Hiking the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 1.9 miles / 3.1 km
The Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail on the east side of Oʻahu is a fun local and visitor favorite that leads down the steep cliffs of Makapuʻu Point to some of the most beautiful turquoise-blue tide pools on the island, comparable only to the tide pools along the North Kaʻena Point Trail.
It is for these reasons that the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail is one of my personal favorite Oʻahu sunrise hikes, as first light hitting the turquoise-blue water early in the morning is truly something special to experience!
Now, this all goes without saying that even though the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail begins on the relatively easy Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail, the hike down to the tide pools is more challenging in comparison.
Given this reality, the loose and rocky Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail is absolutely beyond some people’s ability. There’s truly no nice way to say it. However, as long as you come prepared for this off-trail adventure with good footwear—like my personal favorite trail-running shoes below—the hike to the Makapuʻu Tide Pools can be a fun and often uncrowded Oʻahu adventure!
Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trailhead Parking
There is a parking lot right before the trailhead, but finding parking can be tough on any day of the week, unless you start early in the day.
This is especially true midday on weekends, and you may need to park up to 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away on the highway if you arrive at its busiest.
Out of caution, consider the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trailhead to be a high-crime area for petty theft, meaning you should never leave visible bags or anything valuable in your car.
Google Maps Directions: Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trailhead
My Hawaiʻi Hiking Checklist
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail
The trail begins on the paved path at the far end of the parking lot and continues on this path for a little over about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) before branching off on the tide pools trail.
In total, the trail gains about 300 ft. (91 m) of elevation from the trailhead to the split and then descends down to sea level where the pools are.
Makapuʻu Lighthouse-Kaʻiwi Shoreline Junction
This dirt path that branches away from the paved trail on the right is the beginning of the Kaʻiwi Shoreline Trail and the fastest route to get down to Alan Davis Beach.
Personally, I think that the Kaʻiwi Shoreline Trail makes for a nice little walk down to a fairly quiet Oʻahu beach, but I don’t think that the 0.5-mile (0.8 km) walk to Alan Davis would be a great spot for young kids, as there are much better kid-friendly beaches around the island.
Read My Separate Post: Kaʻiwi Shoreline Trail
Makapuʻu Tide Pools-Makapuʻu Lighthouse Junction
The photo below shows where the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail splits off from the Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail.
That being said, I again want to stress that the Lighthouse Trail and the Tide Pools Trail are not of the same difficulty, as the trail meanders down a loose and rocky path for about 370 ft. (113 m) of elevation from the paved trail to the tide pools below.
With that in mind, the Makapuʻu Tide Pools Trail is not a kid-friendly hike.
Read My Separate Post: Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail
In general, keep meandering to the left as you make your way down to stay on the easiest path.
Makapuʻu Tide Pools
In the pools, watch where you step to protect yourself from the sea urchins, as they can be very easy to miss!
On a different note, I unfortunately witnessed a woman take a hard fall on the rocks because she was walking with sandals on. That being said, here, more than anywhere, I generally find it easiest to walk barefoot because it feels easier to keep your footing.
Hiking Back
On the hike back, look for these little trail markers, as they generally indicate the easiest and best way to make your way back up the cliffs to the paved Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail.
Native Plants on the Makapuʻu Trail
Unfortunately, a low-elevation trail like this one is almost always covered in non-native and invasive plants. However, if you know what to look for, you can find native Maʻo, ʻUhaloa, Milo, and Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka.
If you would like to learn more about identifying these native Hawaiian plants and tons more on trails and beaches around the islands, check out my separate post. I wrote it to help others learn about native plants from around Hawaiʻi.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
More Oʻahu Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing Oʻahu adventures, check out my separate posts below!
Best Hotels & Restaurants in Waikīkī
If you’re trying to decided where to stay on Oʻahu, check out my top 10 list for the best resorts and restaurants in Waikīkī.
I break down what makes one hotel a better choice over another, so that you can find the best fit for your stay on the island.
Read My Separate Post: Best Waikīkī Hotels & Restaurants
Waikīkī
HNL Airport-Hotel Shuttle
Prices on ride-share apps like Uber/ Lyft cannot beat the price of booking your hotel shuttle prior to arrival. I say this because there are additional fees for ride-share airport pick-ups at Honolulu Airport (HNL), which is why I recommend booking your transportation in advance using the options below.
Additionally, the last option below will go as far as the Ko ʻOlina Resorts on the West Side and Turtle Bay on Oʻahu’s North Shore!
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Oʻahu
Visiting Other Islands
If you are visiting Oʻahu or heading to another island, check out some of my personal recommendations for Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island (Big Island) in these separate posts.
If you’re trying to decide which island is right for your visit, check out my overview about each island in the post below.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Hawaiian Island to Visit?
What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
The weather in Hawaiʻi can often appear to be warm and beautiful throughout the year, but in my experience, there is a lot more to consider when planning what time of year to visit the islands, such as what island you are considering, what sides of each island do you plan to stay, what activities are you most interested in, the wildlife, and countless other nuanced variables that can all impact the type of trip you can expect to have.
For these reasons, I highly recommend reading through my separate article to not only understand my thoughts regarding the best time of year to come to Hawaiʻi but also what you need to consider based on the time of year that you plan to visit.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
10 Best Tours & Excursions on Oʻahu
There are a lot of different tour options to choose from on Oʻahu, but to make it easier to decide, I made a list of my favorite tours because some things simply are better with a local guide!
Read My Separate Post: Best Tours on Oʻahu
Oʻahu
Safety
All hikes in Hawaiʻi should not be compared to trails outside of the islands, and hikers should exercise due caution on every adventure, given that many are extremely dangerous.
By this, I mean that Hawaiʻi is known for hot, humid weather, steep, dramatic, and unstable cliffs, and flash floods, which can occur without warning. Therefore, it is important that you check the local forecast, understand the physical condition of your entire group, and pack sufficient food and water before attempting any adventure.
Disclaimer
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