532 m away
Pola Island Trail
Short walk to the sea cliffs at the tip of Tutuila Island and a view of Pola Island.
Easy Hiking
- Distance
- 292 m
- Ascent
- 2 m
- Descent
- 2 m
Scramble up and down through thick rainforest to find a truly isolated, cliff-lined beach.
Hiking Severe
This is a rather short but strenuous hike from Vatia Village which goes up and over a narrow ridge to the other side of the island. There you’ll find a deserted stretch of lava-rock beach with pounding waves. It’s not for swimming due to the strong currents, but it makes for a dramatic beachwalk and altogether rewarding hike.
The hike begins from a grassy lot in front of a large old building. A small sign denotes the trail, which is otherwise hard to pick out in the overgrown grass. Once you get on it, though, the trail is not hard to follow. It zigzags steeply up the mountainside, through lush natural rainforest, on tread that can be slick with leaves and mud. At the top of the ridge there’s not much of a view because of the foliage, so you’ll promptly turn downhill to continue toward the beach.
The going gets tougher on the other side, with a series of ropes and “ladders” which are more like steep stairs. The final obstacle is a short but vertical rock wall with a sturdy rope for aid. After that, the trail flattens out, and you’ll be only steps away from emerging onto the beach. It’s a stony shore bound by lava-rock cliffs on one side, but the other side stretches toward Pola Island. It’s possible to walk the cobble beach and get almost all the way to the narrow strait that separates the two islands.
Sources: https://www.nps.gov/npsa/planyourvisit/upload/Day-Hikes-SBNPSAhigh-res.pdf https://chasingabandon.com/hiking-the-national-park-of-american-samoa/
Severe
Hiking challenging trails where simple scrambling, with the occasional use of the hands, is a distinct possibility. The trails are often filled with all manner of obstacles both small and large, and the hills are very steep. Obstacles and challenges are often unexpected and can be unpredictable.
532 m away
Short walk to the sea cliffs at the tip of Tutuila Island and a view of Pola Island.
Easy Hiking
1.3 km away
One-of-a-kind adventure in the national park, scaling many ropes and ladders through thick jungle to reach the top of Mount Alava.
Severe Hiking
1.4 km away
Interpretive trail through lush rainforest to a coastal panorama, with the option to scramble down the rocks and swim in deep tide pools.
Moderate Hiking
6 km away
One of American Samoa’s must-do hikes, this wide trail through the jungle leads to panoramic views atop the island’s central mountain.
Moderate Hiking
7 routes · Hiking
63 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking