Is it worth your time and effort to drive an hour and a half just to go on a 20 minute hike? Probably not…unless that hike will land you in beautiful Polol’u Valley! Located on the northern end of the Kohala coast, the valley floor is surrounded by steep green mountainsides, a black sandy beach, and a forest of ironwood trees that looks more like a fairytale than real life.

The hike from the parking lot to the valley is short (0.5 miles), but steep; descending 420 ft. from start to finish, and only taking about 20 minutes. The path, though rocky and filled with roots, is well maintained and easy enough for little kids. (Just don’t let your kiddos run ahead of you, because there are no guardrails and plenty of drop-offs!)

Like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia, Polol’u’s ambiance is that of a magical world, where you speak in hushed toned as to not disturb the sprites that are surely napping inside a flower’s bloom. However, the squeals and laughter from my children’s delight as they swing wildly across the weathered rope swings quickly obliterates all notions of a hidden dream world.

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While the thrill of the rope swings enticed a few of my children, the novelty of the black sand beach quickly caught the attention of the others. Much to my surprise, the black onyx sand was soft and fine and glistened in the sunlight. When wet, it’s consistency reminded me of grout, but on my children, it looked as though they had taken a roll in the mud like little piglets!

We spent hours on the beach that day with newfound friends, lost in the simple joy of a cool ocean breeze and the sound of waves crashing upon the shore. The giant ol’ trees provided shade and fun as the kids swung from their branches. Black sand castles continually washed away into the frothy blue waters. Memories were made (along with one giant bruise as Annabelle had a mishap on the ropes) and cares were momentarily forgotten. The only thing that would have made it better, is if we had packed a lunch and weren’t starving by the time we left!