Hawaii's Most Haunted - Saddle Road

“Across the saddle from Hilo to Kona...” this was the slogan for the many proposals to build a road connecting the two sides of the island. Stories of ghosts, strange lights, and mysterious happenings abound on this 52-mile stretch of land. Today, on Hawaii’s Most Haunted, we travel to Saddle Road on the Big Island.
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In this series, Lopaka brings you some of Hawaii's Most Haunted places.
Master storyteller, Lopaka Kapanui, brings to life the feared Night Marchers, the goddess Pele, Menehune, e‘epa, mo‘o and more. But… Hawaiian deities and spirits aren’t the only things residing in this island paradise. Here is also where the Japanese dog demons, the inugami, are sent to ruin the lives of unsuspecting families. Here is where the Filipino vampire-like creature, the aswang, roams in search of her next victim. And here is where the Portuguese witch, the feiteceira, spins her spells and curses at her whim. Rich in culture and traditions, these islands are overflowing with stories of ghosts and hauntings, creatures and curses. Lopaka is the keeper of these stories.
Beyond the cool, blue waters and balmy trade winds of our idealistic paradise is the thin veil that separates our world from the place where shadows talk back. Spirits, Ghosts, Legends, Facts... Experience the Hawaii most don't see every day.
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For more information about The Ghost Guy, Lopaka Kapanui, & the legends and ghost stories in Hawaii, visit his website, mysteries-of-hawaii.com.
Facebook: / mysteriesofhonolulu
Instagram: / mysteriesofhawaii
Blog: ghostsnextdoor.blogspot.com/

[@lillygirl7238]

Ai….so true. I’m FBI and have traveled Saddle many times when it was full of curves. It made you go slower than now. Seeing odd lights is what I remember as a small kid. Mahalo for your mo’olelo.

[@LionDowsett]

I have a story of Saddle Road from my mom: In the 80s my mom was on saddle road coming back from a party in the passenger seat with 3 haole friends. They drove past an old, short, beautiful woman in traditional Hawaiian dress. The friends drove past and my mom knew she couldn’t take a chance as this woman may be madam pele. So she had her friends stop the car to reverse back and inquire of the woman. When my mom spoke to her she invited her into the car and the woman said nothing but opened the door to the back and got in the car. The drive was silent, her friends were kind of freaked out. After a couple of minutes, screams filled the car as Pele disappeared without a trace. My opa always warned mom that if she ever met pele to serve her and do as she required. So always remember to serve pele if she ever shows up.

[@UNITYzMAMIz1]

Yes, serve her and she will leave. My cousin was going home from Hilo Airport same thing she seen a lady walking with old muumuu my other cousin in the passenger seat lived in Mountain View she told my cousin driving to stop and pick her up but the driver didn't listen and when she dropped the cousin in passenger off at her house as soon as she walked in everything was slamming in her house and she called my cousin the driver to check if the lady was walking pick her up but the lady wasn't on the road. The slamming went on for almost 3hrs my cousin said.

[@ClarkyWarky]

Born and raised in Puna. Im glad to see somebody trying to preserve these stories and share the knowledge of Hawaii! ❤ I would love yo hear you do a in depth video on the Mo'o of our pounds on the Big Island. I use to swim above rainbow falls in my early 20's. Seen a few things there that probably dont belong in there. 😂 One day i just had that feeling something/someone was under me while cliff jumping. I NEVER went back since! That gut feeling was enough for me. 😂😨

[@debbieakau4161]

My husband and I traveled Saddle Road in the 80’s. We had no problem at all. We are both are Hawaiian and we have the spirit of Jesus in us. 🍃🕊🍃

[@matthewcamp9615]

I lived in waikoloa in 2003-05 dated and married a girl from Hilo , bombing over the old saddle to Hilo every weekend was one of the biggest joys of my life . That was the funnest piece of asphalt I have ever driven . RIP good old saddle road

[@offroadoutlawsamazy3053]

new saddle road get choke undercover, we take the old one cuz those buggas r smart haha

[@pootz8082]

Haha hilo mishhh I had a bunch of those before

[@user-ld5sb5tq4g]

Been on Saddle Road traveling to Pohakuloa Training Area. I warned Soldiers while we’re training at Pohakuloa to be careful at night due to spirits. Saddle Road is a very spiritual place. You are bound to experience spirits.

[@456dotball]

Maybe I’m pilau all the haunted places I feel welcomed and the safest. I’m always drawn to heiaus I can feel them even when they aren’t marked no matter where I am when I get the feeling in my stomach I make hookupu even if it has to be out of ferns.

[@lotharklumpp8057]

Was going up Saddle road in 1976-77, don't remember which year. But there are little rock walls they say was built by the Menehune's. Legend has it if you find something on the wall, it is best to leave it. One of the guys found a necklace and took it. He was told not to, but didn't listen. Next day he broke his arm. He returned the necklace.

[@user-mi1eb7iu1p]

I was going.....

[@BuddhaChunk]

I drive the saddle weekly at night and i can tell you that road really unnerves me sometimes. Ive never been on the original saddle so i cant speak to it. But the new saddle road still makes me sit up straight. Especially when Mahina is full.

[@sandraessman3205]

I am intrigued!! My brother had an experience up there as he was a young man in the Marines back in the mid-80's! They were up at Pohakuloa for training and they were out on the field. One night he had to pee badly and so he just went somewhere behind a rock. There was no incident until he went to sleep curled up in the bed of a truck, if I remember correctly. He started breaking in a sweat and had uncontrollable chills. No, he did not ask permission to go pee anywhere, so I assume this was what happened to him. He's very lucky that nothing worse happened.

[@malelegampuleisili4428]

My family and I traveled to the big island for my niece's graduation in 2015. We stayed in Kona and drove to Hilo on that road several times but we did not encounter or feel any unexplained events. The latest we drove that road was close to midnight to return to Kona and we never felt spooked:). Now the lava fields...I personally know two people and their friends who got lost on those fields at night (not intentionally) and came out alive by following a light. Explain that! (lol) Shaka!!!

[@SteadyBark96720]

I from Hilo and I can attest to these stories. Seen UFOs (lights), fireballs, red eye balls in the lavas… crazy

[@donnabu]

I just want to comment more on UFO. I thought Ive seen UFO one night in captain cook side of Kona (Big Island). It seemed like just a light in the sky just a bit over the horizon of the ocean. I was at Lanakila church when I saw it. But that was pretty much the only et thing I ever seen in that area.

[@UNITYzMAMIz1]

My older cousin went to help clean out an uncles house as he was too old so the ohana slept outside the house in tents because his house was old and rundown. As soon as the family got there my great grandma prayed over the home and everyone staying there. One night someone sent a fireball and it was a smokey blue ball that was trying to get into the house but because my great grandma had prayed over the house and everyone it couldnt go in the house so it went around the house a few times and my cousin said she could hear voices speaking from the fireball as it was in front of her face and then my grandma cast it away and it exploded. That was back in 2003 and my cousin never returned to the Big Island again.

[@brocanic1]

This one gets a SHAKA!!

[@pootz8082]

Growing up on the big island you are aware of what happeneds on saddle road seeing a hitchhiker at 2 am always made my skin crawl you look back and she’s gone

[@donnabu]

Driving on the new saddle road, I saw someone who I thought was dancing hula on the lava rocks. We drove by fast, so all I saw was that she had some traditional hula dress on, while in a hula pose (when you have one leg forward and both arms reached out in front of you, hands cupped). This was during the day, which was slightly foggy but you could still see. My bf and I were headed towards Kona from Hilo. I dont think she was a ghost, because it was opposite side of the road headed towards mauna kea, and that area usually has some people. She might’ve been a student or kumu just showing appreciation to pele, but still, it was rare but beautiful sight.

[@ericgorloff1719]

The old road frm huihui ranch going dwn to the villiage to aneahoomalo was the spookiest alot of things happened on that road n even wen the new hiway was being built frm the airport to kawaihi harbor alot of iwi was found in the lava feilds n artifacts were uncoverd

[@ericipo]

👀Strange occurrences on Saddle Road-Always enjoy your spooky kine stories,-LOPAKA!!!🤙⚡️

[@NavrajChing]

I live in Hawaii. More specifically the island of Oahu I have been to morgans corner, Manoa falls, and pail lookout I did not see anything supernatural in any of the places, but I am excited to go to Saddle Road as I am going in 2 weeks. Thanks for giving me something to do and another adventure!

[@francisgv4088]

Love this ! Keep makin more videos !

[@carlzakabi8152]

Thank you for your hard work in research, composing and presenting. Mahalo nui, Brother. God bless you and God bless the journey.

[@Lokahi-fo-life]

As a child in the 70’s we avoided taking saddle road. Only my uncle would take it and only when he was alone. He is 91 and still alive and living in Hilo. Oh, he would take pork on occasion. I’d say since the late 90’s to now we all take saddle road unless we have time or want to stop at places along the belt road. My cousin used to tell me about how the horseshoe turns were haunted. I personally have never experienced any supernatural events. I will say I have respect for all the ancient stories. Seems most of the stories told were Hilo to Kona, interesting.

[@nadinecamacho4312]

I used to drive back & forth on the old road sometimes 2x in the same day, to Hilo & Kona. I miss seeing the Pueo flying down snatching the mice running across the road right in front of me.

[@meektheghost]

Around 2005 I got stranded in Kona after a meeting and didn’t have any money on me at the time and decided to walk through Saddle road to Hilo around 10pm. It was dark but oddly not windy, normally when I go here it’s gusty. Not a single person drove on the road the entire time. My mind wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going and I felt like I was on autopilot. By the time I made it to the end of saddle road the sun was just starting to rise. I felt fully rested and wide awake and realized I ended up in an area near a friend of mine lived.

[@schreds]

travel Saddle plenty mostly early morning return evenings or night , only one time have i seen anything made me look twice , one early evening still a little light just past Mauna Loa access rd returning home to Keaukaha from Waikoloa standing on a large mound was a pure white HUGE Pua'a / Boar was Mauna Kea side just looking up Mauna Loa was Nov of 2022 i no this for sure because Nov 27 the Mauna started erupting ,, still get chicken skin when i think about that event ,, but nothing like da old road that buggah was scary all on its own day or night

[@ericgorloff1719]

I have walked a lot of saddle road at night hunting wild pigs i Neva uncountered any haunting situation, I've also hunted wild pigs up the pali n that's wen i heard n felt weird feelings n sounds that wasn't natural, also in the 79's out kaiwi point crossing to honkohau harbor we were fishing late at night on the beach called alulla bay which da haoles now call dogs beach which is disrespectful ,i escorted some Krishna cult group out in front the heeau n was chased by some unknown idk wat up the trail n wen i came back to the beach i was xhased again i ran screaming n my mom came running up the trail n she knew wat it was n she told me hawaiin guardians, this was the early 70's in 2000 unckle pater keka explained to me everything about allula bay n about the heeau that u have to cross in frnt to gat to the small bay, the history thier is so amazeing not much people know about it

[@lovefiercely3510]

My sister in law experienced Madam Pele..she was driving alone & picked up an Aunty that looked old & dressed in white…she stopped at her brothers house who is my husband..he seen her in the backseat…my sister in law got back on her drive to find out if she didn’t stop & pick the lady up she could have been in a more dangerous situation due to driving up on a fallen tree blocking the road🌋❤️

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit

[@user-nb5on4pj2i]

@@usarmyranger8129get a life

[@debraknorenberg1163]

What about the one about the abomination that used to lurk around Puna? The one Pele doesn't like. That one goes after caring hearts, pretends to be a child in need outside houses in the middle of the night to lure people outside their homes. Says his name like a question, "Babi?" I heard um one night just as i lay down in bed. Right when I laid down to sleep, I heard um say, "Babi?" in a grown man's voice trying to make like a baby voice, right on the otherside of the wall where my bed stay and on my side of the bed. I knew from the stories from before that was the abomination, the deceiver, the liar in the dark, messing with me. So, I got up and I chanted H.K. and then I gave um one chance to be Lono cuz I not one abomination myself. Then I heard one scratch on the wall like from a nail on a hand or claw in retreat and then silence. I went sleep. I slept good in fact and woke up feeling refreshed. But, that night, while I was sleeping, my husband said he woke up in the middle of the night because he could hear thunder like a thousand sprinting horses in the heavens coming down the mountain at night, right over our house with flashes of lightning all over and shook our whole house while I lay sleeping peacefully. He said he was so scared. But, I didn't hear or feel that part of the story at all until my husband told me about it in the morning the next day. I do know, that abomination is hunted from the stories of before and must be the heavens was chasing um down. The next day I went outside, was clear and sunny, for look where I heard the scratch and sure enough, had a scratch mark on my wall. But, I not worried cuz, I know the truth. I never did hear anything again after that, and I thank the good lord above for that. Oh how I praise God for that. The moral of the story is not to be lured into the bushes or into the dark of night by what you don't even know or by what don't sound or seem right. In my opinion, Hawaii's most haunted is in fact, Hawaii's most hunted abomination. This is a spooky true story with what I can only hope and pray is a happy ending. I wonder if the abomination was transformed into an Ohia tree? I wonder because I don't really know. I do know, Whatever my Ohia trees in my garden started off as, they are certainly loved and welcomed now. Useful as they are to hold my Lono sails and so on...

[@Hokua888]

Awesome channel!

[@Ksleezy808]

Love these episodes unko keep um coming

[@mikkiy.3626]

The family of four are based on my family. The Macombers are the Husband and Wife (My Great Grandparents) and their children (My Grandmother and uncle) ❤❤❤❤

[@MysteriesofHawaii]

Aloha! My wife's Tutu stems from the Macomber family as well!

[@shell808hawaii]

Love driving this road. And this island

[@w.patpeters4643]

Traveled 'Saddle' many times, 70s 80s 90s. Nothing crazy happened. Loved old Saddle Rd.

[@wasabiginger6993]

Mahalo nui for sharing all of these historic Saddle Road stories!

[@loowingbwoa]

My friend Gene was traveling at night over by Pohakuloa and something grabbed on to the car and began tapping just as you said. Started at the door ... then jumped to the roof. He was probably doing 50 or 60mph. This was maybe 5 years ago.

[@Occult_Detective]

Wonderful work!

[@BruTheThreat]

I live in Hilo and often work in Waimea/Kona, so I take the road about a once week. I heard the rumors but funny enough it's the real people that scare me. People visit the island, take the 1.5 hour long drive and end up speeding down the mountain on either side, we're talking like 70+ mph.... Sucks because I work in traffic control and I can't stop people when they come barreling out of the fog that's only visible up to 50 feet. The best thing I do is place cones along my signs, place multiple cones on the shoulder/middle lane and line them up a good 200 feet from my job site. Sometimes that aint enough and people have died.

[@Russs37]

Exactly...numerous bad accidents up there. The drivers are the ones to be scared of

[@konagalHI1]

I still loved driving the old Saddle Road. The new highway is just not the same

[@judithmcdanniel3242]

You liked the huge pot holes ? No way two cars could fit , had to pull over, horrible old road.

[@ugo8015]

The narrative about the guy fixing his tire? I have a good high school friend from Kona who experienced the same thing. I wonder if it's the same person? My friend was heading home from Hilo late one night and had a flat tire. He replaced the tire with the spare and while turning the lug nut his wrench fell to the ground. Someone handed it back to him. He also said thank you and continued to work on the tire. Only, my friend was driving a Hw Hertz rental back to Kona .

[@MysteriesofHawaii]

wow!

[@yoeyzee]

The only thing haunting about this road is the headache you get driving it from all those turns.

[@cfhfan2000]

No more turns really. Its 4 lane hwy sized now

[@mikeinkalaoa]

I’ve spent many hours out there on saddle road at night. By myself, full moon nights, no moon nights, every phase of moon; for photography. I’ve never seen anything like that, anywhere on BI for that fact. Oahu, I went to a couple spots that gave me the heeby-jeebies and I just left.

[@kawikadavid8958]

I always thought that road was spooky.

[@davidhibbs6989]

People sure do have vivid imaginations

[@AnaMaria-wn6jn]

If you’re not a believer, why come to this page?

[@davidhibbs6989]

@@AnaMaria-wn6jn was "recommended for you" lots of folklore running around. I'm in so called big foot country however I've never actually seen any big foot!

[@kauaiboy5o]

Good to know that no one got harmed during these incidences...

[@bridgetteukaonu5215]

now ive heard stories about Saddle Road but never experience anything, but shoots most time i was sleep, as my grandma drove from keaukaha to Kona side

[@icebiker3]

The last view in your video of the Saddle Rd reminds me of a similar looking road in Upper Michigan. Only the road in MI is surrounded by forest. Many a night in summer you will find people parked along that road hoping to see the Watersmeet Light, also called the Paulding Light(see Wikipedia). Although, the legend surrounding it has supposedly been disproved, many folks still spend all night on that road waiting for sight of it.

[@CCcastro336]

Thank you for sharing the story. This is really fascinating. My niece lives on the big island.

[@Dog_gone_it]

Fishing on a coast when i spotted shapeshifter in the forest. Stacked some rocks around me and asked for protection from pele and she granted it.

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit

[@donnabu]

Never drive there at 3am 👀

[@genem6380]

I did. So. Nothing happened. Ha ha. Bunch of fake stories.

[@user-ob3pn5gd2z]

I drove saddle road during daylight many times, never encounter anything. Regardless, I would not allow any ghost to prevent the need to build a new road. Ghost will showed up to weak people, if you have strong faith in your religion, no one can penetrate your mental being and create fear.

[@wasabiginger6993]

Being a stupid haole who moved back to the islands (grew up NS Oahu 60's) and to Moku O Keawe 22 years ago, I was so excited to be back and studying hula as well as Kahiko ... and I used to travel the island with my sun roof open playing ancient chats as loud as possible especially over Saddle Road day or night, especially Kanakoli's ... thankfully nothing happened. Maybe those chants were welcomed? Anyways, my Kumu & Haku Raylene spoke to the military back then to prevent the expansion of Pohakuloa ... but of course they do whatever they like.

[@FightGPT]

Pele's home is Kilauea crater, not Mauna Loa or Mauna Kea, she doesn't hang out on Saddle.

[@HoneyBadger80886]

Big Island is Pele. Keep Hawaiian Lands in Hawaiian Hands. #SacredLand #Hilo

[@ClarkyWarky]

Where you from?? The entire Big Island is her home. She been seen all the way out here in Puna bu.

[@ClarkyWarky]

​@@HoneyBadger80886yessah! 🙌🤙

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit stories

[@wasabiginger6993]

Pele's home is the entire island.

[@ChromeLuxx]

The lack of education and critical thinking in America is astounding!

[@dainasworldnumbers88]

I loved on the Big Island for three years and never went on Saddle road. I was warned by a local who said, “I hope you are close to God”, I am, but I didn’t want to offend the Gods, or Pele.

[@bmk5219]

People need to lay off the drugs. 😂

[@usarmyranger8129]

They smoke to much of crystal meth

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit

[@AnaMaria-wn6jn]

Why visit this page, unbeliever?

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit stores

[@offroadoutlawsamazy3053]

shatap u donkeh, go carry pork while driving see what will happen

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit

[@wasabiginger6993]

just a troll ... pay no attention to trolls

[@usarmyranger8129]

Nope I don’t believe the bullshit stories

[@usarmyranger8129]

Bullshit