How far is Polulu Valley Lookout from Hilo?

I arrive in Hilo at 1:00pm. Logistically, do I have enough time to drive to the Polulu Valley Lookout , hike to the beach, and drop by Rainbow falls on my way down to Volcano lodging before dark?

Mahalo

How far is Polulu Valley Lookout from Hilo?

Don;t think so. Pololu is very far timewise from Hilo. You have to get past Waimea, go up the Kohala road (slow) then thru Hawi to Pololu (slow). I have never done that route but you have 5 hrs in winter and 6 in summer before ';dark.'; You might get to Waipio Lookout and rainbow falls?

How far is Polulu Valley Lookout from Hilo?

I%26#39;d agree... Waipio is a much more reasonable spot to try and see with that time frame. Otherwise you%26#39;ll definitely be driving back in the dark I think. The hike down into and back out of Pololu alone can take a solid hour or more (depending on how long you stay in the valley). I%26#39;d also recommend Akaka Falls State Park over Rainbow Falls as a stop during the day (though I admit it%26#39;s best early in the morning).

Pololu is probably a 2 or 2.5 hour drive from Hilo on the opposite side of the island from Hilo, so it will probably be 4:30 pm before you%26#39;d even arrive at Pololu, considering time to get your bags and rent a car. Hiking down to the beach and back up will probably take an hour or so if you%26#39;re in decent shape. Depending on the season, you might be lucky to make it back to Waimea by dark, and then you%26#39;ve still got 2 hours of driving to get to Volcano.

Charstorm,

In a word, no. Get your car, if you must do any exploring day 0, go to Akaka, MAYBE as far as Waipio. Then coming back you can take a quick detour to Rainbow and Boiling pots, Rainbow is best seen about 45 minutes to an hour and a half after sunrise.

Couple of reminders: very little dining options in Volcano, so either plan ahead or grab something in Hilo.

Plan on ¾ - 1 hour from Hilo to Volcano, and it staying in a Vac rental or B and B sometimes finding it in Volcano can be much more difficult after dark.

Suggest bringing a collapsible cooler and getting some supplies in Hilo before going to Volcano.

Good luck and happy travels!

it%26#39;s amazing how deceptive a map can be.

It is a 5 hour round trip to the Lookout from Hilo, without hiking down, without bathroom or food breaks, and without counting the 45 minute drive from Hilo to Volcano.

Pololu is most easily visited from west side lodgings, not from Hilo.

I would not go farther than Laupahoehoe Pt, which you can drive down to, and that might be pushing it.

Afternoon is a poor time to see Rainbow Falls (and at the moment it is barely worth seeing. I was there today, not much water -- but perhaps you are coming later in the year and we%26#39;ll have had rain).

Rainbow Falls is maybe 15 minutes from the airport, so it%26#39;s best seen as a Hilo sight, just run up and back down and then head for Hamakua, or catch it when you return to Hilo before flying out.

Thanks everyone. I%26#39;ll be there in Feb. so I think the waterfalls will be worth the stop. It%26#39;s going to be a short stop 1.5 days, but I HAVE to see the volcano. I hoped to see one of the valleys and a black beach also. Would there be time to see Akaka falls and Waip%26#39;o on the first half day? I have the next full day saved for VNP maybe we will have time to run down to Punalu%26#39;u during the afternoon, before the hike to see the lava at night. We fly out of Hilo the next day at 10am so I%26#39;ll save Rainbow falls for this day. (We%26#39;ll be arriving from our first stop in Oahu and going directly to the Hyatt in Kauai afterwards for a built in rest stop so we don%26#39;t mind a busy schedule in BI).

We%26#39;ll be at a B%26amp;B home rental in Volcano so I%26#39;ll be sure to bring some staples with us from Hilo.

Good news, bad news. You may have more time for Punaluu because 9at present anyway) there is NO hike to see the lava at night. Tube went pau and flow is now elsewhere.

This would be a good time to consider a flight though. At the moment, Fissure D is still putting on a good show from the air.

Charstorm

the hike into Waipi%26#39;o Valley is a killer, not a mildly strenuous hike such as into Pololu. Waipi%26#39;o Lookout is between 60-90 minutes of winding highway past Akaka falls, and it is not at its best in late afternoon as the cliffs on the west side block off the light. The top is in silhouette at that time.

If the big draw is a black sand beach, you have an easy drive down to Punalu%26#39;u from VNP, far easier than driving to Waipi%26#39;o. Also, Punalu%26#39;u is an expansive black sand beach with a very different look than the northern beaches.

I would wait until January to even start to plan what you%26#39;ll see in terms of the eruption. For now, plan on seeing the regular sights of the park. Don%26#39;t expect any night hiking; it is a long shot. What was a staple of the last decade is now completely changed and where it is going is keeping the geologists guessing.

PS. if the waterfalls are important to you (and yes, I expect they will be good in February) -- then I suggest you drive just as far as Akaka Falls and turn around. This is an easy and nearly straight drive of maybe 20 minutes from Hilo and then up the mountain (also easy).

Not far past Akaka, the highway winds through three massive gulches, which, while awe-inspiring, cause traffic to back up much of the time and which often have road work due to trimming and rock fall clearing.

As you are pressed for time, just know that going farther than Akaka, while a very pretty drive, will be time-consuming, and if it is raining, it is actually a pretty stressful drive as this is an extremely busy artery for island trucking and at the same time a winding road with little shoulder. You simply don%26#39;t have time to drive all of Hamakua and get to the park that night, so enjoy Rainbow and Akaka and then head back and you won%26#39;t overly tax yourself.

It will be dark by 5 or 5:30, and you don%26#39;t want to drive up to Volcano in the dark in February (90% chance it will be raining). Rush hour out of Hilo towards Volcano is in full swing by 4:30; if you could beat that it would be good.

You will probably get hungry -- if you don%26#39;t have time for lunch in Hilo, there is a friendly local run little pizza/burger place and a bakery / ice cream place in Honomu Village (on the road up to Akaka), which is quaint and a fast stop as you don%26#39;t have to find your way around.