TeaAddict

I'm going to be on the BI in two weeks and was actually preparing to ask some questions of my own. But one of them is being discussed here, so I'll use this thread for it:

Is the visitor's center on Mauna Kea worth the trip? The posts in this thread have confirmed for me that I don't want to do the summit tour, but it looks like the visitor's center is at lower elevation, and more accessible, particularly from the Hilo side. Worth making the drive during the day?

UNITED959

IMHO, this is one of the best "attractions" on the island. It's so peaceful and truly unique to Hawaii.

bocastephen

Don't go during the day - go at night well after sunset. The starry skies are the most incredible you may ever see.

HiIslands

The drive to the Maua Kea Visitor Center is not only worthwhile, it is "other worldly". Be sure to check out the silver sword plants growing around the center!

Also be sure to drive defensively on the Saddle Road, especially at night!

Parts of the road are very narrow with rough pavement edges that tend to cause "center of the road" driving and make head-on collisions a real problem. Dense fog, as moist air rising upslope from the coast meets cold air rolling downslope from Mauna Kea, can make for dangerously low visibility. The road west of mile 35 is also not well reflectorized for night driving. The road had an accident rate 80% higher than the Hawaii average for two lane rural highways, though the recently opened bypass of some of the worst sections hopefully will lower that statistic.

Most rental car companies prohibit taking their vehicles on this road. Also, there are no service stations, so make sure to refuel in Hilo before heading west, or Waimea, Waikoloa, or Kailua-Kona before heading east, especially if you plan to go to the visitor center on Mauna Kea. The high altitude can increase your fuel consumption quite a bit.

cblaisd

I would say do not drive the west side of Saddle Road (the saddle to near Waikoloa village) at all at night. It's difficult and nerve-wracking enough by day.

From the saddle to Hilo is now much better, but it is still not an easy drive at night.

bocastephen

This is not true anymore for many of the agencies. I know I haven't seen the "No Saddle Rd Driving" endorsement stamp on my contract in some time and that experience has been echoed elsewhere on the forum.

A smaller agency may be less likely to permit driving on Saddle Rd - but if it's not specifically stamped as restricted on the contract, go for it.

bocastephen

I think any reasonably skilled driver who does their due diligence on Saddle Rd driving should be fine - except if the fog rolls in. The section from Mamalahoa up through Parker Ranch can get socked in so thick, you almost have to just slow to a crawl and pick your way through, feeling as you go to make sure you don't fall off the road.

Not good for a novice, but outside of those extreme conditions, a good driver should be fine.

I'm not sure where the OP is staying, but why not consider a Mauna Kea sunset tour which includes a hosted drive along Saddle to a sheep ranch for dinner, a drive to the Summit for sunset, then a drive back to the visitors center for some stargazing - and you're driven right back to town.

cblaisd

While you are probably right, I've seen too many mainlanders who haven't adjusted to driving realities and speeds in Hawaii and who are "on a schedule." Combine that with the nasty shape of the road on the western end, the locals who also drive it way-too-fast (but who generally know where the worst spots are), and the possible effects of lingering altitude sickness and I think a conservative approach is not unjustified.

I think that's a very good suggestion.

kaukau

The Mauna Kea access road is closed today due to ice and snow. Wow, Nov. 5th: early, yeah?

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...471259086.html

hawkxp

Before I shipped a car over, I rented. Always figured the car and liability was covered by by own insurance, so what could they really do to me.

sylvia hennesy

Many road construction delays (but not very long) near the turn-off for the visitor center, and some gravel stretches, from Hilo side. Road still nasty from west (Mamalohoa, or Belt) side, just go slowly. Center has some telescopes to look through, a nice view, but I wouldn't bother again (but I suppose worth a visit? Pretty feeble wall display inside about glacial "morrains" instead of "moraines" and a little gift shop). However, be sure to use lower gear on the way back down the road; it's pretty steep. (imagine the road to the very top is something else!)

Merlin666

I have read that the western part of Saddle Road has been greatly improved. My related questions

bocastephen

If you are visiting the summit for an organized observatory tour or sunset, you should take a tour (Hawaii Forest and Trail is the best) unless you have a true 4WD vehicle and are an experienced 4WD driver with steep roads at altitude. I've seen people make it to the summit in rental SUVs and even Sebring convertibles, but it's NOT recommended. Losing control of your car or brakes on this road could be fatal.

If you just want to tour the Visitor's Center at night, any rental car is fine - but be prepared for the engine to scream going up some of the steeper climbs on the access road due to the altitude - and don't ride your brakes on the way down.

The direction you're traveling doesn't matter if it's during daylight. You can drive across to the Hilo side in the morning, tour some of the falls and Hilo itself, then drive back after dinner and stop at the Visitor's Center after dark. Just make sure you have enough energy to make the trip and won't get drowsy.

vxmike

I just back from the Big Island a couple weeks ago.

We rented a 4WD Jeep Wranger and drove to the summit. If you go on a Sat or Sun (which we did) there is a volunteer who leads a group of private vehicles up to the summit and you get a guided tour including a visit inside the largest telescope facility. I recommend this if your schedule permits. The saddle road itself is no worse than many roads in the mainland US.

The road is half paved and half gravel once you leave the visitor center. Our 4WD Jeep made the drive without any problems, and I even saw a Chevy Malibu driving up successfully. It's a steep gravel road and you'll burn a ton of fuel at that altitude, but it's not a technical road at all. I wouldn't necessarily recommend less than a 4WD but it's possible. If you have simple common sense, respect for the conditions, and aren't an overconfident moron the road is perfectly safe without issue. Our drive down into the Waipio Valley was probably five times as technical and dangerous. I personally always prefer to take my own vehicle when possible, because I don't have to adhere to anyone's schedule other than my own.

The only caution I will advise is regarding the altitude. 14,000 feet is very high, and it's impossible to properly acclimatise. We are very active 20-somethings and still felt strong effects from the altitude. Most visitors staying at sea level on the coast will essentially be going from zero to 14,000 feet in under three hours, and you WILL feel the altitude due to lack of acclimatization. We felt dizzy and experienced headaches and loss of fine motor function, but this is partly due to the fact we spent four hours at the summit. One lady in our group fainted after half an hour at the summit. If you're elderly or have any health problems you might want to reconsider.

Overall it was a great afternoon trip, and the sunset was amazing. If you have a proper vehicle and feel you can handle the altitude I recommend going!

Jon Maiman

We did the trip with the volunteer guide approx. 5 years ago. At that time in addition to the Keck Telescope you also got a tour of the UofH telescope and perhaps one more (can't remember for sure).

For altitude, it helps a lot if you plan to spend a couple of hours at the visitors center before going to the summit. This will give your body time to acclimate to the altitude. Also drink lots of fluids and this will also help prevent altitude sickness. Even with precautions some folks will do better than others. If you do feel yourself becoming ill, get down to a lower altitude ASAP and you should be fine.

I have very fond memories of this trip. We also did a short hike (maybe 1 hour) at the summit in addition to the tour before coming back down for the star party. Even if you don't want to go to the summit, the star parties at night are a lot of fun. They are always tweaking the tour offering and the star party schedule, so your best bet is to call the visitor's center to get the most current information.

--Jon