The Puako Petroglyphs are located north of Kona on route 19. Coming from Kona, you turn left at Mauna Lani Drive and continue right on the “roundabout” on Ala Ka’a Way. The park is next to the Fairmont Orchid Resort. It is well marked and easy to find.

I would recommend going to the Petroglyph trail early or later in the day as it does get “hot” with all the black lava. Bring water.

The trail itself is about a mile and a half long. You could circumvent the trail and view a number of petroglyphs within fifty yards at the beginning of the trail.

The Petroglyphs trail takes about an hour to do and has about 1200 visible petroglyphs. It is one of the largest collections of petroglyphs in the state of Hawaii.

There are actually two trails. While visiting the Puako Petroglyphs, we recommend doing the trail along the coast at Holoholo Kai Beach Park.

A nice bathroom facility separates the two trails.

The coastal route is inviting, scenic and cooler. We walked north pass the Nani Paniau Estate. We were fortunate to meet the caretaker who gave us a good review of the area. Some people continue the trail and snorkel further down. It is quite scenic and fun to do.