The Best Hikes on Oʻahu: Open Trails Compared (and Ones to Skip)

Oʻahu’s trails range from a paved lighthouse path to steep crater stairs and rainforest walks to waterfalls. This guide covers the best-known hikes that are currently open to the public, compares them side by side, and flags the trails you should skip.

Oʻahu hikes compared

Distances are approximate and for comparison only.

Diamond Head

The island’s most famous hike, climbing the inside of the crater to views over Waikīkī. Non-residents need entry and parking reservations. Diamond Head guide.

Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail

A paved, steady climb to lookouts over the lighthouse and the Windward coast. The state lists it at about 2 miles round trip. There’s no shade, so go early.

Koko Crater Trail

The “Koko Head stairs” climb roughly a thousand old railway ties to the crater rim. The city reopened it in July 2025 after sealing off old bunker access. It’s free, short and brutally steep — bring plenty of water and descend carefully.

Mānoa Falls

A rainforest walk in Mānoa Valley to a tall, thin waterfall, about 15–20 minutes’ drive from Waikīkī. It’s often muddy, and the trail had reduced hours during maintenance earlier in 2026 — check the state’s notices before going. Parking is at a private lot near the trailhead.

Lanikai Pillbox

A short, steep ridge hike to World War II-era pillboxes with the famous sunrise view of the Mokulua Islands. Sunrise hikes on Oʻahu.

Kaʻena Point

A long, flat-to-rolling coastal walk to Oʻahu’s westernmost tip, a protected natural area where seabirds nest and monk seals sometimes rest. As of November 2026, the state has closed the Keawaʻula (Waiʻanae-side) trail because of storm damage, so access is from the Mokulēʻia side on the North Shore. It’s fully exposed — bring lots of water and sun protection.

Trails to skip

• Haʻikū Stairs (“Stairway to Heaven”): closed to the public and illegal to access; trespassers are cited and arrested, and the stairs are being removed.
• Maunawili Falls from the old neighborhood trailhead: closed since 2021 for an improvement project. Don’t try to access it through the residential area.
• Any trail with “closed” or “no trespassing” signs.

Hiking safety on Oʻahu

• Start early; afternoons are hot and exposed.
• Carry 1–2 liters of water per person.
• Skip ridge and waterfall trails during and after heavy rain.
• Stay on marked trails, and tell someone your plan.

While you’re nearby

Five Sunrise Hikes on Oʻahu Worth the Early AlarmDiamond Head Hike: Reservations, Trail Tips and SunriseWhat to Pack for Oʻahu: A Practical Packing List by ActivityHiking