Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Hawaii

Kahuku Glover Trail

5.9 mi of trail, end to end · Visit Kahuku: Glover Trail: 1.2 mi one way in the Service's write-up · about 1,400 ft of climbing · 2,915 ft–4,459 ft · hiking

4,434 ft 4,287 ft · 2.7 mi high 4,458 ft

Visit Kahuku: Glover Trail 1.2 mi one way · the Park Service's write-up

3-5 Hours · no dogs

Start Upper Paddocks Above the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) Quarantine Gate

Trail through pastureland with old ʻōhiʻa trees.
Discover native forest birds and towering ʻōhiʻa trees Photo: NPS Photo/M.Watanabe

This part of Kahuku was once a vast wilderness, thick with vines and towering trees. At the beginning of the ranching era, forests were cleared and replaced with grass for herds of cattle. This hike takes you through scenic pastureland and culminates on the edge of a huge pit crater that provides a glimpse into the past. The crater shelters a pristine Hawaiian rainforest protected by its sheer walls.

Trailhead : ROD Quarantine Gate. Hikers need to account for the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) one-way walk from the ROD Quarantine Gate to the Glover trailhead.

Distance : 3.2-mile (5 km) loop with a 320-foot (98 m) elevation change. Add in the 2.4 miles (3.8 km) to and from the trail head for a total of 5.6 miles (8.8 km) round trip.

Difficulty : Strenuous

Duration: 3 - 5 hours

Bring : Water, snacks, sturdy footwear, and be prepared for sun, rain, heat or cold.

You must spray the soles of your shoes with rubbing alcohol (provided) at the ROD (Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death) decontamination station.

Accessibility Trail is on uneven grassy terrain, with significant elevation gain.

This hike on nps.gov

Visit Kahuku: Kona Trail 1.2 mi one way · the Park Service's write-up

3-5 Hours · no dogs

Start Upper Paddocks Above the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) Quarantine Gate

Hikers on a scenic trail surrounded by ʻōhia trees.
Discover native forest birds and towering ʻōhiʻa trees Photo: NPS Photo/M.Watanabe

A day hike on the Kona Trail takes you through scenic pasturelands scattered with large ʻōhiʻa trees and other vegetation. The trail also traverses the 1887 lava flow from Mauna Loa where lava flows reached the ocean in less than a day. Relics of Kahuku’s ranching era, pasture land and the 1887 lava flow define this trek.

Trailhead : ROD Quarantine Gate. Hikers need to account for the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) one-way walk from the ROD Quarantine Gate to the Kona trailhead.

Distance : 4.6-mile (7.3 km) loop with 520-foot (158 m) elevation change. Add in the 2.4 miles (3.8 km) to and from the trail head for a total of 7 miles (11.1 km) round trip.

Difficulty : Strenuous

Duration: 3 - 5 hours

Bring : Water, snacks, sturdy footwear, and be prepared for sun, rain, heat or cold.

You must spray the soles of your shoes with rubbing alcohol (provided) at the ROD (Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death) decontamination station.

Accessibility Trail is on uneven grassy terrain, with significant elevation gain.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 50 trails in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.