The hike down is rough with the heavily rutted path, the views are amazing, the trek back up required a break in the middle. Take hiking shoes, leave the sandals at home or carry them with you, this is not a smooth path. We saw several local puppy dogs on the way, all made the path look easy. Took us about 15 min to get to the bottom and 25 min on the return. If the trail would have been wet or if raining, it would be a muddy mess and hiking sticks likely necessary.
Hiked this in June with my 1 year old in tow. Arrived to a misty rain with a decent breeze and took the chance. The hike down is somewhat slick, but again it was lightly raining and I had about 30+ pounds of child, water, and supplies on my back and it was manageable. The view at the bottom though was just as amazing as the view from the lookout. The valley going back into the cliffs was gorgeous and there's a herd of cattle grazing off beyond the river. I only wish it wasn't private property because I would have loved to hike back there. The beach is beautiful black sand but the surf is clearly treacherous and I would not risk stepping out into it. The area says no camping, but there were at least 3-4 groups of back country campers set up. Spent a few hours exploring, relaxing, picnicking. Definitely worth the trip.
If it's muddy, this would be a hard hike. I did it when it was dry, so flip flops and shorts were fine. It gets hot when climbing up or down the hills - but the top and bottom have nice breezes.
Great place to connect with nature. A steep hike down to the beach that can be a little slippery when wet but not too strenuous if you are in average shape. Can be hiked with young children. The surf seemed a bit rough when we were there so I can't recommended it for swimming. If you are feeling up for an adventure you can hike up and over to the next valley. No facilities so bring your own water and snacks. There is a wonderful little Ice cream / fruit stand up the road for a nice treat afterwards.
There are two valleys in this hike. The first, right downhill from the parking, is a marshy lowland with some astonishingly green scenery. But it's a little crowded. If you keep following the trail up and over the next hill you'll emerge at the top with the most incredible view of the collosal valley. A couple benches are provided so you can breathe it in. There's only adventurous hikers by that point, so it's less crowded.
The second descent is much harder, and requires the use of ropes (that are already there). I'm not the most fit, so I stopped there.
Worth the hike! A great workout on the way back out. If you have bad knees or any aches I would suggest not doing this hike though. It’s a bit tough to navigate the terrain.
Hugely memorable place. No local houses in the way like there are in waipio (so no worries of disturbing someone or trespassing). Best hike I had on the island.
Pololu Valley is a US Point Of Interest based in Kapaau, Hawaii. Pololu Valley is located at Kapaau, HI 96755, USA.
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