Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Hawaii

Kahuku Palm Trail

2.6 mi loop · about 350 ft of climbing · 2,466 ft–2,795 ft · hiking

2,739 ft 2,732 ft · 2.6 mi high 2,795 ft

Visit Kahuku: Forested Pit Crater the Park Service's write-up

3-6 Hours · no dogs

Start Pali o Kaʻeo Trailhead

Forested pit crater surrounded by ferns

No matter which trailhead you start from, this is a steep, strenuous hike in the Kahuku Unit. Walk though brilliant green pasture-land, past magnificent koa and ʻōhiʻa lehua trees, to the edge of a huge collapsed crater . The 250-foot (76 m) vertical walls have protected the unspoiled native rain forest within from cattle, pigs and people. With an astonishing array of Hawaiian species, many rare and endangered, this magical place affords us a glimpse into the distant past, before human-caused transformation that affected the surrounding ranch land. For your safety, stay away from the pit crater edge.

Trailheads: Begin and end at the Pit Crater Trailhead or at the Pali o Kaʻeo Trailhead

Distance: Round trip from Pit Crater Trailhead to the pit crater: 4.8 miles (7.8 km). Very steep start from this trailhead.

For a less rigorous, more scenic start to the hike, begin at the Pali o Kaʻeo Trailhead. Add 2.4 miles (3.9 km) to the above figures.

Difficulty: Strenuous

Elevation change: 1,165 feet (335 m) from Pit Crater Trailhead

Duration : 3-hour minimum

Bring: Water, snacks, wear 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.