Finding Peace at Kahuku: A Local Guide to Kaʻū’s Best-Kept Secret

Finding Peace at Kahuku: My Favorite Place in Ka‘ū

The Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park holds a really special place in my heart. It’s my favorite place on the Big Island to hike, and it’s just a short drive from my home here in Ka‘ū. It’s where my ‘ohana and I go to slow down and be together.

Most visitors head straight to Kīlauea, about an hour away, which is why Kahuku still feels like Ka‘ū’s best-kept secret. It covers more than 116,000 acres on Mauna Loa’s southwest rift zone, and on most days we share the trails with only a handful of people.

That remoteness is exactly why it means so much to me. Out there it’s just open sky and the wind moving through the grass and ‘ōhi‘a trees.

For about 150 years it was one of the largest cattle ranches in Hawai‘i, and it was also used as a training site during World War II. The National Park Service acquired it in 2003, and today you can still see old ranch roads and fence lines winding through the pastures, right alongside lava flows from the 1868 Ka‘ū eruption, cinder cones and forested pit craters.

My family and I have hiked just about every trail at Kahuku, and each one has its own personality. When we only have a little time, we head up Pu‘u o Lokuana, a short 0.4-mile loop up a cinder cone with sweeping views of Ka‘ū all the way to the ocean. It’s family-friendly and the view is worth every step. My personal favorite is the Palm Trail, a 2.6-mile loop across open pastures and along the 1868 lava channel. The Pali o Ka‘eo Trail is a peaceful 2.1-mile walk through woodland meadows, perfect for days when we just want to breathe and talk story.

Real estate keeps me busy and Kahuku is where I go to reset. It reminds me why we chose to call Ka‘ū home. This side of the island isn’t flashy, but it’s real, wide open and full of aloha. Kahuku isn’t a crowded tourist stop. It’s a quiet, wide-open piece of Ka‘ū with big views and a deep sense of history. Sharing it with my family has made it one of the most meaningful places in my life.

Kahuku is open Thursday through Sunday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and admission is free. There’s a visitor contact station, restrooms and picnic tables, and on weekends you can often join a ranger-led walk or cultural demonstration. I always learn something new on those. If you’d like to learn more about the trails and history before you go, the Kahuku Unit page is a great place to start.

If you’re curious about life in Ka‘ū, I’d love to show you around, and maybe even point you toward my favorite trail. Let’s Discover Paradise Together!

With aloha,
Summer Hoffman, The Agency Team Hawaii