View from Keokea, looking northwest across Māʻalaea BayKeokea countryside with chinaberry treeKeokea's elevation of 2,860 feet (870 meters) provides a climate which supports mid-latitude plant species and allows fall colors to develop on some of them, including this American sweetgum.
Agriculture, forestry and ranching — supported by the area's fertile though often rocky volcanic loams[3] — are important around this settlement, which has a temperate climate because of its elevation. Tourism also contributes to the local economy. The area around Keokea is characterized by a steep precipitation gradient: lowlands just 5 miles (8 km) to the northwest have mean annual precipitation of less than 16 inches (410 mm), while higher elevations 10 miles (16 km) to the northeast see 140 inches (3,600 mm). Keokea has a mean annual precipitation of about 32 inches (810 mm).
Geography
Keokea is bordered to the north by the community of Kula, while to the southeast is the Kula Forest Preserve, ascending to 7,051-foot (2,149 m) Pu'ukeōkea. Via Highway 37, Kahului is 21 miles (34 km) to the northwest.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Keokea CDP has an area of 18.3 square miles (47 km2), all land.[1]
