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This is less of a hike and more of a cliff jumping activity. To be more realistic, it is 100% about the cliff jumping! The hike itself is only about 0.3 miles from where you park. At the end of the trail is a 30-40ft cliff that stands above the big blue water of the pacific. The conditions here can be dicey, but if the ocean is calm End Of The World is a great place to cliff jump.
ADVENTURE STATISTICS
Time Required: 1 Hours
Location: 8 miles south of Kona
Distance: 0.6 miles round trip
Highest Elevation: 30-40ft
Difficulty: 2/10 for the hike to the cliff, 8/10 for the cliff jumping (depending on conditions)
Season: Year round
Additional Requirements: N/A
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From Kona: Head South on Hawaii Belt Rd until you reach Kamehameha III Rd and take a right. Follow Kamehameha III Rd to Alii Hwy and take a left and continue for exactly 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Keauhou Kainaliu Beach Rd and continue for 0.7 miles until you reach the end of the road. Park your car and continue by foot.
WHAT TO BRING
- Water:Even though the hike is very short, Hawaii is hot. Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
- Swimsuit:If you are going to cliff jump, bring your trunks.
- Towel:Always nice to have a towel when you get out of the water.
- Water Shoes:to get out of the water you have to climb up lava rock. Water Shoes will protect your feet from sharp rocks.
- Sunscreen:If it is sunny and you’re like Mattson, who easily burns, bring sunscreen!
- Camera:The waves crashing upon the black lava rock make for some great photo opportunities.
- This Guide:Print a copy of this guide to reference throughout the hike
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Ocean Conditions: This area is not for beginner or even intermediate swimmers. Depending on the time of year (December – March being especially dangerous) the swells coming into the End Of The World are extremely dangerous. When climbing up onto the rocks, be very careful, and be honest with your swimming skills. If you have any doubts, DO NOT JUMP!
Leave No Trace: It is important that we enjoy the outdoors responsibly and sustainably. Some key principles to consider when hiking to “Leave No Trace” are:
- Plan ahead and prepare: Proper planning allows adventurers to hike safely while minimizing damage to the land.
- Travel on durable surfaces: Stick to the trail when possible. If there is no trail, or you must travel off trail, stay on durable surfaces to reduce your impact.
- Dispose of waste properly: Pack it in, pack it out.
- Leave what you find: Leave rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects of interest as you find them.
- Respect wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance. Never feed wild animals.
- Be considerate of other visitors: Be courteous to others to allow everyone to enjoy their outdoor experience.
To learn more about “Leave No Trace” visit http://www.leavenotrace.ca
HIKING DIRECTIONS
Summary: The hike to End Of The World is very straight forward. If the swells are too large to jump it is a great place to visit to see the waves crash against the lava rock cliffs.
Step-By-Step Guide:
This hike starts at the end of Keauhou Kainaliu Beach Rd. It is such a short hike you can basically see the cliff from where you park. Follow the trail along the coast to the south. This trail is well defined and easy to follow. When the rocky path ends you must traverse some lava rock to get to the jump site.
There are a couple ledges to jump from. One is roughly 30ft, the other is roughly 40ft. It’s always a good idea to check the water level for yourself at any cliff jumping site. Watch the ocean before jumping to get a sense of the timing of the swells coming in and how large they are.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Thank you for choosing Epic Trip Adventures as your guide. We are committed to continually updating our guides to be as relevant and accurate as possible. If you have feedback to improve this guide please leave it in the comments below.
We also want to hear about your End Of The World adventures. If you have stories, pictures or even a link to your own adventure video please share them below!
Have fun out there!
– ETA