Between its active volcanoes, rugged coastline, and stunning beaches, it’s no surprise that the Big Island has seemingly countless incredible hiking trails to explore. Accordingly, if you’ve only got a short time on the island, it can be challenging to choose which one is worth it. After hiking all over the island, though, I’ve narrowed down the 8 best hikes on the Big Island to enjoy while you’re in paradise.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
Best Hikes on the Big Island
If you’re wondering which Hawaiian island has the very best hiking, the Big Island should definitely be at the top of the list.
The trails listed in this article will take you to jaw-dropping green and black sand beaches, along a steaming volcanic crater floor, and to the summit of the tallest mountain on the planet (kinda sorta… more on that later).
And, while these hikes are all spread out around this massive island, the good news is that they’re, at most, about an hour and a half drive from either Kona or Hilo, the two most popular places to stay on the Big Island. So no matter where you’re staying on the Big Island, you’ll have plenty of hiking adventures to choose from nearby!
Let’s get into it!
Easy hikes on the Big Island
1. ‘Akaka Falls Trail
Length
0.5 miles
Elevation gain
121 feet
Difficulty
Easy
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here, 25 minutes north of Hilo (or one hour and 50 minutes east of Kona). Note that it costs $10 per vehicle to park at the trailhead, although you may be able to find free street parking near the parking lot.
What to expect along the ‘Akaka Falls Trail
Hiking to ‘Akaka Falls is one of the best things to do in Hilo, given that this beginner-friendly trail packs a LOT of punch for such a short and easy trail!
On this easy loop, you’ll walk along a paved path through a lush rainforest, passing bamboo groves, tropical flowers, and impossibly green ferns, to a viewpoint of ‘Akaka Falls, a stunning 442-foot waterfall cascading into the lush valley below.
The trail initially descends into a jungle-like ravine, passing over a small stream. Once you’re 0.2 miles into the trail, you’ll see a lookout, on your right hand side, to Kahuna Falls, off in the distance. While this 300-foot waterfall is certainly impressive, the view is partially obscured by trees so let’s continue on to the main show, ‘Akaka Falls!
You’ll continue on through the dense jungle and climb up and down a series of steps. As you descend down the stairs, you’ll get your first glimpse of ‘Akaka, careening down the lush cliffside. As you climb further down the stairs, the views of the waterfall will just keep getting better and better.
When you’re done taking in the views, complete the loop by climbing back up to the trailhead.
2. Crater Rim Trail
Length
4.2 miles
Elevation gain
433 feet
Difficulty
Easy
Trail map
Location
This trail, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, has several entry points along the park’s Crater Rim Drive, if you don’t want to hike the whole thing. However, most hikers start the trail at the Kilauea Visitor Center trailhead, located here.
The Visitor Center is located a little less than 43 minutes southwest of Hilo (or two hours and 10 minutes southeast of Kona).
Because this trail is in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you’ll need to purchase a 7-day private vehicle pass for $30. Alternatively, if you are planning on visiting a number of U.S. National Parks in the coming year, it may be worth picking up an America the Beautiful Pass, which includes unlimited access to all of the U.S. National Parks and over 2,000 other federally managed sites for a year.
What to expect along the Crater Rim Trail
True to its name, the Crater Tim Trail skirts around the edge of the Kilauea caldera, starting near its summit region, Uēkahuna, to the Keanakākoʻi Crater, which is believed to have formed sometime in the 1500s.
The trail is a mostly flat, gravel path that winds through a lush forest of ʻohai trees, with plenty of clearings that provide views into the smoking craters. Along the way, there’s so many cool volcanic features to gawk at, like steam vents, sulphur banks, and views of craters from recent eruptions.
This trail is typically quite crowded, especially the closer you are to the Visitor Center, but hikers tend to thin out the farther west you go.
Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife along the trail—this is a great place to spot (invasive but beautiful) kalij pheasants and nenes, the endangered state bird of Hawaii. We saw both along the trail here!
Moderate hikes on the Big Island
3. Pololū Trail
Length
1.2 miles
Elevation gain
450 feet
Difficulty
Moderate
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here at the Pololū Valley Lookout, an hour and 20 minutes northeast of Kona or two hours north of Hilo.
What to expect along the Pololū Trail
If you’re looking for postcard-worthy views of the Big Island without any hiking, the Pololū Valley Lookout should be at the top of your list. This scenic overlooks provides a jaw-dropping vista of one of the most beautiful black sand beaches on the Big Island and the dramatic Pacific Ocean, crashing against the lush sea cliffs.
If you are up for a bit of a hike, though, the Pololū Valley Trail will actually take you down from this lookout to the shores of the black sand beach below.
The trail is short and pretty straightforward, with several steep switchbacks cut into the cliffside that you’ll hike down to reach the beach.
Be careful, though- the path is full of slippery and crumbly rocks. When Justin and I hiked here, a volunteer told us that it’s not unheard of for hikers to fall and injure themselves along the trail and literally have to be helicoptered out!
I’d strongly recommend wearing shoes with some traction here—Justin wore his Tevas hiking sandals all over the Big Island (including on the Pololū Valley Trail) and I have a cult-like love for my women’s Tevas hiking sandals as well.
After about 0.4 miles of steeply descending down, you’ll reach the valley floor, with the Pololū Stream and the impossibly green valley to your right hand side—it seriously looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park.
Once you’re done taking in the epic views, continue straight ahead a few hundred yards and you’ll reach the rocky black shores of Pololū Beach. The current here is too strong to swim safely, but thankfully, you’ll be too busy taking in the surrounding jaw-dropping views!
Just remember that, like on several of these Big Island hikes, what comes down must come up- so the return hike is actually much harder than the first half, given that you’ll have to climb back up to the steep, crumbly path to the lookout.
4. Green Sand Beach Trail
Length
5.6 miles
Elevation gain
370 feet
Difficulty
Moderate
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here, about an hour and a half south of Kona (or two hours and 10 minutes south of Hilo).
What to expect along the Green Sand Beach
The Green Sand Beach, also known as Papakōlea Beach, is one of the best hikes on the Big Island, due, in part, to the fact that it uniquely leads you to one of only FOUR green sand beaches on the planet! The green sand here is caused by the remnants of olivine-rich lava that was spewed into the surrounding bay by Mauna Loa almost 50,000 years ago.
To get to this incredible beach, you’ll hike across a mostly flat trail along the island’s southern coastline, through rolling sand dunes and arid grasslands. For the vast majority of the hike, the trail skirts along the rocky, volcanic shoreline and beyond, the sparkling turquoise water of the Pacific Ocean.
There’s several roads and pathways that have been carved into the dunes over the course of years, so I found the route a bit confusing at times. But just keep hugging the coastline and walking west and you can’t miss the beach!
In fact, about 2.6 miles into the trail, you’ll see your first glimpses of the beach, which is tucked into a deep bowl at the base of the cliff you’re hiking on. You’ll continue along and scramble down steps and pathways carved into a steep hill that leads down to the sandy shore.
The beach is STUNNING, with big waves that are best suited for boogie boarding or body surfing, as opposed to swimming or snorkeling. There isn’t a bathroom or facility to change here, so don’t forget to wear your swimsuit under your hiking clothes!
5. Kilauea Iki Trail
Length
3.2 miles
Elevation gain
741 feet
Difficulty
Moderate
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here, 45 minutes southwest of Hilo (or two hours and 10 minutes southeast of Kona).
This trail is located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so, like the Crater Rim Trail, you’ll either need to purchase a 7-day private vehicle pass for $30 or purchase an America the Beautiful Pass.
What to expect along the Kilauea Iki Trail
The Kilauea Iki Trail is one of the best hikes on the Big Island to appreciate the volcanic origins of the Hawaiian Islands, offering you the opportunity to hike across a solidified lava lake (with active steam vents!) from an eruption of Kilauea in 1959.
To start this loop trail, head right from the trailhead along the Crater Rim trail, where you’ll hike through lush greenery, with giant ferns hanging overhead. I LOVED this portion of the trail—the enormous ferns seriously looks straight out of Jurassic Park!
After about a mile of hiking deeper into the jungle, the trail will veer to the south and head down a series of rocky stairs, which leads you to the cracked lava bed leftover from the volcanic eruption.
From here, the path crosses straight across the floor of the crater. However, be sure to wander off trail a bit to explore the cracks and vents along the way.
While Justin and I didn’t see this when we hiked here, you can allegedly see actual steam rising from the vents after it rains here, as the cool water is vaporized by the geothermally-heated volcanic rock!
After you make your way across the crater, you’ll climb up a series of switchbacks, back through the jungle.
When you’re 2.8 miles into the trail, you’ll have an opportunity to veer off to the Thurston Lava Tube, a 600-foot long lava tube formed 500 years ago during a volcanic eruption that you can actually hike through. This is a super popular portion of the park and can be a pretty challenging spot to score parking, so, while you’re at it, I’d suggest tacking on the Thurston Lava Tube as well!
Whether you feel like exploring the lava tube or not, you’ll make the last 0.4 mile hike back through the jungle to the trailhead.
Honestly, if you were going to include one hike on your Big Island itinerary, I’d make it this one!
Hard hikes on the Big Island
6. Captain Cook Monument Trail
Length
4.0 miles
Elevation gain
1,256 feet
Difficulty
Hard
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here, 22 minutes south of Kona (or an hour and 50 minutes west of Hilo).
What to expect along the Caption Cook Monument Trail
It’s not surprising why hiking the Captain Cook Monument Trail is considered one of the best hikes on the Big Island AND one of the most popular things to do in Kona.
Along the trail, you’ll get to enjoy sweeping ocean views, spot lots of adorable (albeit invasive) goat friends, and partake in some of the most incredible snorkeling in the entire state of Hawaii. Talk about a heavy hitter!
From the trailhead, you’ll hike down a steep hillside along a path that’s surrounded by lush grasslands and trees dripping with tropical flowers overhead. About one mile into the trail, the forest will clear, giving way to a craggy volcanic landscape, with nothing but lava rock and jaw-dropping vistas of the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see.
Here, you’ll walk down this steep hill until you reach sea level and walk through some tree coverage until you eventually reach the area with the Captain Cook Monument, a white stone obelisk. The monument was erected here in memory of the famous British explorer, who was the first documented Westerner to navigate to Hawaii in 1778 and was killed near this spot while trying to kidnap a Hawaiian high chief in 1779.
While the history of Captain Cook’s arrival on the Hawaiian Islands is interesting and all, what truly makes this hike so cool is what lies beyond its endpoint, Kealakekua Bay. This protected cove is home to a pristine coral reef, hundreds of different kinds of tropical fish, and the best snorkeling on the Big Island.
And in fact, the only two ways to reach Kealakekua Bay is to hike along the Captain Cook Monument Trail or take a boat in, like on one of the Captain Cook snorkeling tours from Kona.
The latter option is MUCH more pricey than the totally freeeeee option of hiking in along the Captain Cook Monument Trail, so if you’re on a budget, this is definitely the way to go. Just don’t forget to bring along your snorkeling gear!
Once you’re done snorkeling at the Captain Cook monument, you’ll need to make your way back up to the trailhead—which, notably, is 100% uphill and a LOT more of a challenge than the hike down to the bay.
Bring lots and lots of water (my husband, Justin, and I use these comically enormous Nalgene bottles) and start the hike as early as you can. Between the hot Hawaiian sun and the steep and unrelenting incline, this trail kicked my butt WAY more than I’d like to admit!
7. Mauna Kea trail
Length
13.4 miles
Elevation gain
4,986 feet (and, if you’re anything like me, you will feel every single foot of it!)
Difficulty
Hard. Like, really hard. Not only is this trail long and SUPER steep, but it also starts at over 9,000 feet elevation and you’ll climb almost an additional vertical mile to the summit, making the air quite thin and difficult to breathe.
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station, 45 minutes west of Hilo (or an hour and 10 minutes east of Kona).
Insider tip: It’s recommended that you acclimate at the parking lot’s elevation for at least half an hour before starting the hike. Use some of this time to snag a (free!) permit from the Visitor Information Station.
What to expect along the Mauna Kea hike
Despite it being a monster of a trail, the Mauna Kea hike is definitely one for the bucketlist.
For one, Mauna Kea is technically the tallest mountain on the planet, when measured from the seafloor to its summit (take that, Mount Everest!). For another, because it’s the tallest peak in the state of Hawaii, Mauna Kea’s summit was considered by the ancient Hawaiians to be incredibly sacred and to be the realm of the gods.
As mentioned above, getting to the summit of the realm of the gods isn’t without its challenges, though. From the trailhead, you’ll start hiking up the trail of crumbly volcanic scree and gain over 2,000 feet of elevation in the first two miles. As you climb higher and higher, you’ll be afforded stunning views of Mauna Loa (the largest active volcano ON THE PLANET!) to the south.
Eventually, the landscape will shift, with lots of colorful volcanic cinder cones towering above. In the distance, you can see the glint of the futuristic telescopes that are perched on top of Mauna Kea.
A little over five miles into the trail, you’ll reach the road that, ahem, less ambitious folks will drive along to reach the summit. You’ll walk the last two miles along this road, as you climb higher and higher above the clouds. With one last push, you’ll finally reach the peak of the tallest mountain in the state of Hawaii (and, kinda sorta, the world!).
Note that, at the end of the trail, there’s a large sign requesting that you not hike to the “true” summit, which stands about 10 feet above where you’ll end. This is out of respect of the Native Hawaiians’ tradition of only allowing ali’i (or high chiefs) to stand at Mauna Kea’s summit. Please be respectful of this request!
Given Mauna Kea’s high elevation, you’ll be at risk of developing altitude sickness along the trail (unfortunately, Justin did when we did this hike). Be sure to bring along LOTS and LOTS of water; be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness, like headache and nausea; and be willing to turn around if you start feeling its effects. Altitude sickness can be fatal and, while I very much enjoyed the Mauna Kea trail, it’s definitely not worth dying over.
I’d also recommend bringing along some warm layers- Mauna Kea is actually one of the few spots that receives snow in Hawaii and is actually the snowiest place out of all of the islands!
Pssst… we actually made a YouTube video about our climb to Mauna Kea, if you want to see the experience for yourself!
8. Mauna Loa trail
Length
12.8 miles
Elevation gain
2,837 feet
Difficulty
Hard. Really, really, really hard, given you’re climbing along extremely jagged volcanic rocks the entire time
Trail map
Location
The trailhead is located here, one hour and 15 minutes southwest Hilo (or one hour and 35 minutes southeast of Kona).
This trailhead is located inside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so, like the other trails in the park, you’ll need to purchase either a 7-day private vehicle pass for $30 or an annual America the Beautiful Pass.
To reach the trailhead, you’ll need to drive down a VERY sketchy one-lane road (with traffic going in both directions), so leave early and give yourself plenty of time to make it to the trailhead!
Additionally, similar to Mauna Kea, you’ll be starting off this hike at 11,135 feet above sea level. It’s advised that you hang out for about an hour before starting your ascent.
What to expect along the Mauna Loa Trail
Hiking to the summit of Mauna Loa is a rather otherworldly experience. No, really– Neil Armstrong and the other Apollo 11 crew literally hiked across its volcanic terrain to train for the moon landing.
This hike basically consists of a MONSTER of a climb over sharp volcanic rocks up to the summit of the largest active volcano on the planet. Be sure to wear actual hiking boots here, with plenty of traction and a thick sole to protect your soles (Justin has this pair and I have this pair)- I’ve even heard that some hikers bring along duct tape, in case the stabby rocks puncture their soles!
The first few miles of the trail has some native vegetation and wildlife along the way, like beautiful ʻohai trees. However, as you climb higher and higher, the plantlife will dwindle down to nothing.
It can actually be pretty hard to keep track of where the trail is (because it turns out that volcanic rock just kind of looks like all other volcanic rock) and it’s super easy to get lost along the way. Accordingly, I’d strongly recommend downloading an offline trail map on AllTrails before you hit the trail.
Pssst... you’ll need AllTrails+ to download an offline map for hiking, but luckily, you can get a 7-day free trial, PLUS our awesome readers get a sweet 30% off discount—just use the code “Uprooted30” at check out! If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your AllTrails account to the paid version (I know it took me, like, five years to make the jump), we wrote a whole post about whether an AllTrails+ account is worth it).
As you get higher, the volcanic rock along the trail will become more and more vibrant shades of red and orange (and sometimes, even green!) and there’s enough unique features, like lava tubes and cinder cones, to be a geology nerd’s dream come true.
Once you reach the summit, you’ll have jaw-dropping views over the clouds to Mauna Kea or, on a clear day, across the entire island, and, even cooler, inside of Mauna Loa’s massive caldera.
As with Mauna Kea, this hike is at extreme elevations, so altitude sickness is a risk. Bring tons and tons of water and stay attuned to your body, if you need to turn around.
I hope you have a better idea of which of the best hikes on the Big Island is right for you. Do you have any questions about these Big Island hikes? Let me know in the comments below!
Thank you for reading our post! Check out our latest stories here and follow us on Instagram (@UprootedTraveler), YouTube, or on Facebook to see what we’re up to next!
