Hawaii Belt Road - Route 11

Route 11

The mile Ø marker is at the intersection of Kamehameha Avenue (Route 19), Banyan Drive and Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo, coordinates 19°43′21″N 155°3′51″W / 19.7225°N 155.06417°W / 19.7225; -155.06417Coordinates: 19°43′21″N 155°3′51″W / 19.7225°N 155.06417°W / 19.7225; -155.06417. After about a mile is the intersection with Pūʻāinakō Street (Route 2000), which connects to the Saddle Road. Route 11 then continues along Kanoelehua Avenue towards Keaʻau where it becomes Volcano Highway near mile 4 before crossing into Puna District. Volcano Highway intersects with the terminus of Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road (Route 130) past mile 6 and Old Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road (Route 139), then continues through the towns of Kurtistown, Mountain View, Glenwood and Volcano Village.

Just beyond the Kaʻū District line, the entrance to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at mile 28 marks another name change, back to Māmalahoa Highway. The two lane road crests (4024 ft/1226M) just before the mile 30 marker and then heads down a long downhill stretch through the Kaʻū desert towards the black sands of Punaluʻu Beach Park, passing macadamia orchards near the town of Pāhala at mile 51 and the Sea Mountain Resort in Nīnole at mile 56.

Next are Nāʻālehu (mile 63), the southernmost community in the USA, and Waiʻōhinu (mile 65) which was a retreat for Mark Twain. A winding uphill climb yields to a meandering country lane were South Point Road, near mile 69, leads to Ka Lae (south point).

Another comfortable stretch of two lane road and a return to highway speeds begins past the mile 71 marker. Māmalahoa Highway crosses Mauna Loa's 1907 Lava Flow — there is a scenic point at mile 75 — before passing through Ocean View between Tiki Lane and Aloha Boulevard. Just past mile 82 is the South Kona District line.

Starting at mile 89, Māmalahoa Highway has sharp curves and a steep drop-off along the coastal side. Many small fishing villages dot the coast, including Miloliʻi, Pāpā Bay, Kona Paradise and Hoʻokena. The macadamia orchards soon give way to another tree crop. This is Kona coffee Country.

Keala o Keawe Road (Route 160), just before mile 104, serves as access to Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historic Park and St. Benedict's Catholic Church. Further along is the town of Captain Cook, named for the famed English explorer Captain James Cook. Nāpōʻopoʻo Road (Route 160) leads down to Nāpōʻopoʻo and Kealakekua Bay, site of the monument to Cook's death.

After mile 111 come the towns of Kealakekua, Kainaliu and Honalo. At "Coffee Junction" (mile 114), Māmalahoa Highway continues straight and eventually becomes Route 180, Route 11 veers to left and becomes Kuakini Highway. A 5-mile (8.0 km) stretch from Honalo and then along the upper road until it rejoins the main Belt Road at Palani Junction is under consideration to be designated a National Scenic Byway. It was called the Kona Heritage Corridor by the state. A somewhat steep descent off Puʻuloa drops into the town of Kailua-Kona.

Just past Lako Street is where Kuakini Highway branches to the left and Highway 11 becomes Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway. In the vicinity of mile 121, Hualālai Road (Route 182, incorrectly signed as "180") crosses at an exaggerated angle (a rare concurrent route). Highway 11 finally reaches the crossroads of the “Queen K” and Palani Road, pinpointing the termini of all three Hawaiʻi Belt Road route numbers.

• Total miles = 122.3 (196.9km).