Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [201]
Bright as a tropical bird, the tiny yellow-and-green Makapala Store (884-5686; Hwy 270; snacks $4-6; 9am-3pm-ish Mon-Sat) is your last chance to get shave ice, smoothies or a tuna sandwich before reaching Pololu Valley. It plans to offer horseback rides and ziplines.
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POLOLU VALLEY
Hwy 270 becomes increasingly evocative until it reaches its dramatic climax at secluded Pololu Valley, where a cliff-top viewpoint overlooks the steeply scalloped coastal cliffs, which recede in the mist to the east. Smaller and more intimate, Pololu Valley makes a scenic bookend with the more famous and historic Waipi′o Valley.
Pololu was once thickly planted with wetland taro. The Pololu Stream fed the valley, carrying water from the remote, rainy interior to the valley floor. When the Kohala Ditch was built, it siphoned off much of the water for sugarcane and put an end to taro production. The last islanders left the valley in the 1940s, and the valley slopes are now forest-reserve land. The ditch continued to be a water source for Kohala ranches and farms until it was busted by the 2006 earthquake. Multimillion-dollar repairs are ongoing.
Sights & Activities
From the lookout, Pololu Valley Trail switchbacks steeply down to the valley floor. It’S short enough not to be truly daunting – about 15 minutes going down and perhaps twice as long coming back up. It’S rocky in spots, and after rain it gets very muddy; let it dry for an afternoon before attempting it. There are no facilities.
At the mouth of the valley lies a gorgeous black-sand beach. The surf can get rough, particularly in winter, with rip currents year round, so be cautious and swim with care. Behind the beach, a hillocky ironwood forest vibrates like some Tolkien-inspired shire wood. Deeper valley explorations are blocked by a pond, beyond which cattle roam freely (an indication you shouldn’t drink the water).
Normally, intrepid hikers can continue to the next valley, Honokane Nui. The trailhead is up from the beach, within the forest. The steep, frequently slippery trail ascends 600ft over the ridge (traversing private property) and eventually drops into Honokane Nui Valley; allow two to three hours for the round-trip. However, the 2006 earthquake caused landslides that damaged the trail, which is currently closed for repairs. For updates call Surety Kohala (889-6257), which helps manage the property.
Tours
Hawaii Forest & Trail (331-8505, 800-464-1993; www.hawaii-forest.com; waterfall tour adult/child under 13 $135/99, 4WD tour adult/child 6-12 $115/89) offers two tours in the Kohala area. One is a hike along the Kohala Ditch Trail to waterfalls, and includes transportation from the Waikoloa Resort Area. The other is through the Pololu Valley in a six-wheel off-road vehicle and on foot.
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WAIMEA (KAMUELA)
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The cool, green rolling pastureland surrounding Waimea is perhaps Hawai′i’S most unexpected face. This is cattle and cowboy country, and nearly all of it, including Waimea itself, is owned, run or leased by Parker Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the USA. Covering about 175,000 acres, Parker Ranch land constitutes about 10% of the Big Island and is about twice the size of Lanai.
In a familiar Hawaii story, it all began because an introduced species – seven longhorn cattle given as a gift to King Kamehameha in 1793 – reproduced to become a pest. In 1809 the king commissioned 19-year-old John Palmer Parker to thin and control the wild herd. The skillful Parker did so, and he further secured his future by marrying one of Kamehameha’S granddaughters. As Parker’S holdings grew, he brought three Mexican-Spanish cowboys over to better train his Hawaiian ranch hands. The paniolos, as the newcomers were called, also brought their guitars – and Hawaiians quickly adapted the instrument into their own distinctive and now famous ‘slack key’ style.
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