High Point

Posted May 24th, 2008 by wheretraveler

High Point
Big Island Visitors Bureau

High Point

Who would have thought that there is a word in the Hawaiian language for snow? The frosts of winter can actually be found here at the summit of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the state. Reaching 13,796 feet above sea level, this is one of the few places in the world where you can drive from the ocean to high atop the clouds in a couple of hours. Meaning “white mountain” in Hawaiian, Mauna Kea was a landmark for the ancient Polynesian voyagers who traversed the Pacific by following...

Who would have thought that there is a word in the Hawaiian language for snow? The frosts of winter can actually be found here at the summit of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the state. Reaching 13,796 feet above sea level, this is one of the few places in the world where you can drive from the ocean to high atop the clouds in a couple of hours. Meaning “white mountain” in Hawaiian, Mauna Kea was a landmark for the ancient Polynesian voyagers who traversed the Pacific by following the stars in the night sky. The summit is now one of the best spots in the world for studying the universe, and thirteen telescopes operate from atop the mountain. Stop at the Visitor Information Station at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy.

Call (808) 935-6268 for road conditions.

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