Hiking the Tantalus Arboretum Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 0.3 miles / 0.5 km
The Tantalus Arboretum Trail on Oʻahu is a short, isolated trail, away from the vast network of trails that span across Tantalus, from the Makiki Valley State Recreation Area at the bottom to the Pauoa Bench at the top.
This is because the entirety of the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is located just off Tantalus Drive, where it circles the base of the next switchback in the road and then returns upon completing the short loop.
This is all to say that the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is, without a doubt, the easiest day hike on Tantalus, which largely has to do with how short the hike is compared to others on the Tantalus Loop Trail.
Tantalus Arboretum Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is located in one of a few different roadside spots off Tantalus Drive near the trailhead.
Out of caution, consider the Tantalus Arboretum 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: Tantalus Arboretum Trailhead
Hiking the Tantalus Arboretum Trail
Of all the trails on Tantalus, the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is the least-trafficked day hike, and the lack of traffic, as well as the maintenance on the trail, makes the hike a little more confusing than it may initially appear.
By comparison, the Tantalus Loop Trail is hiked by residents daily. However, being that the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is not connected to the larger trail network, it doesn’t see near the same amount of visitors.
Tantalus Arboretum Loop Trail
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the Tantalus Arboretum Trail splits into both an upper and lower loop.
Personally, I typically hike the upper (left) trail first because I like to hike through the tree tunnel in this direction.
This tree tunnel and the subsequent right turn may be the most confusing part of the Tantalus Arboretum Trail.
Here, the trail passes through a close grouping of trees, dropping down a steep step before leaving the little tunnel on the other side.
On the far side of the tunnel, the trails begins the lower 'half' of the Tantalus Arboretum Loop.
This part of the trail may not be as obvious as it should be on account of the overgrowth, but you can find the trail curving sharply to the right through these vines before continuing on a more obvious path that immediately follows.
This is one of the nicer and more accessible Ficus trees on Oʻahu.
Tantalus Loop Junction
This is where the short Tantalus Arboretum Loop meets back up with the beginning of the trail.
If you plan on doing this short walk without stopping, then shorts and a short-sleeved shirt are perfect. However, if you want to slow down and take any photos in the tree tunnel or other locations, I recommend hiking in long pants and long sleeves because of the mosquitoes.
I say this because all of the fallen leaf litter is essentially a perfect mosquito habitat, and being the case, the mosquitoes are horrible on essentially every inch of the Tantalus Arboretum Trail, even during the warmest parts of the day.
That being said, the hiking pants linked below are what I personally recommend for hiking across in Hawaiʻi, as the are not only are they useful here on Tantalus, but they’re also great for countless other adventures across Oʻahu—especially those that are overgrown!
Below are my two 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!
Native Plants on Tantalus Arboretum
The Tantalus Arboretum Trail is a heavily-invaded trail covered in non-native species, like Golden Pothos, Ginger, and various invasive trees.
For this reason, I highly recommend hiking elsewhere on the Tantalus Loop Trail to see native Hawaiian plants, as the Tantalus Arboretum Trail is easily one of the worst places to appreciate Hawaiʻi for its beautiful native biodiversity.
All being said, I encourage you to check out my separate post linked below if you would like to learn about native Hawaiian plants from across the islands.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
