Hawaii has a unique history full of royalty, warriors, and culture – and with that distinct history comes our own fair share of ghost stories. But not all of these haunted happenings take place in hotels, houses, or royal residences. Sometimes the haunted locations are roads, highways, bridges, and even trails. One such place is the King’s Trail, an old coastal road that dates back hundreds of years – and is said to be quite haunted.
Built by King Kamehameha I who ruled the Hawaiian Islands from 1795 to 1819, this old coastal lava rock road circled the Big Island, connected many of the island’s villages, and served as a major traveling route for native Hawaiians. Now, however, the road serves as a popular hiking spot - and is the site of various supernatural stories.
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Legend says that the ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors still use the trail. There are reports of a procession of disembodied flickering torches and the sounds of drumming, chanting and battle cries.
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These are the Huaka’ipo - also known as the Night Marchers - spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors who have been cursed to march the islands for eternity. The night marchers are said to march in a single line, often carrying torches and weapons while chanting and playing drums. To protect yourself, you must lie on the ground face down in respect. Otherwise, the Night Marchers will kill you. Or so they say.
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The Royal Kona Inn sits on the grounds of the trail, and rumor has it that a guest of the hotel once woke up in the middle of the night feeling as though they were being choked, a commonality amongst supernatural occurrences in Hawaii. Based on the advice of a local, the bed was moved out of the pathway of the Night Marchers, and there were no reports of further incidents.
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According to the National Park Service, night marchers aren’t the only ghosts you might encounter on the King’s Trail, which is also known as the Mamalahoa Trail: improvements to this ancient coastal trail were made in the mid 1800s by prisoners and those unable to pay their taxes. Legend has it that the souls of prisoners who died while working on the trail still wander around the park. Visitors have claimed to see apparitions of haggard men wielding pick axes and hand tools, wandering around at sunset.
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Have you ever hiked the King’s Trail? Did you experience anything paranormal? What about Oahu’s haunted Pali Highway, or one of these 10 allegedly haunted roads across Hawaii?
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