Thermal pools and hiking on the Big Island (Hilo, Kapaa: rental car, rental)

[JoDan]

I understand most of the pools are in the Puna District, but are there others areas? How safe is it to park and access the pools? What are some recommended day hikes, 6 - 12 miles.

I recall beaking into autos is a problem on Oahu, but what about the Big Island? I'm a little concerned about parking in the isolated areas where the pools and hiking trails are located. Maybe you can quieten my concerns. I worked as a Park Ranger in Great Smoky Mtns National Park and also in Alaska. Every summer we had "car clouts" in the Smokies, but not in Alaska. Not sure why one place had a pretty serious problem, while the other didn't. Hopefully, BI is not like Oahu in this regard.

[mdand3boys]

Ahalanui is the warm pond, aka Hot Pond, that is located on the Red Road, about a mile North of Pohoiki. There are no issues with parking there. If you frequent it, you will even see many of the same older people there each day.
There is also a lifeguard present for most of the day. Very safe place.

[Balad1]

Theft from tourist vehicles is a problem on all the islands. Use common sense and safeguard yourself and valuables at all times as you would in most places.

[cynmkolohe]

Agree with Balad - I've heard a good number of stories of car break-ins on the Big Island. Usually the damage is minor, but use caution and take care not to leave anything valuable unattended.

For hikes, two that come to mind are Kiholo Bay (a short hike) and Pololu Valley. (Use Google to find sites with directions/descriptions of each, just note that some of the info you may find is a bit outdated. Expect that there may be slight changes for parking, especially for hikes along the Queen K Hwy on the Kona-Kohala Coast.)

There's also the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. I've still only explored part of this trail system and hope to get out to see more of it this year. One section starts from Pu'ukohola National Historic Site near Kawaihae Harbor.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has a page on Big Island hikes that may help you find other options that will suit your schedule.

Enjoy!

[hotzcatz]

All the thermal pools are in Puna and generally it is a pretty safe area, but I wouldn't leave anything in the car at all, if you could help it. At several of the tourist stops around the island, there have been car break-ins and it has always been the rental cars which are targeted. Akaka Falls in Honomu has had problems, although it was about a year ago that it seemed to be happening. Also Rainbow (Anuenue) Falls in Hilo had some problems, for awhile, too. In any case, don't leave any valuables in your car or if you must leave them in the car put them in the trunk BEFORE you get to where ever you are going to park the car.

There is a nice hike down into Pololu Valley up at the end of the road in Kapaau. That's at the top end of the island with lovely scenery.

[banzaimakai]

We hiked Pololu last week and it was great.. we went back up the ridge behind the lookout and found a trail and made our way to a gorgeous waterfall at the back of the valley.. about a 3 hour deal round trip...

[Galactastica]

Champaign Pond is a hot pond that's nice, even though half of it is surrounded by some houses in a private community. You park a little ways away and walk the lava field to it. I don't know of too many hot ponds, but the few i've tried i've enjoyed every single one. It might be hard to go wrong!

Hikes I am more expirienced at though. My favorites are: Mauna Ulu in volcanoes, Pololu Valley to Honokane Nui over look-or into Honokane Nui valley if you really mean it, Muliwai Trail into Waimanu Valley (though this is more backpacking than "hiking"), the steep hike down to Kealakekua-that's just to name a few.

I had a beat up mini truck when i lived there, so i'm sure it wasn't very appitizing to theives. However, i will say since i did a lot of camping i did have lots of items in the truck, but never had any problems, even parking in shady areas to get to hard to reach places. Before i moved on many visits i camped as well, so i couldn't help but have my rental cars have "stuff" in it, but again, either i was lucky or my stuff was gross, cause i never had any problems. I even left a car at the Kalalau Trail in Kauai for a week and it was untouched when i came back. don't test your luck, be smart, so honestly judge where you are parking and what you have in your car, etc. if i had nothing of importance and i was somewhere i wasn't too worried, i'd often just leave a window down-brave, but a pretty good deterent.

[rebelryng]

mdand3boys is correct. Ahalanui hot pond was very safe, friendly and awesome. Champagne Pond water is not quite as warm as Ahalanui but equally awesome and a totally different pond compared to Ahalanui. You can park in the Waiopae area and walk from there. If you're lucky, you can rent a house in the Champagne Pond area, and end up with Champagne Pond as your back yard! Galactastica is right in saying that it's hard to go wrong there.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by JoDan

I understand most of the pools are in the Puna District, but are there others areas? How safe is it to park and access the pools? What are some recommended day hikes, 6 - 12 miles.

Volcano National Park has a lot of very nice hikes, and you can get guide maps at the gate, at the Visitor Center, and at The Jagger Museum at Kilauea Crater. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park - Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Parking up there is safe, subject to the usual caveats. And from there (4,000' altitude) you can hike upslope towards Mauna Loa through midland tropical forest, or downslope to the ocean (about 12 miles each way if memory serves). The natural beauty of the park is staggering, and you will see all kinds of exotic birds that only live in this area... i'iwi, awapane, nene geese, etc.

But I think the coolest hike... um, let me rephrase that... the most memorable hike in the park, I think, is the hike across the surface of the crater that erupted in the 70s. You need to wear heat resistant boots (no slippahs hiyah), because the lava is still hot to the touch, and go with a guide, but you will think you are on the surface of the moon. It's a big bowl, where the lava lake welled up and receded over and over, leaving enormous "bathtub rings" on the walls of the crater. And you'll see the walls that became waterfalls of fire during that eruption. It's truly a unique experience, available no place else I know in the world.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Galactastica

i camped as well, so i couldn't help but have my rental cars have "stuff" in it, but again, either i was lucky or my stuff was gross, cause i never had any problems. ....i'd often just leave a window down-brave, but a pretty good deterent.

I have a better deterrent, and safer... I kind of deliberately trash the inside of my car when I park in remote areas, with crumpled towels and clothes, empty potato chip bags, whatever I have handy to make it look like I've been living in the car and have nothing of value. I hide my CDs and the charger for my smartphone... you'd be surprised how many times I've heard of cars being broken into for those... and I have never had a break-in doing that.

Matter of fact, the only break-in I've ever had (other than in NYC, where it is required) was in front of my house in Austin, when somebody smashed my window to get a coupla dollars worth of parking quarters that were in plain sight. And left me an empty orange Fanta can!