5 Best Trails Near Waikīkī on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
While there are countless beautiful hiking trails across Oʻahu, some of the best and most accessible day hikes span the ridges and valleys across the southeastern Koʻolau Mountains, many of which are located less than a 30-minute drive from Waikīkī!
That said, I wanted to create this list with the intention of providing the best day hikes for those who plan to stay in Waikīkī when visiting Oʻahu, considering options that are practical to reach by rideshare.
If this is you, I highly recommend considering some of the nearby trails I’ve listed below, as they are all amazing adventures in their own way and can 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. Rather, it’s written based on how far away each trail is from Waikīkī, with Waʻahila Ridge being the closest and the Koko Crater Stairs being the farthest.
That said, I don’t consider most of the options below 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: 5.6 miles / 9.0 km
The Waʻahila Ridge Trail is an out-and-back day hike along Mānoa Valley and up the hill from Waikīkī that climbs to a beautiful summit known as ʻAwaʻawaloa, commonly called Mt. Olympus.
Given its location, the Waʻahila Ridge Trail is one of the more popular day hikes on the town side of the Koʻolau Mountains and a favorite among locals as both an evening trail run and a sunset hike!
That said, it’s important to mention that the best views on Waʻahila Ridge are roughly 1.8 miles (2.9 km) into the hike, which, for the more adventurous type of person, can make for a great Oʻahu sunset adventure!
If this is something you’d like to know more about, I recommend reading all the details in my separate post, as there is a little bit to know when it comes to parking before turning Waʻahila Ridge a sunset hike.
Read My Separate Post: Waʻahila Ridge Trail
2. Mauʻumae Ridge Trail (Puʻu Lanipō)
Distance to Puʻu Kainawaʻanui (Roundtrip): 6.6 miles / 10.6 km
Distance to Puʻu Lanipō (Roundtrip): 7.1 miles / 11.4 km
The Mauʻumae Ridge Trail to Puʻu Lanipō is one of the longer, more advanced trails in the southern Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu, but what I think sets it apart is the beautiful views of Kaʻau Crater that hikers can see on a clear day!
On that note, my favorite thing about the Mauʻumae Ridge Trail is that the beautiful views open up within just minutes of beginning the hike and continue for nearly the entire distance to the summit!
This is why it certainly makes no difference how far or how high up you decide to hike, as the mid-elevations well before the summit are all great places to get out and enjoy the views and the sunset, meaning it’s more a matter of personal preference regarding how much of the long trail you should prepare for.
Read My Separate Post: Mauʻumae Ridge Trail
3. Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
Distance: 4.7 miles / 7.6 km
The Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail is a stunning adventure on the southeast side of Oʻahu, and it’s a hike that I believe is the best introductory Hawaiʻi ridge trail!
What I mean when I say this is that I know Hawaiʻi ridges and trails to be among the most difficult places to hike of anywhere in the world. However, there are a number of trails, including Wiliwilinui and others mentioned in this article, that make for fun, beautiful, and easy-to-navigate adventures.
To add to this, both Wiliwilinui and Kuliʻouʻou Ridge, talked about below, are two of the easiest Oʻahu ridge trails in this post, and both make for great day hikes near Waikīkī!
Read My Separate Post: Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
My Print - Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
4. Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
Distance: 4.2 miles / 6.8 km
Elevation Gain: ~1,650 ft. / 503 m
The Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail in east Honolulu is a stunning, nearly all-uphill adventure that climbs to a panoramic overlook above Waimānalo, where those who undertake the steep climb get to enjoy beautiful views over Makapuʻu Point and the dramatic southern Koʻolau Mountains, which is particularly beautiful at sunrise first thing in the morning!
That said, Kuliʻouʻou Ridge is easily one of my favorite sunrise hikes on Oʻahu, but that doesn’t go without saying that it is a longer adventure in terms of being a sunrise hike.
Therefore, if it’s your first time, I highly recommend budgeting more time than you think you need, as the 2.1-mile (3.4 km) hike to the summit can certainly be a challenge, especially if you’re cutting it close on time while trying to catch first light.
Read My Separate Post: Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
5. Koko Craters Stairs
Distance: 0.9 miles / 1.4 km
Elevation Gain: ~930 ft. / 283 m
The Koko Head Stairs is a beautiful but steep east Oʻahu hike in Hawaiʻi Kai that climbs the steps of a historic WWII-era tramway built in the early 1940s by the U.S. Army, ultimately ending at the summit of an ancient volcanic crater called Puʻu Mai!
Following its historic past, the Koko Crater Stairs have since become a favorite among both locals and visitors from around the world, with many Oʻahu residents hiking the railway as a quick morning or evening workout, often beginning just before sunrise or sunset.
That said, the Koko Head hike may not be for everyone, as the steep tramway climbs a little under 1,000 ft. (305 m) in only 0.45 miles (0.7 km). However, if you think you’re up for the challenge, the views from the summit cannot be beat—especially when hiked during golden hour!
Read My Separate Post: Koko Head Stairs
