Discover Top Posts Tagged with #wailoloa

You never know what you will find hiking around Hawaii.

After my son took a geology course in his freshman year at Williams College, he wanted to see the volcano on Hawaii. So we planned a short little trip over the 2016 Christmas holiday. This was only my third trip to the island chain and I came away even more unimpressed about Hawaii than on previous trips.

To the credit of the island population, the lifestyle is as slow as the meandering Pahoehoe lava flows around Mauna Loa. Of course, Hawaii has under gone sporadic and rapid changes to its culture much like the numerous tsunami tidal waves that crashed into the islands in the 20th century. The tourist experience can be as different as the desert-like conditions of Hawaii’s big island’s west side from the tropical rain forest of the east side of the island.

Our latest trip was to Hawaii’s big island. Other than zip line excursions, the variety of other outdoor activities are not marketed very well to tourists. We stumbled upon some great hikes on the western side. I enjoyed hiking up a couple of old cinder cones. But I was sad to see a lack of respect for the environment as some parks were strewn with junk and trash. There seems to be few restrictions on where four-wheel drive vehicles can go or how much of the landscape they can tear up.

Old town Hilo is kind of shabby, but can be preferable to the sanitized Waikaloa resort environment. Hilo has potential, but it is obvious that the city doesn’t care about the surroundings for either residents or tourists. Downtown Hilo and surrounding areas are generally trash strewn and filthy. Vacant lots are not always maintained by the property owners. Some have become storage facilities of junk next door to hotels. The predominance of homeless people lends an overall feeling of insecurity. We really didn’t want to leave our hotel room after dark.

We actually learned more about the Hilo side of the island from taking a guided tour. Our tour guide actually revealed more about the lack of educational and job opportunities on the island than information about the volcano. Every Hawaiian resident we met was cordial and welcoming. From the Hilo coffee farm, to servers, tour operators, and store owners, everyone was very friendly, and resigned. Hawaii is livable, but not paradise.

I like that Hawaii kind of takes a hands-off approach to life and development. That explains their independent to conservative political leanings in politics. I respect that Hawaii has their own approach to municipal management that tilts more to a live-and-let-live style. Unfortunately, between a lack of emphasis to preserve their environment from being trashed and threats from climate change, Hawaii may not be much of a tourist destination in the years to come.

Image Gallery and Videos

#gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Sunset at Waikoloa Resort.

The Puu Kuili cinder cone is a nice short, but steep hike. The low rainfall on this part of the island allows you to see the contours of the volcanic action.

Hiking up the Puu Waa cinder cone took up into low clouds. Not much of a view, but a good hike.

Even on the west side of the big island you can find some picturesque beaches, Manini’owali Beach

I was surprised that Hawaii does take better care of their parks. An old van is left to rot and rust at Kekaha Kai State Park next to the Puu Kuili cinder cone.

Hiking up some of the cinder cones in Hawaii can give you pause because they are so steep.

Grandson and Grandmother enjoying an evening at the Waikoloa Resort.

Hiking down Waipio Valley Road can be challenging.

Constant four wheel traffic through Waipio Valley Road to the ocean has turned the unpaved road into huge mud puddles.

Waipio Valley overlook where you can start the .6 of mile hike down to the bottom with only a 800 foot elevation change.

Wailoa stream empties into the ocean at the mouth of Waipio Valley. You can get their by four wheel drive vehicle or make the 800 foot descent down from the overlook.

Coconut Grill attached to the Hilo Seaside Hotel marks the high water line of past tsunamis on their windows.

Green sea turtle napping on the lava rocks at Waikoloa.

Air roots from a tree descend down to the Wailuku River in Hilo.

Through arch concrete bridge, Keawe – Wailuku, has been tagged in Hilo.

A geko climbs on a discarded coconut drink surround by trash in downtown Hilo.

People can still ride in the back of a pickup on Hawaii, even on the steepest road in the United States.

Happy couple hiking around the Kalapana lava flow on the big Island of Hawaii.

Smiley face carved into a volcanic rock at Kalapana Lava Flow.

It looks like a favorite past time of Hilo boys is to jump off the old bridge abutment on Hilo Bay.

No better way to announce your love than to spell you names out in white rocks on the black beaches of Hawaii.

Palm tree wrapped in lights to look like a candy candy at sunrise on Christmas morning with a crescent moon.

On Christmas morning there are services for the tourists to attend and little girls to get dressed up for.

Waikoloa Resort area is a favorite place to be married.

Pu’u Ku’ili Cinder Cone Hike

Waipio Valley Wailoa Stream Hike

Hawaii Needs To Be Cleaned Up. Good hikes, but the trash is mounting. After my son took a geology course in his freshman year at Williams College, he wanted to see the volcano on Hawaii.

#Cinder Cones #Hawaii #hiking #Hilo #Wailoloa