Most people with an urge to take in the wild beauty of the island's upcountry ranch land book a horseback ride and cowboy up. Parker Ranch, Hawaii's oldest and one of its largest cattle ranches, is taking a different approach. The ranch's new cattle country tour will be conducted in a 4x4 SUV and on foot.
This tour is not for cowboys. It's for people interested in the long and colorful saga of this more than 160-year-old working cattle operation. It will take small groups to the heart of the ranch where they will see the Parker Ranch family estate, the original homestead, historical sites, ranch land, stables, the cowboy's heiau and some working operations.
The ranch rolls over 150,000 acres of scenic upcountry terrain. It is the home of the first Hawaiian paniolo (cowboys) and the race track where record-holding thoroughbreds were trained. Rich in Hawaiian history, Parker Ranch is an original.
The four-hour tour is available Tuesday through Saturday and leaves the Parker Ranch Store at 9:30 a.m. The tour includes some moderate hiking and lunch.
Horseback and ATV tours also are available.
