Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ramparts from the 1868 eruption. Follow the old airstrip back to the road and climb the
cinder cone for great views.
You'll find the route to the top on the uphill side, through a historic cinder quarry.
Trailhead located about half a mile from entrance on right.
Palm Trail
HIKING
An easy 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pasture along an ancient cinder cone with some
of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranch-
ing era, sections of remnant native forest and striking volcanic features from the 1868
eruptive fissures.
Lower Palm trailhead begins to the left 2 miles from Pu'u o Lokuana trailhead. Loop
back to main road at Upper Palm trailhead and walk back down to your car. You can't
drive beyond this point without a 4WD.
Kona Trail
HIKING
The highlight here is a huge forested pit crater, a deep bowl full of trees which looks like
the entrance to the underworld. Confusingly, the two trailheads are referred to as Glover,
not Kona. Lower Glover trailhead is on the right about 2.5 miles from Upper Palm trail-
head (4WD only).
Head right 1.1 miles to find the pit crater. The trail loops back to the end of Kahuku
Rd at Upper Glover trailhead.
Kahuku Ranger Hikes
HIKING TOUR
(
www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/events.html
)
These ranger-led hikes are a great way to get
to know Kahuku. The popular People & Land hike is a 2-mile, three-hour expedition that
explores the pastures, quarry, airstrip and 1868 lava fields. Ranch history, land use, in-
vasives and cinder-cone geology are all discussed. Offered most Sundays from 9:30am to
12:30pm (check schedule).
There is also a monthly reforestation hike that combines learning with volunteer work
(removing invasives). See online schedule.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Ocean View & Around
POP 2530
When Captain James Cook first saw Ka'u's extensive lava flows, he thought them 'as
barren a waste as can be conceived to exist.' Today he might be surprised to find Ocean
