My Favorite Scenic Drive: Hawaii's Wild and Scenic Saddle Road!

by Donald B. MacGowan

Hualalai Volcano and Sere Basal Grasslands of North Kona: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Long the subject of wild rumors of danger, rental car agency blacklisting and resident grumbling, Hawaii's Highway 200, more commonly known as The Saddle Road, has undergone significant rebuilding and realignment over the past few years. What used to be a fairly rough, but also reasonably safe, drive between Kailua Kona and Hilo over the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa is now largely an easy drive on a new, wide, first-class highway. To be sure, construction is incomplete and continues, particularly on the Kona side, and conditions are still poor in places; however, it's no longer the challenging white-knuckle exercise it once was.

This blog post is just a photo essay, meant to whet your appetite; a detailed description for driving this road trip can be found here.

Looking Across Waimea at Kohala Volcano from Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Saddle Road Climbs up the Western Flank of Mauna Kea near Wai'iki Ranch: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The Saddle Road accesses the incomparable, vast, mysterious and awe-inspiring wilderness that is the roof of Hawaii. From the sere basalt desert of North Kona, over the grassland savanna, fabulously lunar lava flows to the alpine tundra and icy heights of the upper slopes and summits of the world's largest mountains, the road winds down into the wet-side of Hawaii to rainy Hilo with its lava caves, flower-choked canyons, waterfalls too numerous to catalog and jungle canyon beaches. Really, this drive is one of the most unique, incredible scenic drives on Hawaii.

Hualalai Volcano from Saddle Road along the Western Flank of Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The land around the junction of of Highway 190 and Highway 200, running up to the Saddle itself and down to Kawaihae was called "The Kingdom of the Five Mountains by the Hawaiians. From this area, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Kohala Volcano, Haulalai Volcano and Haleakala on Maui can be seen.

Haleakala Volcano on Maui from Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Morning View of Mauna Loa From Along the Saddle Road: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Mauna Loa Hides Behind a Fog Bank on the Saddle Road: Donnie MacGowan

A trip up Mauna Kea, at least to the Visitor's Information Station, is a must for anyone traveling between Hilo and Kona along this road. There, rangers at the station can help you decide if you are prepared to drive the 12 miles of fairly challenging dirt road to the summit at almost 13, 800 feet.

Pu'u Weiku Cinder Cone at the Summit of Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

At the summit of the saddle is also Kipuka Huluhulu, a wonderful window of forest and wildlife serendipitously saved from annihilation by lava flows from Mauna Loa.

Full Moon Over the Mauna Kea-Mauna Loa Saddle: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

An interesting, but short, hike to the summit provides amazing views of the saddle area and great bird-watching.

Looking up to the Summit of Mauna Kea from Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Saddle Road from Kipuka Huluhulu: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Looking West to Mauna Loa from the Top of Kipuka Huluhulu: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Down into the jungle wetness of the Hilo side, just on the outskirts of Hilo Town, is Kaumana Caves Park, an enormous lava tube you can climb down into the cave via a set of concrete stairs. Further exploration of the cave, wither up or downhill is fascinating and easy, just be sure to wear a hard-hat and bring at least 3 sources of light (flashlights) per person if you venture past the opening.

Saddle Road Speeds Eastward, Diving Into the Rain and Mist of the Hilo Side of Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Frank Burgess Descends into Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Immense, jungle-filled gulches dissect the lower flanks of Mauna Kea north o Hilo Town, running down to the sea to uncrowded, amazing beaches, such as the one pictured at Hakalau.

One of literally thousands of Waterfalls racing the Eastern Slopes of Mauna Kea Along the Hilo Coast: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Now that you've been over the roof of the Island of Hawaii, head into Hilo Town for some Island-style fun, food and shopping.

The Deserted Jungle Beach at Hakalau Gulch Just North of Hilo: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The Old Sugar Mill Road Winds Through the Mist-Soaked Hakalau Gulch Jungle: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The shops and restaurants in the Bayfront Shopping District are not only filled with exotic things, diverse and interesting, but they occupy the numerous historic buildings of Downtown Hilo which survived the may tsunamis that have devastated Hilo Town through the years.

Evening Sunset over Hualalai Volcano on the Return Trip Along Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com For more information on the author, please go here.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan; all rights reserved.

Photo Diary of a Day Trip Across Saddle Road and Mauna Kea: The Roof of Hawaii

by Donnie MacGowan

Feeling hemmed in by the spring drizzle in Kona, the Men of Tour Guide decided to take a much needed break when the sun finally broke through and drive from Kailua Kona across The Saddle Road, up to the summit of Mauna Kea and down into Hilo.

Hualalai Volcano and Pu'uanahulu on the Big Island: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Driving out of Kailua Town on Highway 190, we passed Pu'unanhulu on the backside of Hualalai Volcano, continuing to the junction with Highway 200, The Saddle Road, famed in song, legend of fable.

Looking Back Toward Kohala Mountain from Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Saddle Road has a nasty reputation, which is only partly deserved. Having been rebuilt from Hilo-side up over the saddle, there are only a dozen or so miles of rough, single lane roadway remaining.

Stopping at The Saddle, we decided to hike up Pu'u Huluhulu, the Shaggy Hill, a wildlife preserve on a prominent kipuka, or living island between lava flows.

Mauna Kea from Kipuka Huluhulu: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Kipuka Huluhulu offers superb views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, as well as fabulous bird watching and a grand nature trail through a lot of native flora.

Vanishingly Rare Silver Sword Plant on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Taking John Burns Way from The Saddle up to the summit of Mauna Kea, we stopped at the Visitor's Information Station for a rest stop, to acclimatize and to photograph some Silver Sword plants; one of the rarest plants on earth, Silver Swords grow only on Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala.

From the Visitor's Information Station we made our way up to the summit road. This road, too, has an only partially-earned nasty reputation. True, the road is mostly graded rock (it gets graded 3 times a week); true, it's steep and narrow with NO shoulders and scary drop-offs; and, true, the weather can turn in a heartbeat from warm and sunny to full-on blizzard white-out.

The Men of Tour Guide Hard at Work on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

However, anybody who has experience driving on dirt roads in the mountains and drives cautiously is apt to be just fine...afterall, it's not the roughness of the road that keeps people from the summit, it's the lack of air at altitude that kills the car. If you are in doubt about the drive, the Rangers at the Information Station can help you decide if you should drive up or not.

Hikers on Mauna Kea Summit Looking at Mauna Loa Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The summit of Mauna Kea is one of my favorite places in all of Hawaii. I've been here at all times of the day and night, in all kinds of weather; I have stood at the summit and seen the North Star and the Southern Cross in the same sky on the same night; I have skied and snowboarded from the summit and hiked to the top from sea level. I've ridden my mountain bike up and ridden my Honda Ruckus scooter from Kailua Town up.

Mauna Kea Summit Temple: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

I love this mountain. In September of 2006, Sean O'Neil, a paraplegic, rolled his wheelchair to the summit all the way from sea level in Hilo. All I could think when I heard he'd made the summit was "There is a real adventurer with the heart of a lion...".

Rolling our own way back down the John Burns Way to The Saddle Road, we discovered the spring monsoon was still in full swing as we headed east towards Hilo Town. Of course it was raining on Hilo Side! Stopping in the foothills just west of Hilo, we spent some time exploring around Kaumana Caves, a lava tube that extends for 25 miles, formed in the 1881 eruption of Mauna Loa.

Frank Descends Into Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Entrance is gained at Kaumana Cave County Park by a concrete staircase descending into a skylight. The adventurer is immediately faced with a question: explore the uphill portion or the downhill portion? Whichever route you take, be sure to have 3 sources of light, a hard hats (knee pads are nice, too) and be prepared for wet and slippery rocks. If you're not intent on exploring deeply, a walk into the portions where sunlight penetrates is still pretty amazing.

Looking Out Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Continuing on into Hilo, we spent some time at Rainbow Falls, which, because of the recent rain, was swollen and immense.

Rain-Swollen Rainbow Falls: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

I explored the river a bit above and upstream of the falls and found an incredible tract of wild urban jungle if that is not actually a contradiction in terms, it's at least a brilliant name for a rock band...) and lots more smaller falls, continuing on up the river.

The Jungle Behind Rainbow Falls: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

There is a trail along portions of this.

It was getting late as we explored downtown Hilo so we gassed the car and decided to drive home through Waimea.

Hualalai Sunset from Highway 190, Big Island, Hawaii: Photo by Donald MacGowan

We blazed along laughing at our day's adventure under an increasingly amazing sunset, arriving back in Kailua Town just in time to catch a meal of Kona Dogs and raspberry smoothies at Cousin's in the Kona Inn Shops. Best raspberry smoothies on the island, I'm telling ya!

Sunset from the Kailua Pier over the Thurston Mansion: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan.

For more information on touring the Hawaii in general and the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.