Captain Cook Monument Trail

The Captain Cook Monument Trail starts along Napoopoo Road a couple of minutes down from the Highway 11 junction. From there it's about 6.5 km return to Ka'awaloa Flats, along the north end of Kealakekua Bay. Waiting at the bottom is a white obelisk, raised in 1874 close to where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779. Ideally plan to start the hike early so you can have both the best light and the bay at its quietest, before the tour boats and the afternoon cloud arrive. The trail views open up repeatedly on the way down, so you'll want factor in extra time to pause and shoot the amazing views. Down at the flats you'll find endless composition options ranging from experimenting with pairing the white obelisk against the rich ocean tones, or exploring to find small sandy pockets and tide pools. Plus the water is clear enough here that spinner dolphins are a regular sight. Sometimes even goats will wander the ruins nearby. This hike is free to access but parking along Napoopoo Road is limited so it may be tricky to find a spot to park. Eight markers count you down, one every quarter mile, which helps on the long climb back up and the effort is definitely worth all the breathtaking views. (Captain Cook, Hawaii, United States)