Hiking the Lāʻie Ridge Trail on Oʻahu
Distance: 10.2 miles / 16.4 km
Generally speaking, Lāʻie Ridge is not a hike that you would do just for the fun of going up and down. That being said, it is one of the best access trails for the northern KST.
The distance above is the roundtrip distance to Lāʻie Summit and back. It does not include the extra 0.6 miles (1.0 km) each way to get to and from Lāʻie Park.
Lāʻie Ridge Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Lāʻie Ridge Trail is the same parking area as Lāʻie Falls.
Parking is best off of Poʻohaili Street outside of Lāʻie Park because all of the land further up the road is private.
Google Maps Directions: Lāʻie Ridge Trailhead
Getting to the Trailhead
From Lāʻie Park, it’s a 0.6 mile (1.0 km) walk each way to get to and from the trailhead.
Hiking the Lāʻie Ridge Trail
Don’t forget to pack a headlamp for the long hike.
At this split in the road, take the trail heading uphill behind a typically locked gate.
Go left for Lāʻie Ridge.
This sign has been like this for as long as I can remember.
At this split, you can go either way to end up on the same trail shortly after.
Whether hiking up or down, this Cook Pine forest is always a good mental checkpoint.
Lāʻie Falls / Ridge Split
This split is where most hikers turn off of Lāʻie Ridge to head toward Lāʻie Falls.
It’s also the point where the hiking becomes a bit more overgrown because the summit sees far fewer hikers overall.
Go left for Lāʻie Summit.
Past Lāʻie Falls, the trail turns into a contour trail, which will remain like this until the KST.
Lāʻie Summit
Lāʻie Summit is a very indistinct summit compared to other more dramatic areas in the southern Koʻolaus.
It can be easy to miss if you’re hiking by on the summit trail, and it doesn’t stand out much from the surrounding landscape.
If you are going to hike anywhere north or south on the summit trail, be sure that you know exactly what you are getting into. The hiking in either direction should not be taken lightly.
Native Plants on the Lāʻie Ridge Trail
The upper Lāʻie Ridge Trail is one of the best places on Oʻahu to see a variety of different native Hawaiian plants.
To name a few, you can find ʻŌhiʻa, ʻŌhiʻa ha, Kōpiko, Koliʻi, Hōʻawa, Kōlea, and truly too many more to name.
If you would like to learn more about identifying these and tons of other native plants around Hawaiʻi, check out my separate post below.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
