5 Best Trails Near Waikīkī on Oʻahu
While there are many beautiful hiking trails across Oʻahu, some of the best and most accessible span the ridges and valleys across southeast Oʻahu, which is exactly where Waikīkī is located!
Therefore, if you’re visiting Oʻahu without a rental car, I highly recommend considering some of these nearby trails, as they can all be reached using either the bus or an Uber/ Lyft.
5 Best Trails Near Waikīkī
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst, but rather, it’s written based on how far away each trail is from Waikīkī, with Waʻahila Ridge being the closest.
That being said, I don’t consider most of these options to be the best kid-friendly trails on the island, which is why, if that's something you need to consider, I encourage you to read my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Best Kid-Friendly Trails on Oʻahu
1. Waʻahila Ridge Trail (Mt. Olympus)
Distance: 5.9 miles / 9.5 km
When you look up at the mountains from Waikīkī, Mānoa Valley, home to the popular Mānoa Falls, is one of the first places that you’ll see.
However, what many visitors don’t know is that the ridge paralleling the right side of the valley is actually one of the best places to hike near Waikīkī.
This ridge is Waʻahila Ridge, and it makes for a great day hike, climbing up to one of the more popular peaks in the southern Koʻolau Mountains, called Mt. Olympus.
From the trail, you’ll get great views of Mānoa Valley as well as Waikīkī. But when you get to some of the upper elevations of the trail, you’ll start to see some amazing views of the beautiful Kaʻau Crater to the east, which is one of the main reasons I would highly consider hiking the Waʻahila Ridge Trail if you’re looking for a fun and beautiful trail near Waikīkī.
Read My Separate Post: Waʻahila Ridge Trail
2. Mauʻumae Ridge Trail (Puʻu Lanipō)
Distance: 6.6 miles / 10.6 km
Like Waʻahila Ridge mentioned above, Mauʻumae Ridge to Puʻu Lanipō is similar in that they both begin high up in a residential neighborhood and climb even higher up to the beautiful Koʻolau Summit.
That being said, Waʻahila and Mauʻumae Ridge are two of the more challenging trails on this list, with Mauʻumae Ridge being slightly more difficult, in my opinion.
Nevertheless, while Mauʻumae Ridge to Puʻu Lanipō may be one of the more challenging Oʻahu trails near Waikīkī, the hike is incredibly scenic, and the expansive views open up within only a few minutes of the trailhead and continue all the way to the summit, which, in my opinion, is even more scenic than Waʻahila Ridge mentioned above!
Read My Separate Post: Mauʻumae Ridge Trail
3. Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
Distance: 4.7 miles / 7.6 km
Without a doubt, the Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail is the easiest hike on this list!
I say this because, while some of the hikes listed here have similar or shorter distances, most are much higher in intensity, including the Koko Crater Stairs mentioned below, even though it’s by far the shortest trail here.
Overall, the Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail is one of the best hikes near Waikīkī if you're interested in a similar ridge as both Waʻahila and Mauʻumae but not the same difficulty. I personally recommend beginning the trail in the mid to late afternoon, but that’s only because I prefer the beautiful golden light that you can see from the trail, like this photo here.
Read My Separate Post: Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
My Print - Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
4. Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
Distance: 4.7 miles / 7.6 km
Of all the trails on this list, the Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail is easily my favorite!
I say this because the views from the summit on a clear day, especially at sunrise, are like none other, which is exactly when the photo below was taken.
However, be aware that Kuliʻouʻou Ridge and the Koko Crater Stairs, listed below, are the two furthest hikes from Waikīkī. If you’re without a car, Uber and Lyft can both be great options, but don’t take the bus to Kuliʻouʻou Ridge, as the nearest bus stop is nowhere near the Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trailhead.
Read My Separate Post: Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
5. Koko Craters Stairs
Distance: 0.9 miles / 1.4 km
Elevation Gain: ~885 ft. / 270 m
The Koko Crater Stairs may be the shortest hike on this list, but the trail is, without a doubt, one of the more difficult options to attempt.
This is because the stairs are very steep, climbing just under 900 ft. (274 m) of elevation in just 0.45 miles (0.7 km) to the summit of a beautiful stand-alone peak overlooking southeast Oʻahu.
All said, if you think you’re up for the challenge, I recommend going either early or late in the day, which is when most local residents frequent the stairs in order to avoid the heat of the day.
Read My Separate Post: Koko Head Stairs
