1871 Trail, Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Waimea, Hawai'i

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
4/18/2026	2.2 miles	1 hour 16 minutes	26'	1.7	104.4

Parking: 

• Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site
• Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Map:

• None needed.

Directions:

• Take the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (1871 Trail) to a gate. Turn back. Where the trail splits, turn left onto the Coastal Trail and take it back to the parking area.
• 1871 Trail to Kiʻilae Village Brochure

After wandering around the park and doing a couple of quick sketches, we did a hike on the 1871 Trail, where there were way fewer people. This is an out and back was interesting due to having dozens of goats on the trail, sometimes running in front of us. The goats are obviously a problem for the park, as they eat everything in sight. Goats were introduced to the island in 1813. There were gorgeous views of the ocean, plus some caves, which I found out later are actually lava tubes.

On our way back to Kona, we stopped at a random beach to watch a magical sunset.

Walk down this road to the trailhead

Trailhead

We hiked to the gate, and then took the Coastal Trail on the way back.

Soooo many goats on this trail. 100+

Stone walls, possibly used to be a goat pen?

I assume these are lava tubes

Our turnaround spot. 

The trail splits off here for the Coastal Trail

Noni