Vacations
Hawaii
Iao Needle

The Iao Valley State Park, 3 miles west of Wailuku in the West Maui Forest Reserves, is the location of a historic battle between Maui's army and King Kamehameha's army.  King Kamehameha's army crushed Maui's defending army and king with the use of western cannons. As an outcome of this gruesome display of victory, the Iao Stream was dammed with piles of dead bodies blocking the flow of the water. To this day the area is named Kepaniwai, which means "damming of the waters."  King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian islands under a single ruler.

Ioa Stream in the Ioa Valley.  Ioa means "Supreme Light".  

"The Ioa Needle" is a basalt column rising 1,200 feet (2,250 feet above sea level) that was used as a lookout tower.

Botanical garden in the Iao Valley State Park.

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Amaryllis flowers at the park.

More amaryllis flowers at the park.

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