A scenic glimpse of the island's wild side
When you reach the Pololu Valley scenic overlook, you are literally at the end of the road. Here, on the northeastern corner of the Big Island of Hawaii, Highway 270 leads to the rugged and spectacularly scenic wilderness of the Kohala Coast. This is a land of deep, wild valleys and towering sea cliffs.
Most who make the drive to this remote corner of the island are content to snap some panoramic photos of the valley and turn around. An ambitious few follow a steep hiking trail that winds downward through lush tropical foliage to the valley floor. The fertile alluvial soils of the Pololu Valley once grew taro, a staple of the traditional Hawaiian diet. Today, the valley has completely returned to nature, with fast-running streams and groves of ironwood trees that line a black sand beach.
