The reviews here for both places suggest Pololu is also more crowded with tourists but I'm guessing they are just referring to the lookout as many of the reviews implied there are less people on the actual hiking trails past the scenic lookout. 270 to the northern Kohala Coast, past the towns of Hawi and Kapa'au. Theme by 17th Avenue. There is often a possibility of rain at any moment. In the late 1800s, many Chinese immigrants settled in the valley. He went on our last day, we were leaving on a red eye and I decided not to do it. It then passes through 12 smaller gulches on a . The Pololu Trail Steward program is a recent initiative in which one or more local stewards are present at the Pololu Valley trailhead to inform and educate visitors as they arrive, as well as monitor the trail and beach. Moderately Adventurous participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase an item linked on this site. Although the ground is rocky . Book your tickets online for Pololu Valley Lookout, Island of Hawaii: See 1,143 reviews, articles, and 1,562 photos of Pololu Valley Lookout, ranked No.18 on Tripadvisor among 501 attractions in Island of Hawaii. By hiking, youll get better views of the beach down below, which is notable for being a black sand beach! Not sure how much you've read about each hike: http://www.bigislandhikes.com/pololu-valley/, http://www.bigislandhikes.com/waipio-valley/. statue of Kamehameha 1st who united all of the Hawaiian Islands. Behind the beach you can find large dunes and ironwood trees that protect the valley from floodwaters. Hiking stick for balance is very helpful as well. Whatever the situation during your visit do NOT even think about taking the coastline to the valleys beyond Pololu. What locals living near Pololu Valley would like you to know! If you start hiking later, the humidity will get you, and the crowds start at 9-10. If you feel like having a very good workout this is the hike for you! If youre challenged to extend your hike, consider going beyond to the next valley on the Honokane Nui trail to reach the Honokane gulch. Thanks for visiting This Hawaii life and checking out this post on a Big Island hike to Pololu Valley. GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN NC How long does it take to hike down to Waipio Valley? You will find the trailhead near the parking lot. Alternatively, the Waipio Valley Shuttle is the original 4-wheel drive tour of "the land of curving water" and is a mesmerizing and intimate look at the valley. I can't seem to remember now which of the longer hikes we did, maybe Akaka Falls? It is possible you will encounter people from the Pololu Valley Steward Program at the lookout. Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests. Hood Moonlit Snowshoe Tour w/ Rare Earth Adventures, Product Review Recreating Liz Robbins Outfit with Modern Royal Robbins Clothing, Product Review Gregory Maya 10 Hiking Backpack, Product Review Kuhl Travel Pants: FreeFlex Move & Kultivtr Crop, Purple leggings while I got these years ago, here are a few lilac tights I found as of August 2022: These on. The hike at Pololu down to the beach is shorter than the . If you enjoyed the images and post, could you please share it with any of the social media buttons located around the post. The views into Honokane Nui and the coast are simply stunning from the ridge. Oahu is the lively center and most visited of all Hawaiian Islands. The drive between these two valley lookouts is around 1.5 hours. to the bottom, head for the black sandy beach (the small trails that follow the You can also park And of course, hiking down to the valley floor and spending some time on the beach is very worthwhile. Update 11/21/06 - State officials have reopened the Pololu Trail in North Kohala. One of the benefits of living in Hawaii is the opportunity to be outside just about every day of the year. Various sections of the trail, which runs in a steep zigzag down the vegetated cliff face, have been rebuilt - read article.. Pololu Valley Lookout. You should hike down with sturdy shoes or boots for the variable rocks, steps and slope factor. Hawaii - Pololu Valley Hike to the Remote Honokane Nui Lookout. After hiking Waipio Valley, it was about an hour and 20 minute drive to the . Please have a chat with them when you arrive to learn more about the area and treat them kindly. Otherwise, you can park along the side of the road before that dead end parking lot too. If you take the time to drive all the way toPololu Valleyat the end of Highway 270, don't settle for the view from the overlook! If you are going to Pololu Valley during whale season (between ~December and March) and want to include a whale-watching picnic to your visit you should start by checking out our DIY whale watching tips. Head east on the Akoni Pule Highway and drive to the end of the road before parking at the Pololu Valley Overlook where the trail begins. Also it can be more of a last minute hike, as well as being much easier. STOP OVERPACKING for your trip and pack just the right amount! Please try again. With clouds swirling overhead for the duration of my hike, it was bound to happen. It's about an hour and a half drive from Kona, and an hour and ten minutes from Hilo. It's a short but steep hike, and parking is . On the northern Hamakua Coast, you'll find the lush Waipio Valley. The dirt and root trail can be steep in places, but the various views of the valley along the way make even part of the walk worth it. The weather at Pololu Valley is variable from cloudy and windy to stormy clouds and rain and then to blue sky, and you can even get all three happening on the same day. However, as it heads inland, you will get a peek at the Pololu Valley below. Pololu Valley to Honokane Iki Valley. 6.12 km. Youll finally get to a high ridge with magnificent views of Honokane and the other cliffs of the Kohala mountains. Even now, the natural beauty of Pololu looks untouched in the ages with the rugged cliffs, black sand beach and huge ocean waves crashing on the beach. HAWAII VOLCANOES HI Hiking in the Waipio Valley is amazing. Take the steep hike down the tropical cliff and towards the black sandy beach below. Big Island travel tips & recommendations , Explore Big Island Hotels & Resorts Search Now. The vertical distance from the overlook point down to the valley floor is 490ft (150m). Big Island vs Maui: Food. Views There is a trail that leads through the canyon gulch at a distance but visitors are not allowed to pass beyond a certain area since it is private lands. I recommend bringing along some slip on shoes to change into crossing, then back in hiking boots/shoes on other side. Pololu Valley is an easy drive from Highway 270 through idyllic towns like Hawaii and Kapaau. There was a bit of muddy spots on the flat part of the road/trail, but easily navigable. Waipio Valley. --Ernest Hemingway, Big Island-Hiking from Pololu Valley to Waipio Valley, Re: Big Island-Hiking from Pololu Valley to Waipio Valley, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u46mHlI3pD0. The Boiling Pots and Rainbow Falls were nice, but not really hikes. BRYCE CANYON UT Pololu Valley Beach (Big Island) Pololu Valley Beach is considered a hidden gem on Hawaii Island. Explore majestic Waipi'o Valley, the lush and tropical Hamakua Coast, and multiple stunning waterfalls on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii on this day full of fun and exciting adventure. Island of Hawaii. How long does the Waipio Valley hike take? If you choose to hike down, the trail has been fixed is a challenging going through two sets of ropes for rappeling down a mostly dirt and rock area, a gorgeous walk through native fan palms and surprising a stunning natural bamboo grove. Beyond that, though, the drive to & from is part of the experience. . Click here to read my full disclosure policy. many unique galleries and shops worth exploring while you are in the area. Be careful when it rains, very slick. Island of Hawaii. Most references to the Polol Valley trail refer to this trail, which ends where the beach meets the valley floor. As you get to the beach areas there is a variety of camp sites and abandoned sites with refused from ocean findings that probably washed onshore. It only takes about 30 minutes to hike down to the valley from the scenic lookout. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88624665', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Maui one week we'll go out there at least twice if not more). We like to be doing actual hiking for about 2-3 hours plus the time to stop and take in the sights. The beach at the bottom is fantastic, with the valley river flowing into the ocean resulting in a nice shallow play area. My favorite spot on the island so majorly bummed. Steep but beautiful! The mounds of sand behind the beach are a fun place to spend some time. so sad! to reach the bottom, On rainy The total length of this hike is . White top I was wearing a lightweight top from Free People. Previously, earthquake damage had closed the Pololu Valley trail, but it is once again open - and it is a hike that you must do! I started walking down in order to get away from the people, but was surprised it really was a road, not a trail, and the vans driving down were a bit of a turn-off. The Kohala Volcano last erupted about 120.000 years ago (!) Copyright 2023 Guide of US, LLC. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Its steep, muddy, rocky and slippery. It's still worth coming here to enjoy the view from the lookout, which I believe is the most beautiful vantage on the island! Jump-start your day on the Big Island by making your way to any of these four spots to witness a stellar sunrise. Consider the Salomon Trail Sense trail running shoes, which have amazing grip and flexibility while still looking like a regular shoe. Youll save yourself the tight corners and the wait by parking up the street. For decades, residents and visitors have traversed a steep, largely unpaved incline to the Big . During or after rains the trail can be slippery and because of the relatively steep average grade of the trail (13%) we rate the difficulty as moderate. I haven't yet hiked into the valley, only walked part of the way down the road. But, it's not a kid-friendly hike. One day of hiking to the Big Island valley beaches, swim shirts with UV protection like these, Why a personal swim buoy is an essential for snorkeling and swimming in the ocean. Start at the small, 10-car parking lot at the Pololu Valley Lookout and follow signs for the Awini Trail descending down 300 feet over half a mile to the valley floor and the beach. I would choose Pololu - there are some nice beaches to stop at on the S. Kohala coast (although you could incorporate those into a Waipio drive as well) - but the drive up #270 and down #250 provides a lot of amazing scenery, which for me would be the deciding factor in favour of Pololu. And so, on a January morning earlier this year, trail shoes, blister cream, extra bandages, water bottles and emergency One-Ton Chips from Hilo's Maebo Noodle Factory in tow, we set out from the Pololu Valley lookout ready for anything nature chose to send our way on the hike to the valley floor. Pololu Valley is located in north Kohala on the eastern slope of the extinct Kohala volcano at the northernmost point of the Big Island. Our popular Summary Guidesheets are now included. Turned out, all we needed was the water and chips. From here, you first follow a very steep road into the Waipio Valley (be careful and watch out for cars). The Waipio Valley hike down to the beach (hiking back into the valley isn't allowed) is quite a bit steeper and longer, more like 45-60 minutes each way. We spent the last day on the Big Island valley hopping and checking out a remote cabin on a private beach. More information at the Keokea beach park website. Polol Valley is the first valley from the right. You can explore and hike into this wondrous area via the Waipi'o Valley on one side or Pololu Valley on the other side. Cross Waipi'o Beach and visit Muliwai Trail Overlook on a 4.88-mile round trip hike that has climbs on each side of the valley that total 1,300 feet of elevation gain. It should be remembered that you have to return the same way. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. On my trips to the Big Island of Hawaii I have had the opportunity to hike down into both Pololu and Waipio Valleys and up the trails on the far rims towards Honopue and Waimanu Valleys respectively. There are no roads that cross this area south to north of the island. Before you know it, you will have made it to the Pololu Valley floor. public services or lifeguards at the beach, Bring plenty The path washes away, so you have to do it on a dry day, and when you get down, its a bit anticlimactic. Wild horses, stray dog that followed us at the hip and protected us, amazing views, a river crossing, wild fruit along the way (pomelo). From scenic overlook, hike down steep rocky trail to beautiful black sand and rocky beach with views of the Hamakua coast. From there its s another 8 miles until you hit the end at the Pololu Valley Look out point. ~ Trusted by Millions of Hawaii Visitors Annually ~. There are rope swings, campsites, and trails that lead in every direction. Hiking east of Polol Valley is prohibited due to private property. Start early - like 730-8 in morning. BE ADVISED: PARKING AT WAIPIO LOOKOUT COUNTY PARK IS LIMITED TO 24 HOURS. The view of these lush valleys and cliffs into the ocean is stunning. The hike down to the bottom of the valley and to the beach is the same paved road the cars use. Fun stuff. Waipio is a sacred area, we have never gone down it, because it seems disrespectful to go "touring" there.