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| Waipi'o Valley |
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| Off we go! |
After passing through Hilo, I stopped for some pretty views
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| Mountains, waterfalls and coastline |
Then, saw a sign for a scenic drive.
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| That’s what I am talking about! |
It was the Old Mamalahoa Highway in Papaikou, which passed by the Hawai’i Botanical Garden, which I thought about stopping at.
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| The whole place was a botantical garden! |
Then, I thought maybe later. As it turned out, I didn’t make it back in time.
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| The scenery was too pretty |
It was beautiful, with dense foliage, vines, ferns, streams and, surprisingly, not many birds beyond Common Mynas.
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| A cool break after two days in the sun watching for and seeing a volcano |
I stopped to photograph a small waterfall at a bridge.
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| I was just in time to watch a local guy diving off the bridge |
Watch him here ...
I asked his friend the name of the bridge and he told me that it didn’t have one. Everyone just called it Six-ton Bridge. See it here.
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| For obvious reasons |
Past the jungle, the wildness succumbed to civilization, with some farms and homes.
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| A beautiful plantation |
Waipi'o Valley Overlook,
Once I rejoined the Belt Road, I headed north to the Waipi'o Valley Overlook, which is perched on the top of the southern wall of the valley 2,000 feet above a beautiful valley. It looks down on the green valley and black sand beach popular with surfers.
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| Gorgeous! |
The valley was formed by stream erosion in the weak basalt lava from the Kohala volcano. Several large waterfalls fall into the valley to feed the Wailoa Stream which flows from the foot of the largest falls at the back of the valley out to the ocean. More falls fall from cliffs directly into the ocean.
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| Waipiʻo means curved water, referring to the shoreline |
The Waipi'o Valley was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawai’ian Aliʻi (chiefs/kings) up until the time of King ʻUmi. At its peak, the Valley likely supported 10,000 people on 800 acres of taro. In the 18th century, Kahekili II (the king of Maui) raided Waipiʻo and burned its four sacred nioi trees to the ground. In local Hawai’ian folklore, the valley was where the gateway to Lua-o-Milu (the Underworld) was hidden from view by sand.
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| It inspires art; Left:Herb Kawainui Kāne; Right: unknown |
In 2006, an earthquake created rock falls on the access road to the valley and caused a cliff at the valley entrance to collapse and slide into the ocean.
The road that goes down into the valley has an average grade of 25 percent. It descends 800 feet in 0.6 miles, with significantly steeper grades in some sections, making Waipiʻo Valley Road the steepest in the world.
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| Grades are as high as 45 degrees; Left: Carry On Queen; Right: Hawaii.com |
There is also the Muliwai Trail that zigzags up the far wall of the valley and runs on to Waimanu Valley; it’s known as one of the hardest places to reach on foot on the Big Island. The trail itself is not closed, but the Waipiʻo Valley floor is and you can't legally walk there until pedestrian access returns.
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| Aerial views; Left: Love Big island; Right: Redditt |
You can get a campsite permit, but there is no lawful way to reach it.
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| Plus, a lot of areas in the valley are privately owned |
Better to plan well ahead (which I couldn’t do) or just stay at the top, where the view is gorgeous.
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| Maybe next time |
The overlook is a paved platform at the valley rim from which you can see most of the valley floor, the taro fields, the river and the black sand beach.
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| Overlooking the overlook |
The falls inside the valley are set back against the valley walls and are only visible from the valley floor or from the ocean.
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| But, you can see a magnificent one on the outer cliff |
The valley was the site of the final scene in the 1995 sci-fi film Waterworld, at which the main characters found dry land.
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| Well, Kevin Costner got access; Photo: Waterworld |
More Sights
After the valley, the landscape changed as I drove through ranch land. I encountered – to my surprise – a Wild Turkey.
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| I didn’t even know they live in Hawai’i |
Even with rain clouds gathering down below, the views from the highway were pretty.
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Rolling green hills, ancient lava flows and an undulating coastline |
I went as far as the Upolo airport at the top of the island near Hawi and then turned around to drive back.
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| Not too exciting and the road along the shore from there looked sketchy |
I kind of wished I had made arrangement to stay in Kona that night because I could have then circumnavigated the whole island. But, the volcano eruption was an unknown, so planning was tough.
I am glad I went to the north of the island. i was quite different than I expected, with broad grassy slopes and trees that looked as if they had spent years fighting the wind
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| Typical north Big Island vista |
This part of the Big Island is home to the historic 135,000-acre Parker Ranch, one of the oldest and most renowned American cattle ranches. The sixth largest calf producer in the U.S, Parker Ranch produces primarily Black Angus cattle, along with Simental and Charolais adapted to the local environment. The landscape requires that much of the ranch work be conducted via horseback and, therefore, the Ranch is also a preeminent horse breeder.
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| The road bisects ranchland |
The Ranch began with a land grant from King Kamehameha I and now operates under a charitable trust dedicated to preserving the Ranch and restoring and preserving native flora and fauna.
Between meandering and a stop for lunch (not leftover pizza today!), it was getting late. But, I still managed to stop at the Maulua Gulch, one of several steep valleys cut by streams flowing down the tall mountains the ocean along the Belt Road.
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A Rocky stream
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| Flowering plants |
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| Fruit trees |
These gulches are beautiful, and this one was especially so. Plus, it was full of birds. It took a while to find them in the thick foliage, but I managed to see ...
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| Warbling White-Eyes … |
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| … and a Northern Cardinal (yes, Hawai’i has Northern Cardinals!) |
I had hoped to swing by either the botanical gardens or 442-foot-tall 'Akaka Falls as I headed back to Volcano, but I meandered too slowly and it was late.
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| When I got to Volcano, the sun had not yet set, so I went back to the National Park |
I wanted to see what Kīlauea was doing a day after the eruption, but it was pretty foggy – quite a departure from the sunny northeast coast.
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| I am glad Kīlauea didn't wait until this day to erupt |
I was too late for the Visitor Center (I wanted another passport stamp and a shirt for Scott), so, I drove the Chain of Craters Road down to the bottom.
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| Just for a quick look around |
I was just in time for sunset and moonrise.
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| Moon over the ocean |
Back at my room, I packed for my trip home. I was flying home the next evening.
It was drippy and rainy. To get an idea of how wet this part of Hawai’i, let me tell you about the dehumidifier in my room.
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| A wet environment |
Last Trip to HVNP
The next morning, I took my time packing and loading and then returned once more to the National Park. I wanted to get that tee shirt for Scott and get a passport stamp for the day the volcano erupted.
I had already stamped my book earlier, but I thought it would be cool to have a June 27 stamp. Yes, it was the 29th, but I figured I’d just reset the stamp for my book and then set it back. But, I couldn’t budge it (I think it was tamperproof).
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| So, I just had to write the date on the stamp to commemorate episode #50 |
As I headed to Kona, I took a quick drive through the Park. Scott had asked me to bring him some tephra, but I could not find any. I guess it had all blown to the parts of the Park that you can’t access.
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| You can see traces in the gravel in the Park |
I did get a closer look at the smoking vents, which did look more lopsided that before the eruption.
I also got some shots of the giant pre-historic-looking ferns – one of my goals for the quick return trip.
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| I learned later, the vent gained 15 feet |
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| So peaceful after this |
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| Jurassic Park! |
Back Along the Southern Route
As I headed west, I realized that after three weeks of traveling, I was tired and was actually looking forward to going home. I had no plan for the day, but I started with malasadas for breakfast at the Punalu’u Bake Shop.
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| I bought a couple for the day; they were gone within 30 minutes |
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It looked much the same, except no Green Sea Turtle on the Beach like the first time |
Located between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu, the beach has basalt sand created by lava that exploded when it flowed into the cold ocean.
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| Rough edges |
Underground fresh water flows into the ocean in the bay. Legend has it that, during a drought, ancient Hawai'ians would dive underwater with a jug to get fresh water. In Hawai'ian language puna luʻu means "spring [water] diver for."
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| I hear swimming in the rocky bay can be dangerous |
The pretty curved beach is ringed by trees, including lots of coconut palms.
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| Something else to worry about |
There's an old bath house and areas for picnicking and relaxing. I walked around, enjoying the sea air, took some photos and the then headed on.
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| Looking toward open ocean |
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| Windblown seaside vegetation |
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| Surf |
Since I returned home, talks between the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach landowner and the county, which leases and manages the beach, broke down and management of the area is now in question.
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| I hope they resolve it |
I had this great idea to drive to the southernmost point, where we had gone in 2022. It’s a long road and I made it almost to the end when I decided that I didn’t really want to brave the fierce wind, so I turned around and headed to town.
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| Too windy this day; Left: Google Maps; Right: Photos from 2022 |
After lunch, I found a beach near the airport (maybe Wawaloli Beach Park).
I watched the waves for awhile before I decided to just go to the airport and wait for my flight.
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| I was just done; even the pretty beach lost its appeal |
Unfortunately, as is typical of Hawai’ian Airlines, the gate agents weren’t there and they didn’t arrive until about 35 minutes later than advertised.
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| Why open-air airports?; Left: Dreamstime; Right: Airport Technology |
It was warm. No, it was hot.
Eventually, we boarded for the overnight flight to Phoenix, where I picked up my flight to Dallas and then home. Generally, I don’t book two layovers, but my choices were that or fly Phoenix to Denver and then take a long shuttle ride home. I’d rather be on a plane than on a shuttle.
The return flights went off without a hitch and it was nice to finally be home.
It was a great trip …
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| I visited my final National Park |
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| I got 23 new birds (this is a Many-colored Fruit Dove) |
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| I spent time with my daughters (Becca, left, and Caty, right) |
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| And I saw a volcano erupt! |
I’d say that was a success.
Hurricane Lala
Note: After we left, Hurricane Lala inflicted horrific destruction on the Big Island, destroying or severely damaging some of the places I have blogged about.
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| Sitting over the whole island chain; Photo: NASA |
Severe flash floods and destructive winds damaged roughly 690 structures and isolated parts of the Big Island's Kaʻū district.
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| A mess; Photo: Civil Beat |
Record rainfall reaching up to 43 inches in some areas triggered catastrophic flash floods in towns including Nāʻālehu and Waiʻōhinu. At least six bridges were destroyed, and major sections of Highway 11 washed out, temporarily cutting off Pāhala.
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| Downed trees on Highway 11; Photo: Civil Beat |
Severe mudflows in Nāʻālehu washed away local cemeteries, unearthing headstones and human remains. Downed lines left up to 200,000 customers without electricity, and water systems suffered an estimated $13 million in damage in Kaʻū.
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| Massive flooding; Photo: Hawai'i Tribune-Herald |
As I mentioned, the flood destroyed the Punalu’u Bake Shop in Nāʻālehu.
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| They must rebuild; Photo: Big Island Now |
I can't leave you with that terrible image. So, enjoy this ...
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| Tutuila, American Samoa |
Trip dates: June 7 - 29, 2026
