Kehena Beach
Pahoa, HI
Kehena Beach formed suddenly in 1955 when lava poured down the sea cliffs of Puna and hardened into the black sand shoreline that's there today, reached only by a steep, rocky footpath from the highway shoulder. Spinner dolphins show up in the bay often enough that some locals call it Dolphin Beach instead, and the crowd that gathers here skews toward regulars who've been coming for years.
A genuinely beloved local beach with regular dolphin visits, though part of it is informally treated as clothing optional, which has drawn citations in the past, and the steep trail keeps it from being an easy visit for everyone.
How we score beachesWear real shoes for the trail down, not sandals. It's short but genuinely steep and loose in spots, and the climb back up in flip flops trips up more visitors than anything else here.
Roadside parking along Highway 137 near mile marker 19 serves the trailhead, informal but usually available outside of weekends.
A steep, rocky footpath drops from the road to the sand, not manageable for strollers, wheelchairs, or anyone unsteady on uneven ground.
Puna stays wet in every season, and the trail can turn slick and even more difficult after rain, which falls here more than almost anywhere else on the island.
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