~Ioa Needle~

Today we drove up to the Ioa Needle and hiked throughout the trails. The state park is located on 6.2 acres  at the end of Iao Valley Road. The Iao Needle (Kūkaemoku) is a famous landmark in the state park, a vegetation-covered lava remnant rising 1,200 feet  from the valley floor or 2,250 feet when measured from sea level. The "needle" itself is an illusion, and is in reality a sharp ridge that gives the appearance of being a spire when viewed end-on. The needle is an extension of and surrounded by the cliffs of the West Maui Mountains, an extinct volcano.