Honolua Bay Access Trail

The roadside access is near mile marker 32.5. The path winds beneath large trees, hanging roots and vines. Most of the tread is dirt, with uneven, rocky patches that can be slippery after rain. The land manager and exact public entrance are not clearly identified in official trail listings; guides also report private parcels and unmarked graves beside the route. Follow the established path and posted access instructions.

The walk ends at a rocky shore, not a broad sandy beach. Across the bay, Molokaʻi gives the view a clear horizon. From the rocks, include a few boulders in the foreground to show the scale of the cove. The inshore water near the boat ramp can be murky from silt carried by Honolua Stream; visibility may be better farther out or to either side, but it varies. High surf is common in winter, so stay out of the water then.

The 45-acre Honolua–Mokulēʻia Marine Life Conservation District was established in 1978. Its rules protect marine life and prohibit removing or disturbing coral, sand and other geological material. Leave what you find where it is.

Honolua’s reputation as a surf break grew in the 1970s. A 1975 feature called the bay “Paradise Lost,” a name that helped draw wider attention to this stretch of coast. That story belongs to the bay at the end of the walk; the forest approach is its own small pleasure.