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2017 Map of Puaakala

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Puaakala
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Pua‘ākala sits on the high eastern slopes of the Island of Hawai‘i, where deep-cut gulches and mountain streams define the upper reaches of the Hamakua coast's watershed. This 2017 survey shows a landscape of remote settlements and high-altitude land management, centered around Mana Rd as it traverses the volcanic terrain. Significant geographic markers include Magnetic Hill and the cinder cone at Ahuwela, which stand as landmarks amidst the complex network of drainage systems like Waipāhoehoe Gulch and Nāuhi Gulch.

The water pattern here is distinctive, with perennial flow starting high on the slopes of Mauna Kea. Major waterways such as the Hakalau Stream and Wailuku River originate in these uplands, carving through the forest toward the Pacific. Small settlement points like Hopuwai and Kaloaloa suggest the quiet, isolated nature of this region, providing a modern reference for the traditional boundaries and land divisions of the Big Island.