Hiking Down Waipio Valley Black Sands Beach

Waipi’o Valley is absolutely gorgeous! There is an overlook you can park at to take in the great view. However, if you decide to hike down to the Black Sand Beach, take lot water and GOOD shoes! I can’t stress this enough as I saw people in flip flops trying to manage this hike – Bad Idea! You walk down a 25% grade four-wheel drive road for 0.75 mile until the road levels. The road down to Waipi’o Valley is one of the steepest roads on the island as it rises 800 ft in only 0.6 miles. The average grade of the road is 25%, but peaks at 40%.  I also must stress to be careful hiking down as it can also be very slippery during the wet season. I’m not embarrassed to say I fell twice going down. Oh and let’s not forget….if you go down you have to hike back up, which was brutal….. but let’s forget about that for now and head to the beach!

Follow the road toward the beach for about 0.45 mile and arrive on the black sand beach. The surf at the black sand beach is notoriously rough and I definitely did not swim in it but I did wade out a bit as during the trek to get there, I sank down into black mud halfway up my leg. You can cross the fresh water stream in the middle of the beach and continue on to Waimanu Valley for extended trails and sites, if the tide is low. I did not do this as the tide was high so the rocks you use to cross over/guide you were under the sea.

The “Coconut man” was already on the beach when I arrived!