Powerline Road (Big Island, Hawai'i)

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Powerline Road, above Hilo, Big Island (Hawai\'i)

Overview

"Kulani" Powerline Road (no motorized vehicles) is my favorite native bird watching location and nature exporation area. It runs parallel to the better-known Pu'u O'o Trail, on the east side of the saddle, between Saddle Road and Stainback Road. The access trail for Powerline Road is marked with an "Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve" sign between the 21 and 22 mile markers on the South side of Saddle Road, among the yellow arrow signs at a curve. (Beware the 8 inch drop off of the pavement at the edge of saddle road!)

Powerline Road doesn't look like much from the Saddle Road, or even for the first 100 yards, but beyond that you will be rewarded! This area has the most native hawaiian birds of any place that I frequently visit, fascinating landscapes, and spectacular views of the mountains and saddle on clear days. It is at about 5500-6000 feet elevation, 4-5 miles long, with little elevation change. The "road" ends at the 1984 lava flow, but you can cross about a mile over the 1984 and 1942 lava flows to Stainback Road on the flank of Mauna Loa if you want to.

At the junction of Stainback and Powerline roads, gates prevent you from taking Stainback to the East, and Powerline to the South. Following Stainback to the West takes you up gradually up the slopes of Mauna Loa towards the communications relays (5 miles) and Mauna Loa Observatory (14 miles?). There are also native birds along Stainback Road between the Powerline Road junction and the microwave relays at 9000 feet elevation. A historical note: Stainback was constructed early in the 20th century with prison labor, and intended as a tourist drive, that would take people from the tropical rainforests of the coast to the summit of Mauna Loa.

Powerline Road crosses mostly the wide pahoehoe lava flows from 1855 and 1881, which surround kipuka forests (like islands of forest in a lava sea) filled with native trees such as ohia, koa, olapa, kawa'u, kolea and hapu'u tree-ferns. The lava flows themselves are also heavily vegetated with native ferns, grasses, berry bushes, and pioneering shrubby ohia. Small ohia trees on the lava flows are often covered in many brilliant red blossoms. Pahoehoe lava is relatively smooth, like broken pavement, so it's easy to cross the vast lava flows and explore kipukas far off of the road.

See also: Saddle Road powerline service roads, Hawai'i(East half (Hilo side) of the Saddle Road,)

Tree-Planting Road(Eastern saddle, above Hilo, Hawai\\\'i,) Kilohana, Ka'ohe GMA, or Pu'u La'au, Hawai'i(West slope of Mauna Kea,) Pu'u O'o Trail, Hawai'i(Eastern Saddle,)

Birds

Notable Species

Many native birds inhabit both the kipuka forests and the lava flows. 'Amakihi, 'Apapane, I'iwi and 'Oma'o are common. Kolea, 'Io and 'Elepaio are often seen. 'Akepa, Hawaii Creeper and 'Akiapola'au are much less common, and probably limited to the last kipukas just over 3 miles in. The most common invasives are Japanese White-eye, Red-billed Leiothrix and Kalij Pheasant, but the most striking thing about this area of the saddle is that it's one of the last parts of Hawai'i which is still dominated by native species.

Check-list

Natives: Hawai'i 'amakihi, 'apapane, 'oma'o, i'iwi, 'elepaio, 'io, 'akiapola'au, Hawai'i creeper, 'akepa and kolea. I have seen nene fly overhead once, and I have not seen pueo here yet, though they should be present. The endangered native birds are only found in the furthest kipukas, 3 miles out.

Aliens: Japanese white-eye, house finch, red-billed leiothrix, kalij pheasant, yellow-fronted canary, wild turkey.

Other Wildlife

You may also see Mouflon Sheep, feral pigs, Mongoose, Skink, etc.

Site Information

Take extra care to monitor the weather and DO NOT underestimate how easily you can get lost once you leave the road! The weather can change very quickly - lightning is very dangerous and terrifying when crossing miles of open lava field, and hypothermia is a serious danger if you become lost overnight in fog and rain. Fortunately Powerline Road is very straight, which makes it safer than the fainter and more rugged Pu'u O'o Trail.

History and Use

Note: mammal hunting is allowed and there are often target shooters firing just off the road.

Areas of Interest

Each kipuka and lava flow on Powerline Road has its own character, and the kipukas at both ends have large meadows and bogs to explore. Lava tubes are scattered around the lava fields. You should wear heavy tough hiking boots for Powerline Road, because the "road" is simply a raw bulldozer scrape across the lava. I highly recommend starting AT dawn if at all possible, because the clouds can set in quickly between 10AM and 1PM. The air is wonderfully cool and dry, and the overcast afternoons give welcome relief from the intense Sun.

Access and Facilities

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is currently road construction at the turn-off to Powerline Road described above, due to the re-routing and widening of Saddle Road. As of spring 2008 you had to drive through the construction area to access the old road to the parking area at the head of Powerline Road, and with daily construction activity it wasn't obvious which way to go unless you've been there before. As of May 18, 2008 the old turn off to the parking area became too difficult for my little passenger car to get through - deep loose rocks on a slope. It is probably fine in a high clearance vehicle with bigger tires. Now I have to park on the North side of Saddle Road, where the powerline crosses above the road, and walk across the lava field and construction area to Powerline Road. You should be able to figure out how to do this by using a satellite image (e.g. Google Maps) as a map to guide you.

Contact Details

To do

External Links

More pictures and information: http://www.pbase.com/bkrownd/powerline_road

Content and images originally posted by bkrownd

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