The Kahuku Unit of Volcanoes National Park is not well-advertised and is easy to miss. I discovered it by researching best birding sites on the Big Island. Kahuku is located on the north side of Highway 11 between Kona and the main entrance to the National Park. The entrance is a few miles west of the South Point Road. We visited on a Saturday by chance and learned later that it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The small visitors center has books, interpretive information, bottled water, bathrooms, and very friendly staff. Click here for link to a trail map. If you are interested in birding get there early, although the park doesn't open until 9 am.
The park ranger suggested several of the trails, which turned out to be excellent choices. We drove to to the Pali o Ka'eo trailhead along the dirt road, which is easily drivable. Kahuku was a cattle ranch until 2003, when it was added to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The grassy, wooded landscape is a remnant of that land use history. Vistas along this trail extend to South Point and beyond.
The Pu'u Lokuana Trail is a not to miss hike. Buy the trail guide for $2 at the visitor's center and stop at each of the numbered interpretive spots. Lots of great natural and human history to see and learn about on this 2-mile hike.
After a picnic lunch at the visitor's center we drove south on South Point Road. This is the southernmost point on the island as well as in all of the United States. The road is paved all the way, although is narrow in spots. It passes only a few houses and a handful of cattle grazing in fields with incredible views. The paved road ends at the "boat joists" where people jump off into the ocean and climb back up a rickety metal ladder. As this was Saturday, it was a little crazy and of course people were jumping despite the warning sign.
A network of gravel/sandy roads leads from this spot...a 4-wheel drive jeep would be ideal or time to hike about, although it is hot, dry, and windy here. If we had time we would have hiked the 2.5 miles to green sands beach. Instead, we snapped a few pictures of South Point and a selfie then headed back to Kona.
The small visitors center has books, interpretive information, bottled water, bathrooms, and very friendly staff. Click here for link to a trail map. If you are interested in birding get there early, although the park doesn't open until 9 am.
The park ranger suggested several of the trails, which turned out to be excellent choices. We drove to to the Pali o Ka'eo trailhead along the dirt road, which is easily drivable. Kahuku was a cattle ranch until 2003, when it was added to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The grassy, wooded landscape is a remnant of that land use history. Vistas along this trail extend to South Point and beyond.
The Pu'u Lokuana Trail is a not to miss hike. Buy the trail guide for $2 at the visitor's center and stop at each of the numbered interpretive spots. Lots of great natural and human history to see and learn about on this 2-mile hike.
Olivine crystals remain after the surrounding rock from a Mauna Loa lava flow has eroded.
A stone wall made of lava rock is a remnant of the cattle ranching days.
The trails are marked by lava rock cairns (or ahu, meaning stacked rocks) in some places,
although these are not to be disturbed or new ones built due to cultural significance.
A lava fissure.
The Pu'u o Lokuana cinder cone was quarried for its crimson cinders.
After a picnic lunch at the visitor's center we drove south on South Point Road. This is the southernmost point on the island as well as in all of the United States. The road is paved all the way, although is narrow in spots. It passes only a few houses and a handful of cattle grazing in fields with incredible views. The paved road ends at the "boat joists" where people jump off into the ocean and climb back up a rickety metal ladder. As this was Saturday, it was a little crazy and of course people were jumping despite the warning sign.
A network of gravel/sandy roads leads from this spot...a 4-wheel drive jeep would be ideal or time to hike about, although it is hot, dry, and windy here. If we had time we would have hiked the 2.5 miles to green sands beach. Instead, we snapped a few pictures of South Point and a selfie then headed back to Kona.
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