Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling Area loop from Captain Cook

Hiking trails & Routes

United States

Hawaiʻi County

Captain Cook

Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling Area loop from Captain Cook

Hard

4.7

(5381)

14,025

hikers

Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling Area loop from Captain Cook

02:58

6.17km

380m

Hiking

Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 18, 2026

Tips

Includes segments that may be dangerous

Parts of this route comprise highly technical, difficult, or hazardous terrain. Specialist equipment and prior experience is required.

After 13 m for 3.01 km

After 3.26 km for 2.90 km

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

2.90 km

Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park

Highlight • Historical Site

2.95 km

Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling Area

Highlight • Beach

Kealakekua Bay is a beautiful place. By nature, a bizarre combination of walls built from lava stones with dead old trees in the most fantastic forms, paired with the crystal-clear …

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Tip by

3.11 km

Captain Cook Monument, Kealakekua Bay

Highlight • Monument

British sea captain James Cook, believed to be the first western explorer to set eyes on the Hawaiian Islands, discovered the islands of O'ahu and Kaua'i on January 18, 1778. …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

6.17 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.71 km

341 m

120 m

Surfaces

5.71 km

341 m

120 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Thursday 8 October

26°C

19°C

59 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

June 20, 2022,Ka‘awaloa Trail zum Cook Monument an der Kealakekua Bay

The Ka'awaloa Trail to Kealakekua Bay with the James Cook Memorial was laid out by locals as early as 1820. The path is only 6km long in total, but very steep. At first you come through forest and reed fields, then it gets barren and then there are lava fields, as is so often the case on the Big Island. …

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May 18, 2025,Captain Cook Memorial

Kealakekua Bay is a magnificent place. Naturally, it's a bizarre combination of lava rock walls with dead, ancient trees in fantastic shapes, paired with the crystal-clear waters of the bay.

Dolphins, manta rays, and tropical fish are frequently seen in these waters.

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