Hiking the Koko Crater Arch Trail on Oʻahu
Distance: 1.0 miles / 1.6 km
The Koko Crater Arch Trail is a hidden gem in east Oʻahu next to a number of other, more popular trails, like the neighboring Makapuʻu Lighthouse and Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail.
In my opinion, the Koko Crater Arch also makes for one of the best sunrise hikes on Oʻahu, on account of its beautiful and expansive east-facing views out over the ocean toward Molokai.
That being said, I highly recommend arriving early if your first time hiking the Koko Crater Arch Trail will be for sunrise, given that simply finding the trailhead and a good parking spot can be a bit more challenging when its dark.
Koko Crater Arch Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Koko Crater Arch Trailhead is located in a few small turnouts off of Kalanianaʻole Highway near the Hālona Blowhole.
With that in mind, parking space is very limited in these turnouts to just a few cars, and if there are no spots available, I typically find it best to park in the Hālona Lookout parking lot nearby.
Google Maps Directions: Koko Crater Arch Trailhead
Hiking the Koko Crater Arch Trail
The Koko Crater Arch Trail begins at either one of two small ridges next to the turnouts.
The main ridge that’s closer to Hālona is the one shown below, but eventually, they both come together a little before the arch.
On the other side of the guard rail, the trail simply follows the ridge up the sides of the popular Koko Crater.
The area in the photo below on the right is where both ridges come together.
There are two ways to get underneath the Koko Arch, but in my opinion, the route to the right, shown first, is the easier of the two.
I say this because the hike up to the base of the arch gets very steep, while the path to the right is much milder.
Koko Crater Arch
After only 0.5 miles (0.8 km), the trail ends at the Koko Crater Arch, located along the steep slopes of Koko Head.
In my opinion, sunrise through the far side of the arch is one of the best ways to start your day on Oʻahu!
This is the climb up to the top of the arch, and the path on the left.
The climb to the top of the Koko Arch is very steep, and the drops on either side can be dangerous.
That being said, the trail doesn’t necessarily stop at the top of the arch. For the most adventurous type of person, you can climb all the way to the Koko Rim.
Native Plants on at Koko Crater Arch
Most of the slopes along the sides of Koko Head are dominated by non-native/ invasive species like haole koa.
However, there are still a few native species that you can find such as ʻIlima and Alena.
To learn more about these and other native Hawaiian plants from across the islands, check out my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
