Hiking the Puʻu O Hulu Trail (Pink Pillbox) on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 1.5 miles / 2.4 km
The Puʻu O Hulu Trail, more commonly known as the Pink Pillbox Trail, on the West Side of Oʻahu is a short but steep day hike above Nānākuli, Māʻili, and Lualualei Valley that is without a doubt one of the best sunset hikes on Oʻahu!
I believe this because the Pink Pillbox near the summit of Puʻu O Hulu is in such a unique location above the surrounding landscape to watch golden hour as it lights up the Waiʻanae Mountains in all directions—not to mention, the Puʻu O Hulu Trail can also be a very hot and exposed hike during the midday hours.
This is all to say that the Pink Pillbox Trail is great for those looking for a quick adventure with stunning panoramic views, which is why I think of the Puʻu O Hulu Trail as one of the best effort-to-reward day hikes on the island!
Puʻu O Hulu Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Pink Pillbox Trail is located on either side of Kaʻukama Road, about 0.25 miles (0.4 km) from the stoplight on Farrington Highway.
Out of caution, consider the Puʻu O Hulu 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: Puʻu O Hulu Trailhead
Hiking the Puʻu O Hulu Trail (Pink Pillbox)
This is the Puʻu O Hulu Trailhead directly off Kaʻukama Road.
That said, the Puʻu O Hulu Trail is a nearly all-uphill hike, gaining roughly 750 ft. (229 m) of elevation in just 0.75 miles (1.2 km).
One of the most important things to note is that these photos were taken during the wet, rainy winter season, which is why the plants are so green!
On the contrary, the Puʻu O Hulu Trail is brown more often than not, as lower-elevation peaks across the West Side, like Puʻu O Hulu, don’t receive as much rain as those across the Koʻolaus or even Mt. Kaʻala on the far side of the valley.
The one thing these photos don’t obviously show is that the Puʻu O Hulu Trail is very loose!
It’s not that it’s a slippery or muddy adventure. Rather, it’s a very rocky, loose adventure, which is why I highly recommend wearing good, close-toed shoes, like trail-running shoes.
This is one of the first views of the Pink Pillbox from the trail!
Since the climb is very steep and nearly constant, some hikers may want to bring trekking poles on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail, especially for the hike back down!
This is one of the few places to find shade in the mid- to late-afternoon hours on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail.
The vast majority of plants on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail are non-native, invasive species, including all the grasses and most of the trees.
However, the one benefit of the rainy winter season is the explosion of native species across the trail, particularly the ʻĀnunu vine, which can be found growing throughout the hike following significant amounts of rain.
This is the first of four switchbacks on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail and the end of the initial long straightaway that first began at the trailhead off Kaʻukama Road.
The vines climbing the rocky wall on the left-hand side of this photo are the endemic ʻĀnunu species mentioned previously.
This is the view looking north across Lulalualei Valley, with Waiʻanae Valley located beyond.
On a different note, this short section right after the first switchback is one of the most exposed areas on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail. It’s not challenging, but it certainly passes a pretty significant drop on the right-hand side when hiking up.
This is the second switchback, located less than 0.1 miles (0.2 km) past the first.
This is the third switchback and the last before the Puʻu O Hulu Trail reaches the top of the ridgeline.
If there’s one thing I hope these photos show more than anything else, it’s that there is very little shade on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail, which is even more true during the drier summer months.
However, the switchbacks leading up Puʻu O Hulu are in the shade in the earliest morning hours, but this is exactly when I recommend against hiking the trail, as Puʻu O Hulu is a much better sunset hike, one of the best sunset hikes on Oʻahu, in my opinion.
This means that if you decide to hike the trail at the best time of day, you’re inevitably spending quite a bit of time in the sun, which is why I recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt to stay safe—especially considering how sunny the West Side typically is!
This is where the lowest of the five pillboxes at the top of Puʻu O Hulu can be seen for the first time!
This is the fourth and final switchback on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail, and it’s where the trail gains the crest of the ridgeline, which it will follow for the rest of the hike to the true summit, about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) away.
First Pillbox
This is the first and lowest of the five main pillboxes on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail.
Second Pillbox
This is the second pillbox, with the third and most famous located just a few steps up the ridge.
Pink Pillbox (Third Pillbox)
The third pillbox is by far the most famous on Puʻu O Hulu, as it is the one that stands apart from the rest, as it can be seen from miles around—notably when first driving into the West Side on Farrington Highway in Nānākuli and even from as far away as the Kamaileʻunu Ridge Trail across the valley.
After the third pillbox, the Puʻu O Hulu Trail continues up the ridge to the final few pillboxes at the summit, just a few steps away!
Fourth & Fifth Pillbox
This is the four and fifth pillbox, which is also the summit of Puʻu O Hulu!
Puʻu O Hulu
This is the summit of Puʻu O Hulu, more officially known as Puʻu O Hulu Kai, 'Kai' meaning toward the sea because it is one of two high points on the mountain, the higher of the two and closer to the ocean.
The other lesser-known summit is Puʻu O Hulu Uka, 'Uka' meaning toward the mountains, is located more toward the central Waiʻanae Range.
That is to say, yes, there is a back way up Puʻu O Hulu, but it is not as direct as the trail shown here.
Catching sunset from any of the five pillboxes atop Puʻu O Hulu is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do on Oʻahu! However, if this is something you’re planning during the week, be sure to account for West Side traffic.
By this, I mean that traffic on the H-1 and Farrington Highway heading into Nānākuli and Waiʻanae starts to build around 3 p.m. every weekday, getting back up in it’s typical spots by 4 p.m.
This is why it’s important to account for the stop-and-go traffic when leaving places like Waikīkī, meaning that if sunset is around 6:30 p.m., I would plan to be in the car and moving by 2:15 p.m.
Trust me, every minute after 3 p.m., the traffic on Oʻahu builds exponentially, which is why I think it’s better to arrive with plenty of time and not feel rushed on the drive or the hike!
Native Plants on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail
Puʻu O Hulu is considered a low-elevation peak in Hawaiʻi, which largely translates to the mountain being dominated by non-native, invasive species, like Koa Haole and Fountain Grass.
However, there are a number of native plants that can be found on the Puʻu O Hulu Trail, more noticeably in the wetter winter months. Some of these include ʻUhaloa, ʻAʻaliʻi, Maʻo, ʻIlima, and ʻĀnunu, which are among the most prevalent.
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
