Hawaii Route 220 is a 3.7-mile State Highway located on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island. The highway connects from Hawaii Route 19 west to Akaka Falls State Park via the community of Honomu. The road to Akaka Falls was part of the original 1955 Big Island Hawaii Routes and was initially signed as Hawaii Route 22. The corridor would be later renumbered to Hawaii Route 220 when it was realigned off Staple Camp Road onto an extension of Akaka Falls Road.
Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 220
Akaka Falls is located Kolekole Stream west of the community of Honomu. The falls is 442 feet high and has been considered a major tourism attraction for decades. Nearby Kahuna Falls can also be found nearby in the so-called Akaka Falls State Park.
A roadway west of Mamalahoa Highway in Honomu west to Akaka Falls is shown as being present on the 1930 Hilo Chamber of Commerce map of the Big Island. The earliest known United States Geological Survey map of the Honomu area from 1915 shows a roadway serving Akaka Falls.
During 1946 much of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway north of Hilo would be destroyed by tsunami. The rail right-of-way was used to construct a new alignment of Mamalahoa Highway which would become part of Hawaii Route 19 when the numbered Hawaii Route System was expanded to the Big Island in 1955. Hawaii Route 22 was designated to serve Akaka Falls by way of Honomu Road, Old Mamalahoa Highway, Stable Camp Road and Akaka Falls Road.
Hawaii Route 22 can be seen in detail on the 1959 Gousha Highway map of Hawaii. The corridor is seen passing through Honomu and terminating at Akaka Falls.
Hawaii Route 22 was likely renumbered to Hawaii Route 220 during the late 1970s. The corridor appears to have been shifted off of Stable Camp Road onto an extension of Akaka Falls Road around the same time. Stable Camp Road appears on some maps as "Old Akaka Falls Road."
Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 220
Westbound Hawaii Route 220 begins as Hawaii Route 19 approaches Honomu Road.
Westbound Hawaii Route 220 follows Honomu Road 0.4 miles to Old Mamalahoa Highway in downtown Honomu. Traffic wishing to continue on the highway must turn left.
Hawaii Route 220 follows Old Mamalahoa Highway for 0.1 miles and makes a right-hand turn onto Akaka Falls Road.
Hawaii Route 220 continues west 3.2 miles along Akaka Falls Road to the Akaka Falls State Park trailhead. The highway crosses the one-lane Paheehee Stream near the state park boundary.
The trail through Akaka Falls State Park is paved and only approximately 0.5 miles long. The most difficult aspect is finding a place to park a vehicle in the small lot.
Numerous historic photos of the Honomu community can be found in the businesses lining Old Mamalahoa Highway. The land now comprising Honomu was sold to Inokichi Ishigo during the early 1900s. The early community was largely based around the Ishigo Bakery which served the workers of the then nearby Hamakua Coast sugar plantations.
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