Hiking in Kona - Scenic Lookout on the upper road.

Eleven miles or so from Kailua, on the upper road between Kailua and Waimea, is a scenic lookout, announced with pretty blue signs. There is good, relatively easy hiking on either the makai (ocean) or mauka (mountain) side of the highway. However, on the mauka side, there is a fence. The fence has been accordianed, and is easy to get over (just to the south of the south end of the lookout), but it is a fence. On the makai side, however, there is no fence.



The easiest way to access the hike (there is no trail) is to go over the rail at the far southern end of the lookout, between the end of the concrete barrier and the power pole. Go down the little embankment, turn left and walk along the retaining wall until you've crossed the lava channel. Then proceed downhill. There is no trail, but the lava along the rim of the channel is wonderfully smooth pahoehoe and is easy to walk on if you follow the simple rules of walking on lava: 1. Always, always watch where you are putting your foot; and 2. Concentrate on observing rule 1.

The hike features lots of intricate and cool lava formations, and, when we've had rain, lehua blossoms on the ohia trees. When the weather is clear (not today) you'll have a view of the coast from Kona airport to North Kohala and also Maui.