Hiking the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km
The Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trail in the southern Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu is one of my favorite day hikes on the island because the ridge is one of the best, most beautiful, and also one of the easiest adventures to enjoy the beauty that is the rugged Koʻolaus without committing to something more involved.
By this, I mean that similar southern Koʻolau ridges only get more difficult after Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge, which include Kapālama, Mauʻumae, Waʻahila, and even the neighboring Wailupe, to name just a few.
For this reason, I believe that Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge is a great introductory trail for Hawaiʻi ridge hiking, and it’s where I recommend beginning if you’re interested in branching out to harder trails, like the ones listed above.
In all, Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge is a well-trafficked trail, and whether you’re just looking for a fun day hike or a beautiful late afternoon/ sunset adventure, Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge is a great option to consider!
Notice
The Hawaiʻi Loa Homeowners Association requires hikers to show a valid State of Hawaiʻi ID or military ID in order to access the trailhead.
Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trail is located at the very end of Puʻuikena Drive at the top of Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge; the private neighborhood at the base of the trail.
That being said, you will need to present your State of Hawaiʻi ID or Military ID to the security guard in order to obtain a parking pass for the parking lot at the top. Passes are limited, and I have been denied in the past because the parking lot was full.
Furthermore, you may also be turned away if you arrive too close to sunset, so my advice is to arrive no later than two and a half hours before sunset, and don’t forget to place the parking pass on the dash of your vehicle before you hike.
Google Maps Directions: Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trailhead
Hiking the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trail
The Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge Trail begins on a relatively flat trail at the very end of the park.
In my experience, the trail will be mostly dry trail until the Strawberry Guava forest that begins at about the middle of the hike.
While the summit may seem far away, Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge moves fast, as it’s only a 2.25-mile (3.6 km) hike each way.
When the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge enters the Strawberry Guava forest in the middle of the hike, the trail will start climbing a few more hills than the beginning sections.
After the Strawberry Guava forest, the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge drops down into a bit of a low point before climbing up the steeper sections that lead to the summit.
The summit ridge on Hawaiʻi Loa is where most of the significant elevation gain is located.
It is here, in the final 0.9 miles (1.4 km), that the Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge climbs roughly 830 ft. (253 m) through the steepest and typically muddiest sections of the trail.
For this reason, you may consider wearing hiking pants, which would be absolutely necessary, should you attempt some of the other trails mentioned previously.
The pants below are my recommendations that hold up the best with the overgrowth here in Hawaiʻi, but with any hiking pants that need to be durable, make sure that they are at or near 100% nylon. This is really the most important factor!
This infamous erosion gully is one of the worst of all trails across Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Loa Summit
On a clear day, you can see views as far as Waimānalo, Kailua, and Kāneʻohe to the north, and possibly even as far as Mokoliʻi near Kualoa Ranch.
Furthermore, the Hawaiʻi Loa Summit is the start of the Koʻolau Summit Trail (KST), with Wailupe being the first notable summit to the north and Kūlepeamoa to the south.
Read My Separate Post: Koʻolau Summit Trail (KST)
Native Plants on Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge
The upper elevations of Hawaiʻi Loa Ridge are one of the best places to see a variety of native plants, including Koa, ʻŌhiʻa lehua, Uluhe, Maile, ʻAhaniu, and Hōʻawa, to truly only name a few.
If you would like to learn more about these and many other native Hawaiian plants from across the islands, I encourage you to check out my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
