Makole’a Trail
On our first time on the Big Island of Hawaii we were stunned by the vast areas of black, ragged lava flows on the whole South Kohala Coast. These were recent lava flows – 1801 and 1859. The area north of the airport is all a’a lava, from the eruptions of 1801 coming down from the volcanic cones and vents on the west side of Mauna Loa. A State Park was created called Kona Coast State Park, but later changed to Kekaha Kai. A rough road winds down through the extraordinary ragged lava field to Mahai’ula Bay and from the parking area, we can follow “trails” north or south. On this first day of hiking in the lava fields of Hawai’i the route was south on the Makole’a Trail.
There are some fine beaches on the west coast of Hawai’i and there are also some wild beaches. The beaches on the south end of Mahai’ula Bay are wild, with crashing waves breaking on ragged lava and patches of sand in between. We can get our feet wet, but it is not suitable for swimming or surfing.
On a calm day, this is still a wild place, perfect for exploration.
The “trail” was really just a path through the lava made by throwing the biggest chunks to the sides over the years, maintained by users.
Along this trail were some small black sand beaches. Black sand is just lava pulverized by waves and tidal action over time. I waded in at this beach but was pummeled by sharp fragments driven in by waves. Scenic, but marginal for swimming.
These are wild beaches but they will have finer material over time.
The waves crash onto the lava flow headlands. Various lava tubes, surge channels, reefs, tidal pools, and a couple of arches could be seen along the route.
The route was out to Makolea Point and back, about 4 km of slow, careful hiking. Back at Mahai’ula Bay were a few shoreline trees, some coral-shell shoals, and a nice patch of sandy beach.
This is not a family beach, but it is a wonderful area to explore and to watch the surf, far from crowds.
There are much nicer beaches on this coast, but they are also full of people swimming, boogie boarding, snorkeling, sun bathing, fishing, and holidaying. The remote beaches of the South Kohala Coast are wild spots, still being shaped by sun, wind, and surf.
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