The Big Island of Hawaii is a great place to ride a bike. Warm weather and breathtaking scenery make seeing the Big Island by bicycle an event to remember. Here are a few popular routes. Kailua Kona to Hawi- 50 miles one way This is the route of the Hawaii Ironman World Championship. There’s a good riding shoulder the entire way and whales to watch December through March. The section from the Waikoloa to Hawi can be windy. The Hwy from Kona to Kawaihae is notorious for flats from wire fragments off steel belted tires. These wires can be hard to find and remove. Some riders carry tweezers to help with removal.
To Honaunau - South (43-mile roundtrip, 3,780' vertical) Start from Kona Aquatic Center, ride south on Ali'i Drive to reach Keauhou, where you turn right at top of hill and continue south as name changes from Ali'i Dr. to Mamalahoa Bypass Road. Series of climbs takes you to 1,300' at end of the Bypass Road (signaled intersection). Turn right and descend Napoopoo Road to stop sign at three-way intersection. Turn right and descend to Kealakekua Bay (restrooms/water). Continue south on Puuhonua Rd (Hwy 160) for a stop at Two-Step / City of Refuge. Ascend Keala O Keawe Road (Hwy 160) and turn left onto Painted Church Rd. Visit the historic Painted Church (restrooms/water) and grab a small banana bread ($4) before turning left onto Middle Keei Rd.. Ascend Napoopoo Rd with caution to motorists and return to start via the Mamalahoa Bypass Road and Ali'i Drive. ridewithgps.com/routes/49812494
Old Mamalahoa Hwy to Waipio Valley (37.5mi x 3,227ft) Start at dirt parking lot at intersection of Mud Lane and Hawaii Belt Rd (hwy 19). Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, stopping at Tex's Drive-In for world famous malasadas. (restrooms/water). Continue through the village of Honokaa and on to the Waipiao Valley Overlook using Waipio Road for scenic overlooks. Ride back through Honakaa and return to the Mud Lane parking lot via the Hawaii Belt Road (Hwy 19). ridewithgps.com/routes/49812899
Kohala Mt. Road Loop Ride (50miles x 4,555ft). Great coastal views, a scenic climb, and fast descents. Start at Spencer Beach Park (parking/restrooms/water), exit the park, turn left and follow the Akoni Pule Hwy (Hwy 270) north through Hawi to Kapa'au. Restrooms/water adjacent the police station. Ascend Kynnersley Road to merge with Kohala Mountain Road. Climb steadily with grades from 3% to 11% for 14 miles to the summit at an elevation of 3,500’. Descend into Waimea and follow Kawaihae Rd (Hwy 19) back to Spencer Beach Park. There is no shoulder on the Kohala Mt. Rd. and it can be windy and wet. This ride is safest on a Sunday morning. ridewithgps.com/routes/49814010
Interval Hill Climb in Kona. Hulikoa Drive from Kona Mountain Coffee in the small Kohanaike Shopping Center to the top of the 1.1 mile hill is a good road for hill climb intervals. It is a dead end road with little traffic. The grade is 3% to 12% and elevation gain 325'. 1,000’ Hill Climb in Kona. Hina Lani St (aka the Costco Rd) is a solid climb with a safe riding shoulder most of the way. The grade varies from 3% to 12%. It is 2 miles and 500’ el. gain to the water storage tank, 3 miles and 900’ to Anini St. (the first intersection), and 3.5 miles and 1,000’ to the top at Mamalahoa Hwy. 3,100’ Hill Climb in Kona.
Kaloko Drive is a Cat 1 climb on a mostly quiet, residential road but good handling skills and compact chainrings are highly recommended. Kaloko Drive starts about 2,000ft north of the top of the Hina Lani climb (above), the grade averages over 9% and kicks up to over 20% on the hairpins. Kaloko Drive is 6.5 miles and about 3,000ft gain, add a couple hundred feet of elevation if you take the left turn on Huehue St at the top and continue until the road ends just below the antennas. (After the first curve try Hao St. as a challenging alternative, crossing Kaloko once then rejoining it when the two cross again. Add Hina Lani St or Kaiminani Drive for additional challenge
Kaloko Drive - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814229
Kaloko Drive + Hina Lani Street - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814259
Kaloko Drive + Kaiminani Drive - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814308
To Honaunau - South (43-mile roundtrip, 3,780' vertical) Start from Kona Aquatic Center, ride south on Ali'i Drive to reach Keauhou, where you turn right at top of hill and continue south as name changes from Ali'i Dr. to Mamalahoa Bypass Road. Series of climbs takes you to 1,300' at end of the Bypass Road (signaled intersection). Turn right and descend Napoopoo Road to stop sign at three-way intersection. Turn right and descend to Kealakekua Bay (restrooms/water). Continue south on Puuhonua Rd (Hwy 160) for a stop at Two-Step / City of Refuge. Ascend Keala O Keawe Road (Hwy 160) and turn left onto Painted Church Rd. Visit the historic Painted Church (restrooms/water) and grab a small banana bread ($4) before turning left onto Middle Keei Rd.. Ascend Napoopoo Rd with caution to motorists and return to start via the Mamalahoa Bypass Road and Ali'i Drive. ridewithgps.com/routes/49812494
Old Mamalahoa Hwy to Waipio Valley (37.5mi x 3,227ft) Start at dirt parking lot at intersection of Mud Lane and Hawaii Belt Rd (hwy 19). Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, stopping at Tex's Drive-In for world famous malasadas. (restrooms/water). Continue through the village of Honokaa and on to the Waipiao Valley Overlook using Waipio Road for scenic overlooks. Ride back through Honakaa and return to the Mud Lane parking lot via the Hawaii Belt Road (Hwy 19). ridewithgps.com/routes/49812899
Kohala Mt. Road Loop Ride (50miles x 4,555ft). Great coastal views, a scenic climb, and fast descents. Start at Spencer Beach Park (parking/restrooms/water), exit the park, turn left and follow the Akoni Pule Hwy (Hwy 270) north through Hawi to Kapa'au. Restrooms/water adjacent the police station. Ascend Kynnersley Road to merge with Kohala Mountain Road. Climb steadily with grades from 3% to 11% for 14 miles to the summit at an elevation of 3,500’. Descend into Waimea and follow Kawaihae Rd (Hwy 19) back to Spencer Beach Park. There is no shoulder on the Kohala Mt. Rd. and it can be windy and wet. This ride is safest on a Sunday morning. ridewithgps.com/routes/49814010
Interval Hill Climb in Kona. Hulikoa Drive from Kona Mountain Coffee in the small Kohanaike Shopping Center to the top of the 1.1 mile hill is a good road for hill climb intervals. It is a dead end road with little traffic. The grade is 3% to 12% and elevation gain 325'. 1,000’ Hill Climb in Kona. Hina Lani St (aka the Costco Rd) is a solid climb with a safe riding shoulder most of the way. The grade varies from 3% to 12%. It is 2 miles and 500’ el. gain to the water storage tank, 3 miles and 900’ to Anini St. (the first intersection), and 3.5 miles and 1,000’ to the top at Mamalahoa Hwy. 3,100’ Hill Climb in Kona.
Kaloko Drive is a Cat 1 climb on a mostly quiet, residential road but good handling skills and compact chainrings are highly recommended. Kaloko Drive starts about 2,000ft north of the top of the Hina Lani climb (above), the grade averages over 9% and kicks up to over 20% on the hairpins. Kaloko Drive is 6.5 miles and about 3,000ft gain, add a couple hundred feet of elevation if you take the left turn on Huehue St at the top and continue until the road ends just below the antennas. (After the first curve try Hao St. as a challenging alternative, crossing Kaloko once then rejoining it when the two cross again. Add Hina Lani St or Kaiminani Drive for additional challenge
Kaloko Drive - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814229
Kaloko Drive + Hina Lani Street - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814259
Kaloko Drive + Kaiminani Drive - ridewithgps.com/routes/49814308
