Parking
Follow Hilina Pali Road to its end at the Hilina Pali Overlook. Start from the overlook trailhead and parking area; the route to Kaʻaha follows Hilina Pali Trail before joining Kaʻaha Trail.
Overview
About Kaʻaha Trail
Why go
- A dramatic change from grassy pali to the Pacific shore.
- A protected cove, primitive shelter and composting toilet at the end.
Heads up
- The entire return climbs steeply with little shade.
- No dependable water source along the route.
Kaʻaha is a hard out-and-back from Hilina Pali Overlook: 3.6 miles each way, 7.2 miles total, following Hilina Pali Trail down the cliff and Kaʻaha Trail to a rocky cove and primitive hillside shelter. Budget about six hours with a stop at the coast. The work is front-loaded downhill and paid back as one long climb; this is an exposed backcountry hike, not a casual beach walk.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes map
Full mapElevation144–2,300 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Hawaiʻi Volcanoes alerts
- ClosureWork closures on Hilina Pali and Mauna Loa roadsMentions Hilina Pali, referenced in this guideRoad work is restricting motorized and all-use access on portions of Hilina Pali Road and Mauna Loa Road.Official details
- ClosureStorm-damage closures at Kahuku, Kīpukapuaulu, and Sulphur BanksStorm damage and hazardous trees continue to restrict access at Kahuku and Kīpukapuaulu; the damaged Sulphur Banks Bridge is closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Tour Guide
Your drive to Kaʻaha Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Hilina Pali: The View Beyond the Shelter0:00 / 0:35
“Hilina Pali Overlook is ahead, high above the Pacific coast. For the fullest view, follow the short grass path beyond the stone shelter to the rocky outcrop and orientation plate.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lava Stretched into Hair
- When the Coast Dropped
- Ferns for Mattress Stuffing
- Kulanaokuaiki: A Basic Walk-In Camp
- 58 audio storiesacross Hawaiʻi Volcanoes’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Hawaiian Goose (Nēnē), Green Sea Turtle, Hawaiian Hawk ('Io), and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 33 trails, 53 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Kaʻaha Trail
Down the paliFrom the overlook at the end of Hilina Pali Road, the trail drops through 24 steep switchbacks…
From the overlook at the end of Hilina Pali Road, the trail drops through 24 steep switchbacks to the base of the pali. Mostly non-native grass and scattered ʻōhiʻa leave little shade; a large ʻōhiʻa about two-thirds down is the only shaded spot on the descent. The route then eases into a gradual downhill walk to the shore. Expect rocky, uneven tread. Cairns can be hard to follow in mist or darkness, and the coastal ground has thin crusts, cracks and lava tubes, so stay on the marked line. From the switchback slope, include a few bends of trail with the coast below for a photo that shows how the route descends.
At KaʻahaThe destination is a rocky shoreline and protected cove.
The destination is a rocky shoreline and protected cove. A three-walled shelter on the hillside gives relief from sun and wind, and a composting toilet is available. Green turtles may rest on the beach or swim in the cove; they are protected, so watch without approaching. Ants are abundant around camp. They do not bite, but they will crawl onto gear left on the ground.
Make the return manageableThe climb back is continuous and exposed. Start early and avoid the usual 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
The climb back is continuous and exposed. Start early and avoid the usual 10 a.m.–2 p.m. heat window. There are no streams; carry at least four quarts of water per person per day. Shelter catchment water may be absent, and any water from the tank must be treated. The coast has no tree shade, so do not count on the shelter to make the return easier once you leave it.
Know the coastal hazardsThe cove is protected compared with the open shoreline, but surf and currents on this coast can…
The cove is protected compared with the open shoreline, but surf and currents on this coast can still be unpredictable; do not assume conditions are safe for swimming. If a strong earthquake occurs at the shore, move to high ground. Keep this route to the Kaʻaha campsite and turn back the way you came; going on to Pepeiao adds six miles one way over exposed backcountry lava.
Is this the hike for you?This route ends at Kaʻaha.
This route ends at Kaʻaha. An overnight stay at the campsite requires a backcountry permit, and pets are not allowed on park trails except service animals. The Kaʻaha–Pepeiao continuation adds about six miles one way and is a separate backcountry route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
600 sightingsHawaiian Goose (Nēnē)Most seen around 5 PMSighting map
35 sightingsGreen Sea TurtleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
36 sightingsHawaiian Hawk ('Io)Most seen around 11 AMSighting map
41 sightingsBlack NoddyMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
96 sightingsWhite-tailed TropicbirdMost seen around noonSighting map
24 sightingsHawai'i 'ElepaioMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Hawaiʻi Volcanoes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
