Hawaii is a paradise, many believe. I was as shocked as any other tourist to publish this rant last Fall:
the sorry campgrounds of Hawaii
From Hawaii Island Journal, a detailed overview of the many problems – The State of the State Parks:
… Residents complained about drugs and vandalism, stray cats and homeless people, deteriorating facilities and filthy bathrooms, and an unresponsive bureaucracy that had allowed the parks to deteriorate and had failed even to follow up on volunteer offers to help.
“There are places so disgusting that you wouldn’t go there. You’d find a bush,” commented one resident at the Kona meeting.
Another quoted a letter from a visitor: “If I’d wanted a Third World experience, I’d have gone to Mexico. It’s cheaper.” …
read more – The State of the State Parks
It’s not impossible to have a wonderful State Park experience. I camped here (illegally) for example. It was gorgeous.
Solution?
I’d join an organization called “Friends of Hawaii’s State Parks“. If one existed. Volunteers could do more to solve the problems than legislators.
There are some volunteer “Partners” linked from this page. But they don’t seem to be very effective.
Suggestions? … Leave a comment.
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