Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Once at the trail junction, the majesty of the summit's Mokuʻaweoweo Caldera over-
whelms you. Day hikers have two choices: proceed another 2.6 miles and three hours
along the Summit Trail to the tippy-top at 13,677ft (visible in the distance), or explore
the caldera itself by following the 2.1-mile Mauna Loa Cabin Trail. If you can stand not
summiting, the second option is extremely interesting, leading to even grander caldera
views and a vertiginous peek into the awesome depths of Lua Poholo - a craterlike hole
in the landscape.
Descending takes half as long as ascending; depending on how far you go, prepare for
a seven- to 10-hour round-trip hike. Bring copious amounts of water, food, a flashlight
and rain gear, and wear boots, a winter coat and a cap - it's cold and windy year-round.
Puʻu Huluhulu Trail
HIKING
The easy trail up the cinder cone
Puʻu Huluhulu
or Shaggy Hill (6758ft), an ancient
kipuka
(volcanic oasis) created more than 10,000 years ago, makes a piquant appetizer
before going up Mauna Kea. The 20-minute hike climbs through secondary growth to the
top of the hill, from where there are panoramic views of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and
Hualalai.
The trailhead is very near the turnoff to Mauna Kea, just past Saddle Rd's mile marker
28 heading west.
Puʻu ʻOʻo Trail
HIKING
For a more substantial but equally peaceful ramble, try the Puʻu ʻOʻo Trail (also called
the Power Line Rd Trail), an 8-mile loop traversing meadows, old lava flows and several
pretty koa-and-ohia
kipuka
forests filled with the birdsong of Hawaiian honeycreepers.
(Note: this is different from the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's Puʻu ʻOʻo Trail.)
The signed trailhead (with a small parking area) is almost exactly halfway between
mile markers 22 and 23 on Saddle Rd. The trail is marked by
ahu
(stone cairns); it's easy
to follow in good weather, less so in rain or fog. If in doubt, simply retrace your steps the
way you came. Eventually, the trail connects with Power Line Rd (marked with a sign), a
4WD road that can be used as the return route. Note, though, that the road returns you
about a mile away from the trailhead parking area.
HAMAKUA COAST
Stretching from Waipiʻo Valley to Hilo, the Hamakua Coast is the rugged side of tropical
paradise. Here on the windward side of the island the sea pounds cliffs, rocky shores and
the occasional black sand beach, and lush tropical jungles stretch into the hills, full of
