Captain Cook Monument Trail — Attraction in Hawaii

05/08/2025 (Thu) *There is no official parking lot. You’ll find space for about a dozen cars along the roadside near the trailhead.🚙

*At the monument site, there are no lifeguards, no restrooms, no trash bins, and no places to buy water or food, so you absolutely need to bring plenty of water and any supplies you may need.

*From the trailhead, you descend from an elevation of about 2000 feet (approx. 600 meters) over 2 miles (3.2 km) to reach the monument. The trail is steep and rough, especially in the lower half. Actually, I had tripped on a rock at the beach three days earlier and sprained my foot, so the descent was extremely tough for me. My husband also has some instability on his right side due to a medical condition, and since we were taking photos along the way and walking slowly, it took us about 1 hour and 50 minutes to go one way. (It turned out after we got home that it wasn’t just a sprain—I had actually fractured a bone.)😱

*The trail is not paved at all, so proper footwear is essential. Avoid sandals or any unstable shoes.

*Around Point 2, the trail goes through grassy paths and the terrain is relatively easy. When we hiked in early May, the trail markers were all visible, but depending on the season, the tall grass may hide them. Some hikers report that the grass can scratch your skin, so long sleeves and long pants are recommended.

*After passing Point 3, you’ll reach a grazing area with cows, and nearby you might spot wild goats or even a black wild boar in the distance. It’s a peaceful and charming part of the trail, shaded by trees.🐐🐄🐗

*However, even after that relaxing section, the trail remains rocky and unstable up to around Point 6, with many large loose stones. It’s easy to lose your footing, and there aren’t many places to grab onto for support.

*After passing Point 5, the trail opens up to a wide ocean view, which lifts your spirits a bit.

*Then comes one of the steepest and most difficult sections of the trail, with large jagged rocks making the descent very tricky.🪨🪨🪨

*Once you get past Point 7, the trail becomes flat and shaded, leading directly to the Captain Cook Monument.

*The water here is deep, calm, and incredibly clear—ideal for snorkeling.

*If you're bringing lunch or snacks, be very careful with mongooses. We packed everything tightly in several bags, wrapped it in a towel, zipped it inside a backpack, and still came back after 30 minutes to find the backpack opened and everything eaten. These animals are clever and experienced!😱

*As for snorkeling, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of our entire trip to the Big Island. The water felt like an aquarium—warm, clear, and filled with yellow tangs and other fish.🐟🐠🐡

*However, the hike itself was extremely demanding, and when I think about going back, I honestly hesitate. So while the snorkeling was 5 stars, the trail experience brings the overall rating down to 2 stars for me.☆☆🙇

*If you plan to visit, I highly recommend going early in the morning. For everything—from parking availability, to cooler temperatures on the trail, to calmer ocean conditions, and avoiding crowds of tour groups—early morning is absolutely the...

Alright, if you’re concerned about the difficulty of the hike I’m going to leave a no nonsense review that is just about the hike itself.

If you’re not used to hiking or do not routinely do cardio to get your heart rate up, this will be an extremely difficult hike.

The hike is roughly 1.91 miles down and then 1.91 miles back up. The hike to Captain Cook monument is basically all downhill. I recommend going early for two reasons: 1) parking is limited and 2) there is about .5-.75 mile stretch where you’re fully exposed to the sun on a trail filled with lava rocks. The hike will be much more difficult all around the hotter it is outside.

Going down isn’t easy as there are a lot of loose rocks and leaves that can be slippery if wet or there is mist. You will need solid shoes that handle wet/loose conditions well so you don’t fall. For us, going down actually took longer (56 mins) than going back up (54 mins) as we were trying to ensure we didn’t slip on the loose rock. If you are not sure footed, this could be extremely difficult.

Going back up is physically more demanding and your heart rate will definitely increase. However, it’s easier with respect to not trying to balance yourself for fear of slipping which is why we did it faster. You also definitely want to have plenty of water (we had a 2L camelback and two 40oz hydro flasks and this was good for us).

Cannot emphasize enough trying to avoid doing this during the hottest part of the day.

Breakdown for hike: 1: first mile is in the shade all downhill. Slippery conditions possible if leaves are wet. 2: .5 - .75 miles where you’re fully exposed to the sun and there is lava rock all around. This is where a lot of loose rocks are which can increase chance of slipping. Still all downhill. 3: remaining distance - loose rocks with mix of shade towards the end of the hike. All downhill with exception of the last .10 miles or so where it levels out towards the ocean.

The monument is incredible and worth it. We did a little bit of snorkeling which was beautiful but cut it short due to the waves. However, I saw a lot of comments about the difficulty of the hike and wanted to leave a no nonsense breakdown for anyone who...

A moderate/difficult hike with the best snorkeling at the bottom.

Parking is about 20 spots that have been carved out by the path entrance. There is no crosswalk, and there's a blind turn nearby, so be prepared to play real-life Frogger.

The path is unmaintained. It is a narrow, moderately steep dirt path, that is sometimes covered entirely in loose lava rock. I would recommend at least closed toed shoes (we saw a number of hikers in flip-flops; you're tougher than me).

The hike is marked every quarter mile with a number (1 to 7). There are no restrooms at the top, bottom, or in-between. If you're open to it, there are multiple spots that offer modest privacy for a pee-break.

The first third is shaded, then open, with shade for the final stretch. We did the hike with 4 teenagers who grumbled a decent amount- and they have been hiking before.

The bay is fine- no beach to speak of, but lots of trees for shelter available and a patch of grass if you're willing to break international norms. The grass is surrounding an obelisk dedicated to Captain Cook and is apparently officially British soil, surrounded by heavy chains. There is a small plaque at the west entrance in the water at the spot where Cook was killed. You can also find some concrete columns in the water that are from an older memorial.

There are some half-finished walkways (rocks in concrete) and no easy way to get out of the water from snorkeling. Getting in the water is easiest by diving off a wall. The snorkeling is the best we found on the island. Mature coral reefs with a great array of tropical fish, including schools of yellow tang. It has less surf than other areas we tried, and you don't have to swim far at all.

There's no amenities along the trail including water, so it's 100% pack in/pack out. Due to the difficulty of getting to the bay, the only others there were from snorkling tours on the other side of the bay.

Overall, must see if you are snorkeling, but come prepared and leave time for the hike. It's not just 3.6 miles round trip, it's also 1200 feet in...