oranges, it's easy to imagine yourself on Mars".

     Hawaiian lore says that the creation of the land was caused by two kahunas, or Hawaiian priests, from Lanai and Molokai. They had a competition where they each had a fire to keep lit, and whichever island kept the fire burning the longest, reward would follow in abundance. The Lanai kahuna supposedly stoked his fire with every little piece of plant in Keahiakawelo, resulting in the environment you can see today. Still, there are some plants and vegetation that have not disappeared. Another piece of lore suggests that the rocks were dropped by gods who were tending to their gardens in the sky. Which version do you like best?