Even before Lanai Grand Adventures guide Cody Bradford hits the Munro Trail with a group, the clouds captivate him. From the starting point of his utility terrain vehicle — UTV — tours at the 1,800-foot elevation near Lanai City, he can see them encircling Lanaihale, the island’s highest peak.

Sometimes the clouds are thick and puffy, like giant cotton balls adrift. At other times they’re thin and wispy, like smoke rising from the tip of a cigarette.

Either way, they’re there — white garlands adorning the slopes of Lanaihale at some point just about every day. No wonder the ancients gave the name Maunalei — "lei mountain" — to the 4-mile, 1,200-foot-deep gulch beside Lanaihale.

"We might be on the trail at 9 in the morning and it’ll be covered with clouds, so you can’t see much," Bradford said. "An hour or so later, the clouds are gone, the sun is shining and we’re looking at this amazing view, including the gulch, the ocean and, when it’s really clear, five islands: Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe and Hawaii island. That’s the cool thing about the Munro Trail: The weather conditions constantly change."

On the three-hour Majestic Munro tour, participants rumble seven miles up the rugged dirt road in two- and four-passenger UTVs. The route takes them through forests of eucalyptus, ironwood, pukiawe, uluhe fern and ohia lehua; over a ridge; and up to the 3,370-foot summit of Lanaihale. Several stops are made so tour-goers can spot wildlife (axis deer are common) and admire the greenery, including the towering Cook pines for which Lanai is known.

Cook pines are "rainmakers." Their needles draw moisture from fog, clouds and sea breezes, which forms into drops that quench the thirst of dry, low-lying Lanai (higher mountains on Maui and Molokai soak up most of the water from passing rain clouds). Water also flows through the trees’ root systems to fill the island’s aquifers.

Lanaihale’s average rainfall is only about 35 inches per year, but the pines help create enough fog and cloud drip to increase the water catchment to nearly 300 inches per year.

"Those trees are really important," Bradford said. "They’re basically the source of Lanai’s freshwater supply."

The Munro Trail opened in 1955 to draw attention to the unique watershed of Lanaihale. Bradford says the UTV is ideal for the unpaved 12.8-mile path because its four wheels make the vehicle more stable and maneuverable than a three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. "Unlike single-seat ATVs, the driver can ride with at least one other person, so they can talk about what they’re experiencing," he said. "That definitely makes the tour more enjoyable."

Nature provides some breathtaking surprises, so cameras are a must. "In some places you look to your right and there’s a 500-foot drop, and you look to your left and there’s a 1,000-foot drop," Bradford said. "There are no buildings in sight on the trail. It’s all incredible wilderness out there."

Driving the UTV can be a challenge because the Munro Trail is rough, winding and often slick. "There’s a good chance you’re going to bounce on ruts and puddles and get splashed with mud," Bradford said. "We give our guests the heads-up about that, and nobody minds. This is a real off-road adventure, and getting dirty is part of the fun!"

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Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.