Mana Road (Waimea-Kamuela)

Location: Mana Road in Waimea (Kamuela) off of Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 19) near Mile Marker 55 and Hawaiian Homestead Farmers Market

Directions: From Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 19) from downtown Waimea, you will pass the Hawaiian Homestead Farmers Market near Mile Marker 55, and almost immediately turn RIGHT onto Mana Road.  Look for the sign for Veterinary Associates on the roadside.  Drive all the way to the fork in the road, and then turn LEFT.  The road is paved for a mile or so and then turns into compact clay/dirt.  If you are new here, you might want to park at the Water Pump Station (where the pavement ends) and hike from there to give you a sense of what Mana Road has to offer.  The further you drive down Mana Road, the less traffic (pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists, and drivers).

Description: If you are looking for cooler (possibly misty, foggy) weather, this is the place…Rolling green pastures with cattle, horses, and a variety of birds including owls, hawks, and turkeys…something to keep in mind if you have prey-driven dogs!  Over the last year (2014 – 2015), I have been driving further and further down Mana Road, parking and then hiking in for 3 miles, so that I can get to know the area.  During our hikes, we typically see about 5 to 10 cars/trucks pass by, typically with dogs in the back since this is a ranching area.  It has been our experience that everyone has been very courteous and friendly…I will leash my dogs when I see trucks approaching, and I hold them off to the side until the trucks pass.  I do not want to risk my dogs deciding they’d like to go say “HI!” to the drivers or dogs in the back.  I have experienced nothing but aloha from everyone.  We hope you do, too!