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Located on the rugged northern coast of the Big Island, Pololū Valley is one of the island’s oldest and most picturesque locations. With high sea cliffs, lush vegetation and a beautiful black sand beach, the valley is sure to impress even the most experienced travelers.
How to Get to the Pololū Valley
Pololū Valley is located at the terminus of Highway 270, about 5 miles past the town of Kapa’au. The parking area at the start of the hiking trail is small and narrow, but street parking is easy to secure along either side of the highway.
It is the northernmost in a series of spectacular erosional valleys along the slopes of Kohala Mountain. Many visitors come for the spectacular views from the highway lookout, but the valley floor and black sand beach can be accessed by a 15 minute hike. It is recommended that you bring water as the hike down is short but rigorous.
The coastal scarp that stretches from Waipio to Pololū Valley is the result of an ancient landslide that swept more than a cubic mile of land into the ocean. On the hiking trail, you will be treated to stunning views of massive sea-cliffs and steep offshore islands.
Enjoying Pololū Valley
At the base of the valley, visitors will find one of Hawaii’s most renowned black sand beaches. Inland, a forested dune with plenty of make-shift rope swings can be explored. A hiking trail continues up the other side of the valley, but it becomes gradually more diffuse as the trail approaches the next valley over.
The ocean at Pololū Valley can be used for swimming and body boarding, but extreme caution should be exercised due to the area’s unpredictable currents and large surf. Dangerous rip currents are often visible as plumes of sand and foam in the offshore waters - these areas of the beachfront should be avoided.
Pololū Valley was a sacred location to the native Hawaiians, and it remains so today. Visitors are asked to keep the area clean to preserve it’s unforgettable beauty.