The trailhead is located at the Visitor Information Station of the Onizuka Center at (). The center is accessible by car from the Saddle Road (Hawaii Route 200) and then north on the Mauna Kea Access Road. Registration is requested and a drop box is available for hikers who start before the visitor center opens. The first of the trail is on the Mauna Kea Access Road after which the trail goes left onto a dirt path. From the path consists of scree. From the area is predominantly a'a lava flows and is not as steep. At the road forks, with one path going to Lake Waiau and the other fork to the summit. At , the trail intersects and follows the Mauna Kea Access Road, including two switchbacks, to the Mauna Kea Observatories at . A final trail segment leads to the summit.