A hidden gem at the southern part of the Big Island, hiking to Green Beach also known as Papakolea Beach is a great day activity for any of those looking to explore the island. The Green beach hike is a moderate hike, which will take approximately 4 hours – but will take you to a beautiful green sand beach.
Green Beach Hike Overview
- Location: Green Beach
- Overall Rating: Moderate
- Total Trail Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
- Incline: 2 degrees
- Time: 4 hours
- Cost: Free
- Navigation: Google maps will be able to locate “Green Beach” and take you to the trail entrance/parking area.
About Green Beach
The green beach is actually named Papakolea Beach.
This beach is famous for being one of four green beaches in the world. The other three being located in: Guam, Galapagos, and Norway. Papakolea or “The Green Beach” gets its distinctive coloring from olivine sand eroded out of the enclosing volcanic cone.
Scam at Green Beach
When you show up, you will find that there are a lot of vehicles parked in one area. In this area is also a shack of individuals saying that this is the closest you can get to the green beach and that the only way out is by their transportation which they can “shuttle you to the site for $20 a person”.
Well, apparently this is all completely inaccurate. As you can park in the area, and opt to walk the 3 miles out to the beach yourself – therefore completely free.
There is also the option of driving your own vehicle out there – there were numerous jeep wranglers at the green beach location that just took the same trail as the trucks that were shuttling tourists out to the location.
I personally didn’t realize you could drive out there at all – and opted to hike. When I got out there I quickly realized I could have just driven my wrangler out instead of hiking out.
The trail for Green Beach
The trail to reach out to green beach is primarily flat. You will be walking and weaving along the coastline following tire trails left by those that actually drive all the way out to the green beach location. There is the occasional hill that you will summit, but it is not anything that will take more than ten minutes to go up (if even) before coming back down the side.
The ground is a mixture of grass/plants in some areas, with sand or red dirt. This can make the walking a bit more difficult, and I do not recommend walking barefoot as the plants have little thorns that will find their way in your feet quickly.
Views from the Top
The green beach is surrounded by the highest portion of the entire hike which offers some great views down at the little cove where the green beach is hidden. From here you can get amazing views of the beach, and amazing views just out over the vast option.
Conditions at Green Beach
Reaching the bottom
Green Beach is inside a cove. After the hike out, you will have to do a minor climb down to reach the actual beach. There is a mixture of stairs/ladder (only fits one person at a time). It may be too steep for those who have knee problems as it is a bit of a mixture of climbing/walking. However, it only takes about five minutes to reach the bottom.
Ocean Condition
The water can be surprisingly rough inside the cove. The farther you swim from the shore you will not be able to feel it – but you also won’t be able to touch the ground!
The most difficult part can be getting in and out of the ocean. The waves are strong and can easily pull people into the undercurrent.
Ultimately, be safe and watch the water before entering! If the conditions seem to be rough then avoid the water. Definitely watch children when they are at the beach!
Is the sand really green?
The photos that are on Instagram are edited. I will start with that.
The sand is indeed a “green-olive” color. So you can see a slight tint difference to the sand you will see on the rest of the Big Island. However, it is not a real dramatic green – just a slightly different shade than other beaches.
The time it takes to Hike Green Beach Trail
The total time to hike Green Beach Trail: 4 hours
I would estimate it is approximately 1.5 hours to reach out to the beach, and from there it really depends how long you stay at the beach to determine the total time.
Hiking Attire for Green Beach
If you are making the decision of hiking to Green Beach – then it is best to wear some comfortable clothes. The option to wear your swimsuit under will be entirely up to you – but be prepared for potential chaffing if it isn’t entirely comfortable after walking for 6 miles in total.
Packing List for Green Beach
- Plenty of water – the incline on the road up to the lighthouse can be a bit tiresome in the humidity.
- Sun Screen – There is no shade on this trail, so you will be exposed to the sun.
- Snacks – Always great to refresh after climbing, plus there are areas to sit on barriers to enjoy a quick snack and drink.
- Change of Shoes – it is best to have multiple pairs of shoes or flip flops during this hike. I would recommend ensuring that you are wearing comfortable walking shoes if you do walk all the way out to the Green beach!
Facilities at Green Beach
There are no facilities at Green beach. Well, there is a picnic bench, but you won’t find any bathrooms or water fountains, or anything of the sort. Therefore be prepared to pack out anything that you pack in.
How to get to Green Beach
Currently, the best way to get to Green Beach is in a rental car.
You can easily navigate to the beach using google maps and typing in “Papakōlea Green Sand Beach”. However, as you grow closer to the beach you will start to lose cell reception and radio stations – so ensure that you have some screenshots of the map just in case.
From Hilo to Green Beach: it is a two-hour drive to reach Green Beach from Hilo.
From Kona to Green Beach: it is an hour and a half drive to reach Green beach from Kona.
Parking at Green Beach
As mentioned during the scam portion, you will first come across what looks to be a “parking area”. This is the first option for parking and then continuing out to green beach by hiking.
The other option is to drive out to green beach, (recommend only those with four-wheel drives as there is no paved road and it is incredibly bumpy), where you can park along with the entrances to the green beach cove.
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