Hiking the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail on the North Shore of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 1.4 miles / 2.3 km
The ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail on the North Shore of Oʻahu is a local and visitor favorite, as the short 0.7-mile (1.1 km) trail climbs the cliffs above Pūpūkea to two WWII-era bunkers that overlook some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline Oʻahu!
On top of this, the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is also one of my personal favorite sunset hikes across the entire island, as the west-facing views from the top sit right above the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline, allowing hikers the opportunity to watch surfers catch some of the best and most beautiful waves in the world!
To this point, late evening is the only time of day that I like to hike to the ʻEhukai Pillboxes because I see the trail as one of the best effort-to-reward sunset hikes, being that it’s such a short adventure!
ʻEhukai Pillbox Trailhead Parking
Parking for the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is located at the Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park or across the street at ʻEhukai Beach Park if closer lot is full.
That said, do not park in the Sunset Elementary School parking lot that’s located just past the public parking area shown below. This lot on the far end is not open to hikers.
Google Maps Directions: Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park / ʻEhukai Beach Park
Hiking the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail
The ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail begins among the tall grass on the opposite side of the parking lot shown above, which should be marked by a big sign.
Initially, the hike starts out on a relatively flat trail through the trees, but if it has rained recently, the lower sections of the trail can be very muddy!
After only 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail will begin ascending the one and only hill on the entire hike, gaining about 300 ft. (91 m) of elevation from this point to the top!
Yes, this short hill is quite steep, and, being the case, some hikers may prefer to carry trekking poles, which can be especially useful for the hike back down.
These sections of the hill tend to be the muddiest after it has rained recently.
It’s quite amazing that the hiking community on Oʻahu is so helpful with these ropes, as social trails, like the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail, are not maintained by any managing agency.
As the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail nears the top of the hill, the hike should no longer be as muddy as the beginning sections.
This is the top of the roughly 300-ft. (91 m) hill, where the rest of the hike to the Upper Pillbox remains flat.
Upper ʻEhukai Pillbox
After 0.6 miles (1.0 km), the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail reaches the first of two WWII-era bunkers, with neither being more or less popular than the other.
However, I personally like the second (Lower) Pillbox better, but either can truly be one of the best places to watch the sunset on Oʻahu!
Hiking to the Lower ʻEhukai Pillbox
To get to the second pillbox, continue hiking past the first along the same trail to finish the remaining 0.1 miles (0.2 km), which is almost entirely downhill, losing about 220 ft. (67 m) in total.
Lower ʻEhukai Pillbox (Peace Sign Pillbox)
At the bottom of the hill, the trail reaches the Lower ʻEhukai Pillbox, which, in my opinion, is the better of the two because of the stunning views across Pūpūkea and much of Oʻahu’s North Shore in either direction!
That being said, you can see as far as Kaʻena Point to the west (left), much of Pūpūkea and the northernmost stretches of the North Shore to the right, and, when waves are rolling in, some of the best surfers in the world catching waves at the renowned Banzai Pipeline straight out in front of the viewpoint!
This is all to say that there are so many reasons why the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is easily one of the best sunset hikes on Oʻahu—especially on a beautiful, clear evening like this!
Don’t forget to carry a good headlamp for the hike back down after sunset!
