Captain Cook Monument by the Kaʻawaloa Trail

The walk starts at the Kaʻawaloa trailhead on Nāpōʻopoʻo Road, a short way below its junction with Highway 11 at Captain Cook; parking is on the roadside only. The trail, an old cart road of the 1820s, drops between walls of tall grass and then across open lava with the bay below. At the bottom it reaches Kaʻawaloa, the flat at the north end of Kealakekua Bay, and runs through the trees to the Cook Monument, a white obelisk of 1874 beside the water of Kaʻawaloa Cove. Return the same way.

It is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) round trip with 1,270 feet (387 m) of climbing; allow about 3 hours. The grade is Hard: downhill all the way out, then a hot, shadeless climb of 1,300 feet back to the road.

Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park is open from 7 am to 8 pm and charges nothing. Walkers need no permit; the permits are for boats. There are no toilets and no water on the trail or at the monument, so carry plenty, start early and pack out your rubbish.

The trailhead is in a neighbourhood: park well off the road and do not block driveways. At the bay, stay off the old stone platforms and respect the kapu signs, and keep at least 50 yards from dolphins.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.