The Waipiʻo Valley Lookout sits at the end of the Hāmākua Heritage Corridor drive, looking into a broad, deep valley walled by high cliffs. From the edge you see waterfalls and a black sand beach between the valley walls. Waipiʻo was the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I and an important center of political and religious life, and a small community lives there today among taro fields and rivers. Waipiʻo Valley Road is closed under a County emergency rule: no pedestrians, no uncovered vehicles such as ATVs and no horseback riding. Vehicle access is limited to groups the rule names, including Hawaiʻi County residents and Native Hawaiians claiming the exercise of traditional and customary rights, in low-range four-wheel drive, and in significant weather the road can be closed to all use or access further limited. The County has renewed this rule many times, so check the current one before planning to go down.
Waipiʻo Valley Road is closed to pedestrians, uncovered vehicles and horses, with limited low-range four-wheel drive access under a County emergency rule.
