Best hikes on Oʻahu
STOP 1 OF 11
Lanikai Pillbox (Kaʻiwa Ridge)
Windward · Free to visit
Pillboxes above Lanikai. Steep at the start, sunrise is best.
1–1.5 hours · Free
EThe editors · 3 Hikes with a view lists — switch
Best hikes on Oʻahu
Eleven trails from a short lighthouse walk to a ridge climb.
11 placesTwo or three daysRead the guide ↓
- 1. Lanikai Pillbox (Kaʻiwa Ridge)Pillboxes above Lanikai. Steep at the start, sunrise is best.WindwardFree to visit1–1.5 hoursFree
2. Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) summit trailThe crater rim. Timed entry, paid for visitors.Waikīkī & Diamond HeadPaid entry1.5–2 hours$5 per person plus $10 per car for non-residents
3. Waimea Falls (Waihī)A paved valley walk to the falls.North ShorePaid entry2 hoursIncluded with Waimea Valley entry
4. Koko Crater Railway TrailOver a thousand railway-tie steps. Go early.East sideFree to visit1–1.5 hoursFree
5. Hauʻula Loop TrailA shaded loop through ironwoods above Hauʻula.WindwardFree to visit1.5–2 hoursFree
6. Kawela Bay banyansAn easy walk through the banyans.North ShoreFree to visit30–45 minFree
7. Wilhelmina Rise lookoutA drive-up view over Kaimukī to Diamond Head.HonoluluFree to visit15 minFree
8. Kaʻena Point TrailA flat, hot walk to the island’s far tip. Albatross in season.West sideFree to visit3–4 hoursFree
9. Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse TrailA paved path to the lighthouse. Whales in winter.East sideFree to visit1–1.5 hoursFree
10. Kuliʻouʻou Ridge TrailA full morning to the ridge, with Waimānalo below you at the top.East sideFree to visit3–4 hoursFree
11. Mānoa Falls TrailA muddy rainforest walk from the top of Mānoa.HonoluluFree to visit1–2 hoursParking about $7
The guide
How to do it: Best hikes on Oʻahu
Oʻahu’s hikes are short and steep: most climb a ridge or a crater rim in under two hours and end at a view of the ocean. A few longer trails take a whole morning.
This list runs from a paved lighthouse path to the Koʻolau ridge, so there is something for every level.
- The order to do it in
- Pick by side of the island: Diamond Head, Koko Crater and Makapuʻu on the south-east; Lanikai Pillbox on the windward side; Hauʻula and the banyans up north; Kaʻena at the far west tip.
- When to go
- Start early. By 10 a.m. most of these trails are hot and exposed. Winter brings mud on the ridges.
- Getting there
- A car for almost all of them. Park only in legal spots; trailhead break-ins happen, so leave nothing in sight.
- What to bring
- At least a litre of water each, sunscreen, shoes with grip.
- What it costs
- Free except Diamond Head ($5 plus $10 per car for visitors, reservation required) and Mānoa Falls parking (about $7).
Worth knowing
- Check Nā Ala Hele for closures after storms.
- Stay on the trail; ridges drop off suddenly.
Started from the pins on Explore Now or Never’s Best Hikes on Oahu (the map). Places, notes and the guide checked and written by us; prices and opening times change, so check before you go.