Alan Carpenter has worked for Hawaii State Parks for 30 years, doing archeological surveying, mapping, and historical research along the coast. Between work and play, he says he’s spent “probably a year’s worth” of nights on the Nāpali Coast, mostly hiking the Kalalau Trail and its offshoots up the valleys. Like many locals, Carpenter views the area as more ancestral landscape than recreational playground. “Underneath that mantle of green is a magnificent cultural land that is extremely important to Native Hawaiians,” he says. His hope is that visitors will treat it with respect for both its natural and social significance.