Parking
Follow Kahuku Road to the signed Kamakapaʻa Trailhead; it is separate from the nearby Puʻu o Lokuana trailhead. The parking layout is not well documented, so use the on-site trailhead sign.
Overview
About Kamakapaʻa Trail
Why go
- A quick half-mile walk reaches a broad lower Kaʻū viewpoint.
- The grassy cone and open meadow feel distinct from the park’s crater hikes.
Heads up
- Uneven grass and a short, steep climb make it less of a casual stroll.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes map
Full mapElevation2,290–2,333 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Hawaiʻi Volcanoes alerts
- 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
- ClosureWork closures on Hilina Pali and Mauna Loa roadsRoad work is restricting motorized and all-use access on portions of Hilina Pali Road and Mauna Loa Road.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Tour Guide
Your drive to Kamakapaʻa 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
Kamakapaʻa: A Short Walk for the View0:00 / 0:23
“Up ahead is the Kamakapaʻa trailhead, for a short walk through open grassland to a small cinder cone. Allow twenty to thirty minutes for the half-mile loop, with uneven footing and a short, steep climb near the top.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Kahuku: Start Here for Pasture and Cinders
- Palm Trail: Pasture and an 1868 Lava Channel
- Forested Pit Crater: A Hike to the Rim
- Kahuku Quarantine Gate: The Longer Glover Walk
- 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 Kamakapaʻa Trail
A short cone-top loopPlan on half a mile for the complete loop, including the short access spur from Kahuku Road and…
Plan on half a mile for the complete loop, including the short access spur from Kahuku Road and the same spur back. Allow 20–30 minutes. This is an easy, quick stop if you want a walk through Kahuku grassland and a hilltop view without giving it half a day.
Uneven meadow, steep final riseThe path crosses open grass, then climbs steeply for a short stretch to a small cinder cone.
The path crosses open grass, then climbs steeply for a short stretch to a small cinder cone. Expect uneven footing and about 40 feet of elevation change. From the top, the view sweeps across lower Kaʻū. Pause up there; that wide, open look over the district is the payoff.
Access and rulesUse the Kamakapaʻa Trailhead access along Kahuku Road, separate from the nearby Puʻu o Lokuana…
Use the Kamakapaʻa Trailhead access along Kahuku Road, separate from the nearby Puʻu o Lokuana trailhead. Parking details are limited, so look for the Kamakapaʻa sign. Kahuku opens on limited posted days and hours; reservations aren't needed, pets aren't allowed, and an entrance fee may apply. Check park access information before driving out.
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.
