How Difficult is The Waipio Valley Hike?
The hike down to the valley floor follows a steep road descending 800 vertical feet in just over 1/2 mile with an average grade of 25%
(and steeper in certain spots!).
How steep is the road into Waipio Valley?
Data visualization scientist Stephen Von Worley surveyed the valley during a recent visit and found that Waipio Valley Road has long sections with a 30% grade. At times, the road drops away at a
39% grade
, which would make it (briefly) steeper than anything in the hills of Dunedin or Pittsburgh.
Do you need 4×4 for Waipio Valley?
Drive down to Waipio Valley beach
Following this road will take you to see level and the Waipio Valley beach. You will be driving DOWN. This is one of the Big Island drives that
a 4wd is REQUIRED
. It is a STEEP road.
How long is the Waimanu Valley hike?
Hamakua Coast. The Muliwai Trail to Waimanu Valley is a strenuous
9-mile
switchback trail that climbs 1,200 ft to the top of a ridge, then descends into the Waimanu Valley. The views into Waipio Valley as you start up the trail (often called Z-Trail) are incredible.
Can you hike in Waipio Valley?
Hiking in Waipi'o Valley
The Hike down into Waipi'o Valley is one of our top-5 short hikes in Hawaii
. This hike will take you from the overlook into the valley, to the black sand beach, and back up. The total length of this hike is ~6.5 miles including lots of vertical meters and is not for the faint of heart.
What is Waipio Valley known for?
Located on the Hamakua Coast, the sacred Waipio Valley was
the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I, and an important center for political and religious life in Hawaii
. Not only is “The Valley of the Kings” an important site for Hawaiian history and culture, it's also a place of dramatic tropical beauty.
Where is the steepest highway in the world?
Baldwin Street in New Zealand
reinstated as the world's steepest street. Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, New Zealand, has been reinstated as the world's steepest street (road) after a formal record review.
Can you drive down into Waipio Valley?
Can you drive into Waipio Valley? The road is 2.25km (1.4 miles) long. It links Waipio Overlook at the western end of Honokaa-Waipio Road (State Route 240), down into the Waipio Valley, in the Hamakua District. Once on the valley floor,
there are no paved roads
.
Is Waipio Valley road paved?
A steep road leads down into the valley from a lookout point located on the top of the southern wall of the valley. The road rises 800 feet (240 m) in 0.6 miles (1.0 km) at a 25% average grade, with steeper grades in sections.
This is a paved public road
but it is open only to 4 wheel drive vehicles.
Is Waipio closed?
Waipiʻo Valley Road, which leads to one of the Islands' all-time favorite attractions for visitors—Waipiʻo Valley—has been
closed indefinitely
and will only allow residents, property owners, farmers and leaseholders into the area for the foreseeable future.
Can you drive to Waipio black sand beach?
Drive Waipio Valley Rd down to the beautiful black sand beach. If you are a good driver and have a capable 4×4 vehicle with low range transfer case then I highly recommend doing this!
The road is safe if you are in low range and keep the transmission in 1st gear the entire way down
.
Does anyone live in Waimanu Valley?
A severe deluge in 1979 covered the valley from side to side in four feet of water.
Today only about 50 people live in the Waipio Valley
. These are taro farmers, fishermen, and others who are reluctant to leave their simple lifestyle.
Can you drive to Waimanu Valley?
This is the trailhead for
two-wheel drive vehicles
. There is a good overlook worth a stop near the parking area, although you can't see much of the back of the valley. I don't recommend driving down into Waipi'o. The road is narrow, impossibly steep (25% average grade), and rough.
What does Waimanu mean in Hawaiian?
Wai manu literally means
“bird water” or “river of birds”
in the Hawaiian language. During the time of Ancient Hawaii it was an ahupuaʻa, or ancient land division with a small village.
Can you swim in Waipio Valley?
A word of caution about swimming at Waipio Valley, though.
The waters in the beach can be rough and they have been known to pose a huge challenge (in the form of strong currents and undertow) to even the most experienced swimmers
.
Why is Waipio Valley closed?
After the mayor announced the road closure, the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau expressed its full support. The bureau has not promoted tourism in the Waipio Valley for more than a decade because of
concerns about the impacts on what is a “sacred and culturally significant place
,” said Ross Birch, executive director.
What does Waipio mean in Hawaiian?
Its name meaning “
curved water
” in Hawaiian, Waipio is the largest of six valleys on Hawaii Island's Hamakua Coast marking the Kohala Mountains' drop into the ocean.
How many people live in Waipio?
Today, only
about 50
people live in the valley. These are mainly taro farmers, fishermen and others who preferred their simple lifestyle. Besides its historical significance, the Waipio Valley is also a sacred place for Hawaiians. There were many important temples in Waipio Valley.
How steep is a 17 percent grade?
| Slope | Angle (degrees) Gradient | 15 1 3.732 | 16 1 3.487 | 17 1 3.271 |
|---|
What is the steepest grade in America?
Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood is a monster hill with a
37%
grade — a struggle for walkers and drivers alike. Just how steep is this street? Tap the video player above to see it! Related: Welsh street named steepest in world, edging out Pittsburgh's Canton Ave.
What grade is Baldwin Street?
This is a residential street and a cul-de-sac. The Côte St-Ange in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada with an alleged 33% gradient (about 18°). However this again appears to be down to confusion between slope angle and percentage grade; the street is signed as having an
18%
grade.
How do you get down to Waipio Valley?
Options for Exploring Waipio Valley
The lookout has a small parking area at the trailhead located in Kukuihaele, allowing you to check out the overlook and letting hikers disembark and head into the valley on foot. Hikers will
hike down the Waipio access road that starts on the south side of the parking lot
.
How do you pronounce Waipio?
- Phonetic spelling of Waipio. Why-pee-oh. Wai-pio.
- Meanings for Waipio. Wapio.
- Examples of in a sentence. Hawaii likely to reopen Waipio Valley after dengue scare. Open House: Haleiwa Beach House, Townhouse in Waipio. 94-1457 Waipio Uka Street. …
- Translations of Waipio. Chinese : 怀皮奥 Korean : 와이피오 Russian : Вайпио
