1981 Map of Makahalau

About this map

Kaohe Forest Reserve dominates the high-elevation slopes of the Big Island, where the South Kohala District and Hamakua District meet. The 1981 landscape is characterized by a series of cinder cones, or pu’u, such as Puu Makahalau and Puu Kiiaina, which dot the rising terrain. Ranching and land management are evident through named outposts like Makahalau and Paliaalii, along with numerous corrals and water tanks scattered across the slopes. The area is deeply incised by volcanic drainages, including the lengthy Kuupahaa Gulch and Kemole Gulch. At the northern edge, near the settlement of Mana, a small Cem and the lands of Waikoloa provide evidence of early high-country habitation and land use patterns before the terrain ascends into the more heavily forested reaches of the volcanic peaks.