1871 Trail Introduction
in Hawaii
Look out at the trail in front of you. It may seem like just a simple trail, but if you look closely it will tell the story of the progression from footpaths to roadways. Imagine what this island would look like with no roads….
How about with no trails! It would certainly be difficult to get around in this rugged lava landscape. When the Polynesian Voyagers arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, that was their reality. An untouched, rugged, lava wilderness.
So, in ancient times, a network of trails was constructed to connect people, places, and resources. This section of trail is called the 1871 Trail, due to improvements made in… You guessed it, 1871. However, this small segment of trail is just one section of the larger Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail which is the 175-mile-long trail corridor that traverses from the northernmost tip of the island, along the western edge, around the southern tip and into Puna.
- States
- Hawaii
- Trail type
- National Historical Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Honolulu, HI · 182 mi · ~5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 19.4205°, -155.9104°
About Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
This trail is inside Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, a national historical park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $20 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/1871-trail-introduction.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked 1871 Trail Introduction and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Junction of the 1871 Trail & Coastal Trail
0 miles from this trail's centroid
J - Shoreline Viewpoint on the 1871 Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
N - Mauka-Makai Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
1871 Trail Tour Conclusion
1 miles from this trail's centroid
Kona Trail
26 miles from this trail's centroid
The Palm Trail
27 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.