Saddle Road...Speedway?

 
 Three roads on Hawaii’s Big Island lead from Hilo to Kona. The north road that curves around Mauna Kea can be cramped with traffic delays (98 miles). The south road twists through a volcanic haze until you crest Mauna Loa (125 miles).  Many locals skip the traffic and the avoid vog by taking Hawaii Route 200: Saddle Road (85 miles).

Starting from Bayfront in Hilo, wind up Wainuenue and Kaumana Drive.  Ua Nahele  at mile marker 8 is the last cluster of houses before you enter the wilderness.

Heading up into Hilo Forest Reserve, be wary of the Bad Turn at mile marker 11.  This dangerously quick S-turn combines with a short but steep slope to flip speeders into the bushes.   Caution triangles painted on the road look like jagged yellow teeth warning drivers: SLOW DOWN! 





Saddle Road grew from a primitive path.  Ancient Hawaiians walked single file on a narrow trail through cloud forests and barren lava fields.  Although much of Saddle Road is streamlined for speed, the Bad Turn at Mile Marker 11 is a remnant of the ancient path.

Cyclists Sally and Michael take a break at mile marker 22 before climbing the mountain.  Hula Dancers come to the rain belt on this stretch of the highway to pick liko, the budding red leaves of the ‘ohia trees to make their haku lei.  I stop to pick tart ‘ohelo berries by the old road.

 

From hunters to astrophysicists, mile 28 marks a hub of activity.   Mauna Kea summit (13,800 feet) hosts  12 telescopes from 11 countries.  The Onizuka Visitor Information Center (9,200 feet) conduct stargazing activities nightly.    Below the visitor center Mana Road provides a deeply rutted 4 wheel drive adventure for hunters, nature lovers, and extreme cyclists.  

Hitchhikers Sean and Yogi have made it to Mauna Kea Summit Road.  They plan to camp amongst the  dells of the summit, to play digeridoo, and commune with nature.

South side of the Humu’ula Saddle, lie the remnants of the Hilo-Kona Road. Bedded on cinder and gouged with potholes appears undesirable for driving, but less than a hundred yards off  Highway 200, the old road transforms into a smooth lane of fresh dark tar that travels 17 miles to Mauna Loa Observatory.

In 1849, Governor Gerald P. Judd used prison labor to construct a Hilo-Kona road, but work stopped when lava from a Mauna Loa eruption flowed across the proposed path.  In 1943, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army Corps of Engineers raised a gravel path for military vehicles to cross the island.  The road was not intended for public use and received minimal maintenance until 1992.  Twenty years ago, the road was a narrow maze of spot patches.  Rental cars were not allowed to travel Saddle Road.

A mile above sea level, in the plateau of the Humu’ula Saddle, vehicles seem to soar over gentle curves.  You feel like you are flying, which can be a problem because the speed limit is 55.   Watch for a change in speed limit just before Mauna Kea State Park.   Between the park and Pohakuloa Military Compound.  The posted limit is 45 which is strictly enforced.  

At mile 34, Mauna Kea State Park has the only public facilities on Route 200.  If you have to pee do it here.   Be prepared to put on a sweater before you get out of the car because a biting wind blasts through this part of the  saddle.  The restrooms are clean and the toilets flushable, but in lieu of soap and a handwashing sink, a dispenser of antibacterial gel is attached to door.  On weekends, you can rent one of the cabins from Hawaii State Parks.

Keep your speed down as you head West toward Pohakuloa Military Camp.  Quanset huts mark the entrance to military housing on the South of the road.  When you pass the three large water towers on the North side, you are out of the 45 mph speed zone and can gas it back to 55.

About a mile beyond Pohakuloa, a chronic dust bowl settles at the base of a steep grade that climbs to the peak of the saddle.  The road climbs in a straight line to the highest point of the saddle.  From here to Mamalahoa Highway one lane bridges traverse the watershed.  Downhill traffic has Right of Way, so if you are heading uphill, yield to oncoming traffic.  

The top of this grade is watershed elevation, the highest point of Saddle Road.   Simple dirt parking pull-outs serve as scenic points near mile 44, Kilohana Girl Scout camp.  Photographers will want a wide angle lens or panoramic setting for sweeping views of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Hualalai.  

The biome changes from high desert to lush grassland.  Beyond the Girl Scout Camp the road descend into mists.  It narrows.  It twists. between mile marker  , a second “Bad Turn” pivots and drops unexpectedly.   If you are unfamiliar with the road, take is slowly.  Don’t worry if someone behind you wants to pass.  Pull over to the side and let them go by.  No shame! That is Saddle Road etiquette.

South of Saddle road rests Waiki'i Ranch, an equestrian community of 10, 20, and 40 acre residential lots.  You will see a lot of horses.  To the north stretches Parker Ranch, the largest independent ranch in the United Sates  You will see a lot of cows.  Each June the scenery changes for a two day event that is popular with locals:  Waikii Music Festival




This final section of Saddle offers prime views of the Kohala Mountains, Hualalai and the leeward Coast.  Saddle merges into Mamalahoa Highway (aka Hawaii Route 190 and Hawaii Belt Road). Travel North 7 miles to fine dining in Waimea, to the South for Kona Town or the luxury hotels of the Kohala Coast.

The once rugged path has been transformed into a lean, mean, driving machine thanks to the efforts of Senator Daniel Inouye.  He knew Hawaii islands did not have resources and infrastructure enjoyed by our Mainland neighbors.  He worked hard to provide for us.  Mahalo nui loa, e Senator Inouye.  Aloha kakou ia'oe.

Mahalo to Wikipedia for supplemental information