If you’re looking for a hike through a lush, green valley (reminiscent of what’s common on Oahu and Kauai), you’ll definitely want to do the Waihe’e Ridge Trail. 

It’s a steep, scenic ridge hike that’s about 4.5 miles round trip but you don’t have to go all the way to the top to see the views. 

Start early for the clearest views of the valley and ocean before the clouds build and parking fills up (the gate opens at 7AM). 

You can usually get a spot in the parking lot at the trailhead until about 9AM or so. After that, you’ll have to park in the overflow lot and that adds quite a bit of distance to the hike. 

From the upper parking lot, you’ll start off with an extremely steep paved pathway that honestly, is the worst part of the hike. From there, it’s a short distance through a forest before you start to get up onto the ridge and see the sweeping views down into the valley.