Hike Old Route 329 Hike in Nago

[Rob Oechsle]

A SHORT and PERSONAL HIKE for the sake of NOSTALGIA

For almost 20 years, coming down the last stretch into Nago on Route 329 from Camp Schwab meant driving along a fine road that followed the foothill curves of Mt. Henoko's most western ridge. Landscaped and tree-lined, it eventually took you beside and over the Yofuke River.

Then, in 1992, the National Road Department bypassed one kilometer of the original route with the longest land-locked bridge in Okinawa. Once a year I walk it --- UP the old road, and back DOWN the bridge. This 2 km loop starts and ends where I park the car [in the PIN below] and hop the chain.

You can enter the Yofuke River via a short flight of steps built by the Road Department long before they bypassed this section of road. The handrails are now gone, but the steps are still in good shape. You enter via a gap in the old guard rails, soon after passing under the bridge, right about HERE:

This is where you cross the road, hang a left, and walk back down the 900-meter-long NAGADOU BRIDGE. The sidewalk is wide and safe, and you have a views of the River Valley and local hills while headed to your car.

This spot is right HERE:

Don't get run over by a car when crossing over to the other side. They come whipping down the hill pretty fast.

Of course, you can always park at this end, and do a reverse loop. I always do the up and back loop. Old habits die hard.

If you care to see what it looks like, click through the pics, posted in order. No filters. Straight out of the camera, as I took them along the way. Cheers.

 

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[David]

Even though this is marked as a hike, it definitely looks like a spot for photographers to make a trip out to as it covers everything from abandoned zombie-like apocalypse cityscape to nature photography!