4 of the best hikes on the Big Island of Hawaii
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Here are some of the best hikes on the Big Island of Hawaii. We recently visited the Big Island for a quick weekend trip because Southwest Airlines had a great Hawaii sale. We used just 12,000 miles for a roundtrip flight.
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A long weekend was the perfect amount of time to see all of the most popular sights on the Big Island. We managed to squeeze in four great hikes during our three-night stay. Here are the best hikes to do on the Big Island.
Pololu Trail
Distance: .9 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Pololu Valley Trail
This is the shortest of the trails we hiked and we managed to squeeze it in on the same day as arriving on the Big Island. Although short, the climb back up can be strenuous. This trail is in the Northwest part of the island about 60 miles north of Kona.
Rope Swings at Pololu Trail
From the top of the trail, you can see the gorgeous valley views and black sand beach along the Hamakua Coast. The steep trail down takes you to the bottom of the valley, a river, and the black sand beach. It’s a mostly shaded trail. At the bottom, there are several rope swings.
We also saw some paddle boarding and kayaking in the river. It was such a peaceful ambiance. The views from the beach are gorgeous as well. Don’t miss this hike!
Pro Tip: Time your visit to enjoy the sunset on the return hike.
2. Kilauea Iki Trail & Crater Rim
Distance: 3.1 Mile Loop
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Kilauea Crater
This trail begins in the Scenic Overlook of the crater. The trail takes you through the rainforest to the bottom of the crater and through the lava field. It was chilly in the morning but warmed up by the time you get to the crater floor.
On the way to the trail, you can take a quick stop at the Thurston lava tubes. The lava tubes are about a .7 mile walk-through and a must-see! It was such a cool experience and at the time we went, we were the only ones walking through the tubes.
This is a kid-friendly trail, although if you bring your kids, try to keep them on the “path” in the lava field. The trail is fairly easy except for the steps on the way back up the crater. They are steep but doable.
The crater is about a mile long. We recommend going early in the morning to get parking and to avoid crowds. We were there before 8 am and had the whole trail to ourselves!
The landscape is so unique and it is such an amazing experience. During the walk through the rain forest, you will be able to smell a strong floral aroma and see beautiful lush plants. Add this to your list!
Pro Tip: Do this trail counter-clockwise to avoid going up the huge steps.
3. Waipio Valley Trail
Distance: 4.7 mile out and back
Difficulty: Moderate
Waipio Valley Lookout
This was our favorite hike on the Big Island because of these scenic views (pictured above)! The trail starts at the scenic Waipio Lookout. You began down a paved steep road. You can drive this road if you have a 4x4 and good brakes, although it’s a very steep one-lane road.
After getting to the bottom, you make your way to the beach through the muddy path. Once at the beach, you cross over the river and continue to follow the trail along the beach before heading inland.
River Crossing
You then make your way up the mountain until you reach the viewpoint. The trail continues into the valley for many more miles and requires a camping permit. When you reach the overlook, you can see a waterfall in the distance, the valley, and the black sand beach below. It really is quite amazing and it just might be one of our favorite views ever!
One of the hardest parts of the trail is crossing the river because the rocks are so slippery. Make sure to wear good water or hiking shoes. It would be tough to do barefoot. The other challenging part can be walking down and up the steep paved road at the beginning of the trail. It can be pretty hard on your knees. However, on the way back up, if you get lucky like us, we were offered a ride by the locals.
Pro Tip: If you have a 4x4 vehicle, take it all the way to the beach.
4. Papakolea Green Sand Beach
Distance: 5.6 mile out and back
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail starts around the corner from the southernmost point. This is an easy trail right along the coast. This trail is also used for off-roading and ATVs. At the beginning of the trail, you will see the locals in their trucks offering rides for a small fee. However, I have been told that driving on this trail is illegal. So please do your own research before taking these rides offered by the locals.
This is a very dusty and windy trail so expect to get dirty. Plan to hike in the morning or evening to avoid the sun as there is no shade on the trail.
The PapaKolea Green Sand Beach is one of the only true beaches like this in the world. It truly is a must-see! Especially since this trail is so accessible, you don’t want to miss this one.
When you get to the beach, there is an easy path down. There is a ladder to get down and then a walkway through the rocks that is so unique! The rock formations look like mini slot canyons. The ocean is very rough although it doesn’t stop people from swimming, since the water is crystal clear.
Pro Tip: Give yourself enough time to spend at the beach because you will want to sit and enjoy the views.
We took this last-minute trip to the Big Island because we found a great deal on Southwest Airlines. Since we had Southwest points, that we earned from a sign-up bonus on their credit card, we could book this with miles. We just had to pay taxes for $5.60 each way. It was just 12,000 miles to book a round-trip ticket from Phoenix to Kona, which is a pretty unbelievable price!
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If you’re not using miles, to book your travel, what’s stopping you? Get started by getting a Southwest credit card and earning that sign-up bonus. You can use my link here.
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If you’re looking for more pictures or videos, head over to my Instagram account @melissastraveladdiction.com. All of our trips are documented there.
Have you been to the Big Island? If so, have you hiked any of these trails? Let me know in the comments!
