KAILUA-KONA — Plan ahead next Wednesday if you’re making the trek over the Saddle as restroom facilities will not be available for part of the day.
The Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area, formerly known as Maunakea State Recreation Area, will be closed to the public from 5 a.m. to noon that day for maintenance, according to the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation.
The facility, situated near mile marker 34, is the lone rest area on Daniel K. Inouye Highway, which runs 50-plus miles from Hilo to its terminus at Mamalahoa Highway, also known as Highway 190, near the North Kona-South Kohala boundary.
From that intersection, it’s another 10 or so miles to Waikoloa Village, where the nearest public restrooms can be found. Waimea’s about 14 miles away.
P&R Deputy Director Maurice Messina said the county typically closes its facilities for one to two days for cleaning, but will get the work done in just half a day because of the popularity of the Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area.
“Unfortunately, it’s going to cause some inconvenience for the public but we really hope the everyone understands that when you run a facility for 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, we feel shutting it down for about five hours to complete all the maintenance is necessary,” he said. “We appreciate the public’s understanding.”
Info: Call Parks and Recreation at (808) 961-8311.