Hawaii’s Ancient Footpath
Posted on Jul 05, 2009 under Big Island History |King’s Trail is a Kohala Coast landmark.
The Big Island has some of the oldest and most historically important trails in all the islands. The Kings’ Trail is among an ancient system of trails that run through the Big Island under varying names. Also called the Malama Trail, the King’s Trail is part of the old Kealanuipuni Trail that traverses the entire island. Where it runs along the shoreline it forms a segment of the national historic Ala Kahakai Trail.
The long pathway served as a connection between villages along the Kohala Coast where the ruling classes lived and engaged in leisure activities. It may have also been used by fishermen to transport pond-raised fish to the tables of ali’i, or by farmers to move cattle from shoreline ranches to shipping docks. Various petroglyph sites, rock shelters, fishponds, mountain springs and other archeological attractions can be seen along the trail.
Within the Waikoloa section are thousands of centuries-old rock carvings that make up the Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve. Free guided tours through the sacred area are available at 10:30 Thursdays through Sundays starting at the Kings’ Shops center stage. Good walking shoes and sunscreen are recommended for the excursion, which takes about an hour. From Kona, take Highway 19 north and turn left on Waikoloa Beach Drive. A sign pointing to the King’s Trail is found within the lava field adjacent to the Fairway Villas on Pohakulana Place, just before the Kings’ Shops. Park in the Kings’ Shops parking lot.
