Adventures on the Big Island of Hawaii - Waipi'o Valley

Back in April the gals and I ventured to Hawaii to escape the dreary Portland weather. We opted for the Big Island because of it's diversity of climate and activities. Maintaining Kona as our home base proved to be the perfect location for taking advantage of the beaches and trails.

Day 2 on the island we suited up the Dodge Minivan and headed northeast to Waipi'o Valley. We were told that the hike to the black sand beach was a must see attraction. We were not prepared for the death march back up from the beach, but who wants to talk about minor details!

This hike is about an 1.5-2 hour drive from Kona-Kailua, where a stop off in Waimea for some Hot Malasadas and Roasted Sweet Corn should definitely happen. Once you get to the overlook of Waipi'o Valley you certainly can turn around and drive home. However, if you are up for the challenge, hiking down the steep road is absolutely worth it. Roundtrip this hike claims to be 3 miles, we ended up walking closer to 6 miles. We explored the beach and the small cropping of houses back behind the ocean. The elevation gain on the way up is roughly 1,000ft in 1.5 miles. It doesn't sound so bad when I write it out, but trust me, it is not a walk in the park.

Cheers. 💓Hawaii💓

We ended the day at Keokea Beach Park, the drive on highway 250 from Waipi'o to Keokea is stunning.

Hiking toward the waterfall in Waipi'o Valley.

sunset at Keokea Beach Park.