Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [213]
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GETTING THERE & AROUND
From Kona, Saddle Rd (Hwy 200) starts just south of the 6-mile marker on Hwy 190. From Hilo, drive mauka on Kaumana Dr, which becomes Saddle Rd (Hwy 200). All drivers should start with a full tank of gas, as there are no gas stations on Saddle Rd (Click here).
As described in the Orientation section (Click here), past the visitor center the road is suitable only for 4WD vehicles. Over half the road is gravel, sometimes at a 15% grade, and the upper road can be covered with ice. When descending, drive in low gear (or you can ruin your brakes), and pay attention for any signs of altitude sickness. Driving when the sun is low – in the hour after sunrise or before sunset – can create hazardous blinding conditions.
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AROUND MAUNA KEA
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MAUNA LOA’S NORTHERN FLANK
Several exceptional hikes are possible from Saddle Rd. The most legendary and rewarding is the route to Mauna Loa’S summit, which is the only way to get to the top in a single day.
Hiking
PU′U HULUHULU TRAIL
Just off Saddle Rd and directly across from the Mauna Kea Access Rd, Pu′u Huluhulu (meaning ‘shaggy hill’) is a bushy, foliage-covered cinder cone that stands out on the saddle’S flat plain. An easy short hike surmounts and circles it, providing splendid mountain views in all directions. If you’re heading for the Mauna Loa summit, this makes a reflective way to spend 30 minutes acclimatizing to the high altitude first. There’S a parking lot and pit toilet at the trailhead.
PU′U ′O′O TRAIL
For a more substantial but equally peaceful ramble, try the Pu′u ′O′o Trail (also called the Power Line Rd Trail), a 7-mile loop traversing meadows, old lava flows and a pretty koa-and-ohia kipuka forest (an ‘island’ of older vegetation surrounded by newer lava) filled with the birdsong of Hawaiian honeycreepers. This is a different trail from Hawai′i Volcanoes National Park’S Pu′u ′O′o Trail.
The signed trailhead (with a small parking area) is almost exactly halfway between the 22- and 23-mile markers on Saddle Rd. The trail is marked by ahu (stone cairns) and white-painted trail tags on lava rocks; it’S initially easy to follow, but can get confusing around the kipuka. If in doubt, simply retrace your steps the way you came. Eventually, the trail connects with Power Line Rd (marked with a PLR sign), a 4WD road that can be used as the return route. Note, though, that the road returns you about half a mile away from the trailhead parking area.
MAUNA LOA OBSERVATORY TRAIL
This trail is the most recommended way to summit Mauna Loa; those who prefer a challenge above all else might consider taking the daunting, multiday Mauna Loa Trail (Click here). However, make no mistake: the Observatory Trail is a difficult, all-day adventure, but few 13,000ft mountains exist that are so accessible to the average hiker. This is a rare and unforgettable experience.
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RIDIN’ THE SADDLE
True to its name, Saddle Rd (Hwy 200) runs along a saddle-shaped valley between the island’S two highest points, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It’S an extremely scenic drive: sunrise and sunset bathe these majestic, cinder cone–studded mountains in a gentle glow, and on clear days the vistas extend forever (at least to Maui).
But this 53-mile, mostly two-lane paved road was until recently an accident-prone nightmare: frequently narrowing to one lane, winding and hilly, with blind turns, no lights, sometimes thick fog, and with potholed, deteriorated pavement so bad locals dangerously hugged the center line – leading to its nickname ‘Straddle Road.’ At one time, all national car-rental companies forbade driving it.
However, its condition