About
Length (round trip)4.6 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyHard
Elevation gain1,200 ft up
Typical time4 hr 30 min
TrailheadKahuku Unit, Highway 11
SurfaceSteep ranch road and forest path
Best seasonYear round. The summit area is cool and wet; the coastal and Kau Desert sections are hot and exposed.
DogsNot allowed
AccessibilityTrail is on uneven grassy terrain, with significant elevation gain
What you'll see 🕳️ Cave or arch🌲 Old growth

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 hia 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 Kaeo 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 Kaeo 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 hia Death) decontamination station

Tips
The crater is a natural exclosure - the plants inside show what this whole landscape looked like before cattle. Do not descend into it.
Location

Kahuku Unit, Highway 11

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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Trail data: USGS National Map / PAD-US, the National Park Service, state agencies, and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Access and conditions change — check with the managing agency before you go.