Kohala Ranch: the upcountry-coast ranch community

Kohala Ranch runs up the slopes of Kohala volcano from the lower elevations near the coast to roughly 3,000 feet, accessed from Akoni Pule Highway by Kohala Ranch Road. The gated community spans about 3,500 acres, organized in three elevation zones: the lower zone with residential lots of one to three acres, a middle zone with three-to-five-acre parcels, and the upper summit zone with the largest estate lots.

The position gives the community the best of both worlds: the dry sunny coast below and a noticeably cooler, greener climate at elevation. Views sweep over the channel to Maui, down the coast, and inland to the Kohala Mountains.

Residents are full-time and part-time, many drawn by land, horses, and privacy. The community is gated with security at the main entrance, governed by its community association, and homes fall under design review that keeps the ranch character consistent across the three elevation zones.

This is not a walk-everywhere place. Life is organized around the land: your own acreage, the roads between pastures, and drives to the coast or up to Waimea for everything else. It suits people who want space measured in acres and a day shaped by ranch work, riding, or simply the long views.

Kohala Ranch sits on Kohala volcano in the island’s lowest lava hazard band. Homes are permitted and on the grid, with paved roads within the community. The gated association structure and design review keep the ranch standard, and the dues are a real part of ownership.

The August 2023 brush fires in North Kohala brought evacuation orders to parts of Kohala Ranch, as they did to the surrounding communities, and no homes were lost. Dry grass, wind, and elevation are simply the facts of living upcountry, and the community plans for them.