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. Carry plenty of water and don't forget the (reef safe) sunscreen The following are a few popular routes.
Kailua Kona to Hawi (the Ironman World Championship Route). Depending on where you start this route the total mileage may vary. The route described here starts at the pier where Ironman swimmers transition to bike for the ride to Hawi and back. The route follows the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway (Hwy 19) to Kawaihae where it becomes Highway 270. The route generally follows rolling terrain with great coastal views and reaches it highest point of elevation in the town of Hawi at a little under 600 feet. Find food, water and restrooms here. The shoulder is good the entire way and you can watch for whales from December through March. Check the weather forecast and be aware that the famous Kona Winds can impact on your ride. The round trip route described here is about 110 miles with around 5,400 feet of elevation gain throughout. ridewithgps.com/routes/53730930
Honaunau - South (43-mile roundtrip, 3,780' vertical) Start from Kona Aquatic Center, ride south about 6.5 miles on Ali'i Drive to reach Keauhou, continuing south as the 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. Gradients on the Bypass Rd top out at 15%. This round-trip route is about 43 miles with around 3,800 feet of elevation gain. 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) in Waimea. Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, with option of 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
Mud Lane / Hawaii Vanilla Company - Start at dirt parking lot at intersection of Mud Lane and Hawaii Belt Rd (Hwy 19) in Waimea. Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, with option of stopping at Tex's Drive-In for world famous malasadas. (restrooms/water). Continue east on Hawaii Belt Road and divert onto Kalopa Rd at 11.6 miles, and ascend to the Hawaii Vanilla Co at about the 17 mile mark. Food/water/restrooms. Descend back to the Hawaii belt Road and return to the starting area via the Old Mamalahoa Highway from Honakaa. Expect light rural local traffic other than the Hawaii Belt Road. This out & back route is about 34 miles with 3,300 feet of vertical gain. ridewithgps.com/routes/52008587
Kohala Mt. Road Loop Ride 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 loop route is about 50 miles with around 4,500 feet of elevation gain, and is safest on a Sunday mornings. 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
Naalehu - ("The Bakery Ride") Start near the Punalu'u Bake Shop in Naalehu, follow Ka'alaki Rd as it turn into Cane Haul Road and continue for 14 miles into Pahala, add an out and back loop on Pikake St/Wood Valley Rd and return via Ka'alaki Rd out of Pahala to join the Hawaii Belt Road before ascending back into Naalehu. The outbound route is back-county service road with decent pavement running through rolling terrain. Mostly agricultural land with nice coastal vistas and very little vehicular traffic. Returning on Hawaii Belt Road is subject to normal traffic. This loop route is about 40 miles with around 3,500 feet of elevation gain. Steepest gradients are in the 7%-8% range. Watch out for cattle on the rural roadway! ridewithgps.com/routes/53600436
Kailua Kona to Hawi (the Ironman World Championship Route). Depending on where you start this route the total mileage may vary. The route described here starts at the pier where Ironman swimmers transition to bike for the ride to Hawi and back. The route follows the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway (Hwy 19) to Kawaihae where it becomes Highway 270. The route generally follows rolling terrain with great coastal views and reaches it highest point of elevation in the town of Hawi at a little under 600 feet. Find food, water and restrooms here. The shoulder is good the entire way and you can watch for whales from December through March. Check the weather forecast and be aware that the famous Kona Winds can impact on your ride. The round trip route described here is about 110 miles with around 5,400 feet of elevation gain throughout. ridewithgps.com/routes/53730930
Honaunau - South (43-mile roundtrip, 3,780' vertical) Start from Kona Aquatic Center, ride south about 6.5 miles on Ali'i Drive to reach Keauhou, continuing south as the 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. Gradients on the Bypass Rd top out at 15%. This round-trip route is about 43 miles with around 3,800 feet of elevation gain. 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) in Waimea. Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, with option of 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
Mud Lane / Hawaii Vanilla Company - Start at dirt parking lot at intersection of Mud Lane and Hawaii Belt Rd (Hwy 19) in Waimea. Follow Old Mamalahoa Hwy and descend into Honakaa, with option of stopping at Tex's Drive-In for world famous malasadas. (restrooms/water). Continue east on Hawaii Belt Road and divert onto Kalopa Rd at 11.6 miles, and ascend to the Hawaii Vanilla Co at about the 17 mile mark. Food/water/restrooms. Descend back to the Hawaii belt Road and return to the starting area via the Old Mamalahoa Highway from Honakaa. Expect light rural local traffic other than the Hawaii Belt Road. This out & back route is about 34 miles with 3,300 feet of vertical gain. ridewithgps.com/routes/52008587
Kohala Mt. Road Loop Ride 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 loop route is about 50 miles with around 4,500 feet of elevation gain, and is safest on a Sunday mornings. 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
Naalehu - ("The Bakery Ride") Start near the Punalu'u Bake Shop in Naalehu, follow Ka'alaki Rd as it turn into Cane Haul Road and continue for 14 miles into Pahala, add an out and back loop on Pikake St/Wood Valley Rd and return via Ka'alaki Rd out of Pahala to join the Hawaii Belt Road before ascending back into Naalehu. The outbound route is back-county service road with decent pavement running through rolling terrain. Mostly agricultural land with nice coastal vistas and very little vehicular traffic. Returning on Hawaii Belt Road is subject to normal traffic. This loop route is about 40 miles with around 3,500 feet of elevation gain. Steepest gradients are in the 7%-8% range. Watch out for cattle on the rural roadway! ridewithgps.com/routes/53600436
