White Road/Waipio Ridge

White Road/Waipio Ridge is an easy hike starting from just outside the town of Waimea and climbing gradually up to the top of Waipio Valley. The hike takes about 45 minutes. The view is great when the fog is not in. You can hike along the ridge top, overlook the valley and see out to the ocean. It was semi-fogged the one time we did it with a view across of one of the waterfalls but we could not see the ocean. We recommend hiking boots but the hike can be done in hiking sandals or sneakers. This hike is a easy enough to take children as young as five or six. The trail is lined with gorgeous white and yellow ginger in summer and fall, ferns, impatients, ohia and bamboo. A branch of the Kohala ditch flows along a good part of the trail. This is an extremely pretty and relaxing, non-strenuous, hike and shouldn't be missed. The waterfall shot doesn't do it justice and I don't have any other view shots yet.
Getting There: Drive to Waimea. From the intersection of the upper highway and the road to Kwaihae it is about 3.3 miles towards Hilo to the turnoff. The turnoff is just after the mile 54 marker (on the left or north side of the highway), on the left and across from White Road. There is a homemade sign for the Lindsey Subdivision. Drive about a mile to the end of the road and park. There is a no tresspassing sign for Hawaiian Homesteads but ignore it. Walk around the left side of the gate and follow the road as it winds past a reservoir and up to the top of the valley.

Click on the thumbs for a larger series of images.

Trail Shots

Views

Flowers