Maintenance work to temporarily close Pololū Trail and Lookout

Pololū Trail and the lands leading to the trail entrance will be closed to all public access on Sunday, May 17, for maintenance.

The closure, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes the following areas:

• Pololū Valley Lookout: No public access will be permitted to the lookout and parking area.
• Pololū Trail: Hiking into the valley will be restricted.

Public access to the Pololū Valley Lookout and Trail is anticipated to resume after the work.

The Protect Pololū ʻOhana, a group of mostly lineal descendants of Pololū, will lead volunteer maintenance efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors and to conduct necessary upkeep of the trail, valley and surrounding environment, according to a press release from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

“This brief closure will allow teams to address necessary tasks, ensuring the continued enjoyment and safety of this treasured site,” the release states.

The workday coincides with the sixth annual “E Lei ʻO Pololū” event. This event stems from the dream of a lineal descendant to drape a community-braided lei lāʻī (ti leaf lei) across the entire valley floor to safeguard iwi kūpuna (ancestral remains). The Protect Pololū ‘Ohana has been collecting lei lāʻī from the community, interweaving them together and making the dream become a reality.

Residents with questions, concerns or interest in volunteering may contact the group at info@protectpololu.org, @protectpololu on Instagram, and Protect Pololū on Facebook.