Hike to Captain Cook's Monument on Kealakekua, Big Island, Hawaii

Captain Cook Monument on Kealakekua Bay Trail

Hiking: This hike is a fine walk through tall grass, open lava fields and dense, dryland forest, opening onto one of the most pristine ocean beaches in the world. Hiking down to the Captain Cook's Monument from Highway 11 is a great deal of fun—great scenery, wonderful trail that involves complete immersion in Hawai'ian pre- and post-contact history and offers the opportunity for some of the finest snorkeling anywhere on the planet. However, the return hike is hot, thirsty and strenuous; but it is also highly rewarding, granting panoramic views all up and down the Kona Coast. The trail leaves the Napo'opo'o Road just 500 feet below where it drops off Highway 11 near a large avocado tree, right across from a group of three coconut trees, right at telephone pole number 4; parking is tight, but safe. The parking spots and trailhead will show signs of obvious use, usually in the form of recently deposited horse apples from the many trail riders frequenting the area.

The first avocado tree is the harbinger of wonderful things to come, as the trail passes through an area rich in guava, mango, papaya and avocado that are free for the gathering. The 2.5-mile hike takes about 1-1 1/2 hours to descend, somewhat more time to come back up. After following a jeep road for about 50 feet, the trail turns left when the jeep road turns right onto private property. Although overgrown by tall grass for the next half mile, the trail runs more or less straight down the left side of a rock wall to the sea. As the pitch straightens out, keep to the left when the trail first forks and proceed to the beach. You will strike shore several hundred feet northwest of the monument—stroll through the remains of Ka'awaloa Village along the beach on your way to pay homage to Europe's most prolific explorer, James Cook. Remember to bear right at the trail junction when returning uphill, or you will face a long, hot and unpleasant time wandering the a'a fields of Napo'opo'o.

It is also possible, but much less pleasant, to hike most of the way to the monument along the shoreline from Napo'opo'o. This hike is an uninteresting exercise in scrambling over boulders along the beach and contains at least two places that have to be swum in rough water; as such, the safety of this trek is totally at the whim of ocean tides and swells. Highly not recommended.

For more information, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com or http://tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• donald
• macgowan
• donnie
• bart
• hunt
• frank
• burgess
• hawaii
• big
• island
• travel
• hike
• cook
• monument
• kealalekua
• kealakekua
• bay
• capt
• james
• hikiau
• heiau
• ka'awaloa
• best
• hikes
• in
• snorkel
• snorkeling
• hiking

[altruistichedonist]

i see videos from 2008 and 2009 but not 2010

[DrBlizzardo]

@altruistichedonist Very perceptive. I'm working on a feature-length video of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and have not posted any video tidbits recently...hopefully the work-load will ease soon and I can get back to sharing my love for my Island home in my favorite way...via video!

[DrBlizzardo]

@altruistichedonist Check your history. Kamehameha I deeded his entire Kingdom to Britain. When the US acquired Hawaii (however you feel about the legality of how this was done), that piece of land was deeded back to Britain, as a diplomatic point of honor...in point of practicality, of course it makes no difference. The monument is maintained by passing Brit and Commonwealth sailors.

[morsmayo78]

you scared the shit out of me at 1:50, very funny

[DrBlizzardo]

Glad you liked it...Bart's a funny guy!

[MRWhiteFolksCakes]

Stupid...

[tomasutrata]

cool video !

[sillymonster13]

You are not on British land!!!

[JanethFox]

You scared me

[altazboy]

Captain Cook was one of the greatest men to have ever lived. Thanks for the video, if and when I get there I will definitely pay my respects to him.

[cspalding874]

Me and a friend hiked down there last Monday! It is a beautiful hike and the bay is awesome. The hike back up was hell, but well worth it!

[QuietGalTalking]

Frisco,

I'll agree that the comment could have been done better, but that would have involved going into the religious beliefs of the Hawaiians at the time, a little longer video...covering the myth of Lono, who Captain Cook was believed to be at first. (and evidently encouraged the belief) I would have said something like, "Capt. Cook was reported to have desicrated the Hawaiian Heiau, and so was put to death for this act".