(Hilo, Hawai`i)
There are numerous back country roads and jeep trails on the Big Island which provide unique four-wheel drive offroad experiences. But none can compare to the adventure, thrills, and scenic vistas provided by the Big Island’s Mana Road which traverses the upper flanks of Mauna Kea between the Saddle Road and upcountry Waimea town. And whether you’re looking for a rough and tumble offroading experience or a quiet drive through some scenic mountain country, you’ll find it all along the Mana Road. The Mana Road is the Big Island’s ultimate four-wheel drive offroad adventure. But a word of warning: this is no leisurely Sunday-afternoon drive. The Mana Road trek is a half to all-day moderate to extreme rugged back country road for four-wheel drive offroad vehicles only. This road is definitely not meant for a regular road car or family sedan as the ruts are too deep in places. Four-wheel drive vehicles only are the rule for Mana Road. Four-wheel drive SUVs, jeeps and trucks can be rented from several local Big Island car and truck rental agencies. (See details at end of story.)
Bumps and Bounces
The Mana Road provides plenty of bounces and bumps, some washboard and ruts, on a run through pristine upcountry ranch lands with rambling herds of frisky, wild cattle along the way. And there are about a dozen or so cattle gates to open and close and a bunch of dry (usually!) stream beds to cross. The road also passes through stately old growth koa forest and wildlife refuge lands, and even past a monument to a famous early day naturalist who met his untimely, and somewhat mysterious end, on Mauna Kea.
The Mana Road winds its way for some 45-miles or so around the east and north sides of Mauna Kea. The northern section of the Mana Road is accessed near Waimea just opposite the Hawaiian Homesteads Office complex on the east side of town on Highway #19. The southeastern section of the road is accessed via the Saddle Road #200 and just off the John A. Burns Way (which leads to the Mauna Kea summit) about 2.5 miles north of Saddle Road. This southern and eastern section--the Hilo side--of the road is actually the Keanakolu Road as marked on maps but it links up with the Mana Road on the northern flanks of Mauna Kea. For our trip description, we’ll begin at the southeastern access onto Keanakolu Road which is just past the old Humu`ula sheep ranch complex along John Burns Way.
The Keanakolu Road is an unpaved road leading east down onto open range country and past some cinder cones in the distance. There are nice upcountry views all around as the road winds its way through lush grazing lands. Here and there are free-range cattle grazing the pastures and gulches of the upcountry mountain slopes. Don’t be surprised to round a tight bend and find yourself in the middle of a herd of cattle crowding the road. You’ll need to designate a rider to hop out at each gateway to open and close the several gates you pass through. Be sure to close all gates you open. The roadway is public but it passes through private ranch lands and gates need to be respected by all.
The road passes through miles of open rangelands and scattered koa forest. There are also some dense stands of the invasive plant, gorse, noted for its bright yellow flowers and prickly thorns.The alien plant has taken hold on the mountain’s upper slopes, crowding out native plants and taking over pasture lands. The road drops a little in elevation and skirts the upper edges of the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, noted for its native Hawaiian bird populations. This forest area covers a large expanse of gulches and slopes above the Hamakua Coast from Hakalau to near Laupahoehoe. It includes the Laupahoehoe Natural Area Reserve.
Monument to a Naturalist
Nearby to the wildlife refuge and next to Keanakolu Road look for a red marker sign which marks the trail to the David Douglas monument, a short hike through a quiet forest canopy. The monument is near the shallow depression used in the old days as a corral to capture the wild cattle that roamed these back country areas of Mauna Kea. A tall stone monument has a plaque inscribed: Kaluakauka - in memory of Dr. David Douglas killed near this spot in a wild bullock pit, July 12, 1834 A.D. This tablet erected 1934 by the Hilo Burns Club. David Douglas is the famous Scottish naturalist for whom the Douglas fir tree is named. His death however, remains something of a mystery to this day. In 1834, Douglas was on the Big Island gathering information on the island’s natural resources. And while camped at this particular area of Keanakolu on Mauna Kea where paniolo (cowboys) captured wild cattle, it is said that Douglas somehow ended up in the pit and was then gored to death by a wild bull. So the story goes anyway. However, later investigation questioned the credibility of the story and raised the issue of whether Douglas may have in fact been murdered by one of his porters or assistants. It’s an old mystery that has been retold over the years in the media. It has never been resolved satisfactorily.
Whatever the real story, in 1934 the Hilo Burns Club, a local businessmens group, saw fit to erect a handsome monument to Douglas on the centennial of his death. It’s the only historical marker/monument along the Mana/Keanakolu Road. The monument and old bullock pit are surrounded by heavy forest creating a peaceful and serene environment. The Keanakolu Road continues a bit further north and passes by the Keanakolu Ranger Station complex where the road turns to a northwesterly direction. The road meanders the treeline edge with majestic Mauna Kea’s bare rocky flanks rising to distant heights. It follows the terrain, up and down, through gulches, ravines and across dry and sometimes running streams, past ponds and through forest in a continually changing landscape of Mauna Kea’s back country.
Back Country Ambiance
Big Island wilderness doesn’t get much better than this. You’ll find any number of nice shady spots next to a pond or under a clump of koa trees to enjoy a picnic lunch. Don’t be surprised if some nene geese, Hawai`i’s state bird which inhabit the back country, come calling for a handout. This will give you time to soak in all the ambiance of Mauna Kea’s back country. All you’ll hear are the wind rustling tree branches and the calls of birds, the best of the great Hawaiian outdoors. The road follows on around the north side of Mauna Kea’s upper flanks, through upcountry pasture lands dotted with koa trees, and begins a gradual descent to the flatter ranch lands nearer Waimea.
The road passes by a number of old ranch building sites and roundup corrals, and here and there you’ll spook a few cattle grazing on the roadsides. At these upper flank elevations of 6,000-8,000 ft. or so, there can be clouds floating by and hugging the ground but the mountain breezes push them along quickly. Old gnarled koa trees create weird and ominous shapes peering out through the swirling clouds. The road eventually merges into Mana Road about 15-miles from Waimea and passes by a number of country homes and ranches then links up to Highway #19 just east of town. Just remember that the trip easily takes at least a half-day or more. And there are lots of stops to make along the way but absolutely no gas stations, fast food outlets, shops or commercial operations of any kind. The Mana Road is pure Hawaiian country. Go and enjoy!
Information Box
The Mana Road can be accessed from either Saddle Road or Waimea. The approximate 45-mile route using Keanakolu and Mana Roads around Mauna Kea’s upper flanks can take anywhere from 4-6 hours and longer, depending on how quickly one wants to travel. But in reality, you’ll average about 15 miles-per-hour or less depending on road conditions. Taking a leisurely approach and allowing time to take in scenic vistas, the David Douglas monument hike, and a picnic lunch stop, the trip may easily take 6-8 hours to complete. Take water, food, emergency equipment and supplies, and a cell phone (although service may be spotty).
And be sure to check the weather reports before heading up the mountain (weather forecast Hawai`i Island 808-961-5582). Avoid the back country on heavy rain days due to dangerous stream crossings and muddy conditions. Pick up a copy of Map of Hawai`i by James Bier, published by the University of Hawaii Press and available at supermarkets, convenience stores,book shops, etc. around the island. A variety of four-wheel drive rental vehicles are available in Hilo and Kona. Due to dusty conditions on the Mana Road, it’s advisable to rent an enclosed SUV type rather than an open convertible type (such as a Jeep Wrangler). Daily rental rates begin at about $55 per day. Big Island car and truck rental agencies with four-wheel drive vehicles available:
Alamo Rent a Car - Hilo or Kona Airports, 1-877-603-0615, or web: www.alamo.com; Budget Rent a Car - Hilo or Kona Airports, 1-877-283-2468, or web: https://rent.drivebudget.com; Dollar Rent a Car - Hilo or Kona Airports, 1-800-800-4000, or web: www.dollar.com; Harper Car & Truck Rentals - Hilo, 1-800-852-9993, or web: www.harpershawaii.com
The End
(Previous versions published in Hawaii Tribune Herald, Hawaii Magazine, Hawaii Island's Magazine