Parking
The trailhead is across the road from the national park faleo'o. Parking capacity is not established in the available park information.
Overview
About Lower Sauma Ridge Trail
Why go
- A short archaeological walk with a clear view of Pola Island
- The lower ridge gives the short route a real coastal payoff
Heads up
- The walk drops to the coast and climbs back on a steep return
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the American Samoa map
Full mapElevation0–269 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active American Samoa alerts
- ClosureMount Alava and Fatifati Trails ClosedThe Mount Alava Trail and the Fatifati Trail from Fagasa Pass to the summit are closed for trail improvement work until further notice.Official details
- CautionSmall Craft Advisory for American Samoa WatersA Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for coastal waters out to 40 nautical miles, including the National Marine Sanctuary, Pago Pago Harbor, Swains Island, the north and south coasts of Tutuila…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
American Samoa Tour Guide
Your drive to Lower Sauma Ridge Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for American Samoa National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Lower Sauma Ridge and Vaiʻava Strait0:00 / 0:32
“You're approaching Lower Sauma Ridge, with a roadside view across Vaiʻava Strait to Pola Island. For a quick stop, the overlook gives you the island's tall, narrow outline without a hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf American Samoa Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pola Island Beach from Vatia
- Bats Before Dark
- Old Vatia Trail to the Ridge
- Afono Pass Harbor View
- 15 audio storiesacross American Samoa’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Noddy, Samoan Starling, Butterflyfish, and 4 more
- Works offlinemaps, 10 trails, 15 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Lower Sauma Ridge Trail
A short descent with a climb backLower Sauma Ridge Trail is a 0.
Lower Sauma Ridge Trail is a 0.4-mile out-and-back from the roadside trailhead above Vai'ava Strait to the lower ridge. Allow 30–45 minutes. It quickly drops toward the ocean, then climbs back to the road; expect roughly 230 feet of uphill on this short return. Do it for a quick look at Samoan archaeological terraces and a northward view to Pola Island.
Across from the faleo'oThe trail starts across the road from the national park faleo'o and follows a dirt path.
The trail starts across the road from the national park faleo'o and follows a dirt path. One scenic overlook is accessible with assistance, but that does not describe the whole route; the trail beyond it is unimproved. Start in the morning to get ahead of the intense sun and heat. Dogs aren't allowed.
Archaeology on the lower ridgeLower Sauma is part of a wider archaeological landscape.
Lower Sauma is part of a wider archaeological landscape. Excavations at Lower Sauma Ridge and along the nearby Vatia Powerline area documented eleven features on three terraces descending toward the ocean, with stone tools found in the vicinity. The terraces are the reason to slow down near the ridge, not just a place to turn around for the view.
Pola across Vai'ava StraitLooking north, the narrow forested mass of Pola Island stands offshore, with smaller rock…
Looking north, the narrow forested mass of Pola Island stands offshore, with smaller rock stacks out at sea. The island is a seabird nesting area. Waves have carved the coast's steep cliffs and erosion-resistant outliers from Tutuila's volcanic landscape. For a photo, keep part of the green ridge in the foreground with Pola beyond.
Wildlife
Wildlife in American Samoa
19 sightingsNoddyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
11 sightingsSamoan StarlingMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
17 sightingsButterflyfishMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
19 sightingsHermit CrabMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
10 sightingsMigratory ShorebirdMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
11 sightingsCane ToadMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across American Samoa. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
