Diamond Head

Awe, the classic monument of Oahu. There is a lot of history behind Diamond Head and I believe it is a must do for all travelers and even locals to experience. It is a short trail, under a mile, that is mainly switchbacks up to the top of the mountain. The trail is paved but also rocky at some points. As you near the top of the trail there is a steep staircase with a special treat including a tunnel you walk through. There is a 1 dollar charge for each person to hike this trail.  I took my grandma on this hike and I was so proud of her! She absolutely loved the views and there is a lot of history to be learned on this hike. I recommend to everyone :)

 Granny did it! Good job!

 The views from the top of the crater. The water is so pretty!

Ka'ena Point

A perfect hike to experience during the winter months is Ka'ena Point located on the far west side of the island of Oahu. It is a very easy trail with no inclines but it is a beautiful view of the coastline. You walk along an old dirt road next to the coastline and during the winter months you can see whales breaching in the distance. It is amazing! At the end of the three mile walk you come to a Reserve Park where you can see birds and seals. If you decide to continue through the park and go a few more miles you will come to the north side of the trail. An excellent workout! Some people ride bikes along this trail which I would love to do next.  I have taken my dogs a handful of times because I have seen others do the same but a man approached me once saying I would get a few hundred dollar ticket if I didn't take my dogs off the trail. I then researched this when I went home and it says dogs are only not allowed in the Reserve Park... it is still a blurred topic, but my dogs LOVE this trail. It's a gamble if you decide to go with your pets.
Also, as you approach the beach heading to the trail on the main road, you will see a huge cave on the right hand side. There is a small parking opportunity on the left. I suggest checking it out. It is very cool when you walk inside, creepy too!

Mt. Olomana

My friends were just in town and they asked me where would be fun but challenging hike. First hike that came to mind was Mt. Olomana.  The trail covers three different peaks but the first peak named Olomana is the highest peak and has great views of the windward coast from Kailua to Makapuu. On the south side of Olomana you will also see the Koolau Ridge which is always one of my favorite views.

This trail is exciting because you get to climb in some places using robes or cables to assist you. I'll be honest I have only gone to the first peak and I've been told the third is the most challenging for climbing. There are also some crazy youtube videos of people crossing the ridge to the third peak and it is for the daredevils definitely!

The trail is near the Luana Hills Country Club and there is often a security guard that gives warnings on mountain conditions and will also turn hikers away if they bring pets. Sorry, no pets allowed.

Always a fun hike!

Stairway to Heaven- Oahu

Also known as Haiku Stairs. I wanted to write about this hike since my last post was in reference to Kokohead. Remember I said Kokohead was roughly over 1,000 steps.... well Haiku Stairs is 4,000!  I have only done this hike one time and my whole body ached for two days, but it was definitely worth it. This hike can be frightening at times with its steep cliffs on each side but thank goodness for side rails that follow the hike.  I have heard of people going early in the morning before the guard arrives (yes, there is a guard that turns people away-- it is illegal to hike this trail) or late afternoon (when I have gone) or even late at night. I was happy with the time my group chose to go, we had the perfect amount of daylight.




Now, this hike is in Kaneohe and yes it is illegal.  I read on a few other bloggers pages that this is mostly due to the people in the neighborhood of Haiku complaining about the excessive amount of cars parked there. However, aside from the complaints this is also a dangerous hike. It is very narrow, steep, and unsteady at some places.






For the adventurous spirit this is a must do! The views were incredible and your so high above ground it is a great feeling to say "I hiked from all the way down there!" I would recommend going in a group and taking your time on this hike.

Kokohead-Oahu- Hawaii Kai

My favorite outdoor workout! Kokohead located in Hawaii Kai is what I would like to call a natural stair master type exercise. It is over .5 miles in length and over 1,000 steps.


How to get there: When you enter the Kokohead Park drive back until you see the baseball fields on the left hand side and you can park your car there. The trail head is up along the road on the backside of the baseball field.

Standing at the bottom of stairs looking the mountain isn't too intimating but I assure you it will get your heart beating good on this climb. At about half way up you will come across a bridge that is roughly 30 steps and about 10-15 feet above ground. Now this is not a regular bridge that you walk normally across with ease... it is similar to a balance beam so be careful! I have seen people "frog" across on all four limbs to get over safely so do whatever makes you feel most comfortable. After crossing the bridge the slope increases as you summit the top. When you reach the top of the stairs that is not the final stop, catch your breath and continue back about 20 more feet and then you will see the glorious views in all directions from the top of Kokohead. You can look towards Diamond Head or look down into Kokohead Crater (another hike you can do to see the gardens) and look along the coastline. You will see some old bunkers that are fun for picture taking at the final peak of Kokohead.  If you enjoy a good workout or want to feel very accomplished do this climb! Definitely a hike to remember.

Here are some pictures for fun of the Kokohead Botanical Gardens- You can do both hikes in the same day! 

Catwalk- Deadmen Tell No Tales -Oahu

This weeks hike I would like to share is the Catwalk-Deadmen Tell No Tales. This hike is relatively easy as it is a paved road and has only a gradual incline. There is a similarity of this hike and the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail in relation to the difficulty of the hike. It is perfect for the non- hiker that wishes to see one of the most beautiful views on Oahu.  The location of this trail head was a bit challenging but if you input Kamehame St in your GPS and drive to the end of the road, you are there! It is located in an upscale neighborhood of Hawaii Kai.  To start the trail to have to maneuver  through a gate that does say "No Trespassing" but rest assured you are OK to continue through. From there the trail is very easy as there are no turn-offs and you just continue straight. You will see some spray painting which has upset the locals in that area and that is why the No Trespassing signs have been posted.  As we got to the final gate (3rd gate) we thought we were stuck because there is no obvious way to enter to the Catwalk. As we tried to figure out a way in we were blessed with watching hang gliders prepare and jump off the cliffs! It was so amazing!

We eventually found our way in, which is through an opening that has been cut in the fence.  Once we were through we had the perfect photo op on the Catwalk and the views were arguably some of the best I've seen on the island. Being so close to the coast line and looking down on the teal blue water is breathtaking.

Enjoy your hike and bring a camera :)

Mariner's Ridge

This weeks hike I would like to recommend is Mariner's Ridge located in Hawaii Kai on Oahu. This hike, I believe is for people of all ages. Also, a wonderful addition is that this hike allows dogs! The length is also perfect for a quick workout. Roughly 1.5 - 2 miles to reach the top of the ridge. There are no major inclines but there are a few rocks to climb over from time to time. As you summit the top of the ridge the views of the coast line are awesome and you can see KokoHead across the valley.

The directions are also very easy to follow to the trail head. Heading towards Hawaii Kai on Kalanianaole Highway take a left on Keahole St. Following that road you will pass the Hawaii Kai Post Office on the left hand side and thats your cue to take a left entering Mariners Ridge Housing Community. Follow that road to very top to where the street ends. There is a chain in front of the trail that says No Trespassing but the trail is OK to enter. Parking is limited.

I love this hike and my dogs did too! It's a a great hike with rewarding views at the top!

Lulumahu Falls

Lulumahu Falls is located on Oahu and is the best waterfall I've seen yet on this island. However, this is also the trickiest trail head to find. There are no true directions to finding this trail head and if you are a hiker and know your way around a bit... I actually ended up parking at the trail head of Jackass Ginger and accidentally hiked to that pond. Haha--- way off!!! So back to the car we went venturing further up the Pali Road and found the parking lot which is where the road connects back to the highway and is in its own little spot to the right.

I dragged my little sister along and mind you she is NOT a hiker. This hike I would say is for anyone- just be careful crossing some rocky points. A man we saw said a woman had just slipped and broke her arm in 2 places so definitely be careful (this area is nearing the waterfall).
Once you enter the trail head simply go left, its a tall grassy area but looking above you , you will see a telephone line that you follow for a few short minutes and then you come out in a beautiful hillside area. My sister loved this because she said it reminded her of Ireland. There you go up a small hill go right and walk along a graveled road where you will see a small lake to the left. It is very pretty. Then getting to the hike you come to 2 drainage pipes and take the left one.

Now, this is where I made a HUGE mistake. When you get into the trail you can either go left or right. There are 3 different colors of markers throughout the trail. Blue, black, and pink. And again no real explanation of this trail that I could find and so I decided to follow blue and black. Bad idea! That goes right and do not do that. It was a mess. We took my two dogs and remember my sister that hates to hike..she was to say the least real pissed at me half way through. It was so steep, and muddy, allowing no traction to get up the hills, with branches all throughout the way. So imagine this- hiking uphill with 2 dogs pulling me like crazy because they just want off their leashes, a sister that is so mad at me, slipping all over the place in the mud, and maneuvering over branches under trees, and sliding down steep parts. Honestly, I thought it was hilarious but I was the only one. haha. However with about an hour of uncertainty where we were going we found our way to the incredible waterfall! So blue/black will take you there but only if your up for the hard way. Left is easy (pink) and about 1/3 of the time.
The waterfall was so beautiful!!!! Roughly 80-100 feet.  Heading back we went the correct way-pink- and were laughing because it was so easy and fast. The waterfall is another must see and remember GO LEFT!

Waimoku Falls, Maui

One of my favorite hikes in the islands of Hawaii is Waimoku Falls located on Maui.   We came across this trail from a article in a travel magazine that recommended it as a definite must see! We started our day renting a convertible (such tourists, haha) and made our way through the "Road to Hana." Make sure to leave early in the morning because with the extreme narrow roads, sharp turns, and often stops for picture taking this is definitely an all day adventure.  We started at about 9a.m from Lahaina and drove to the north side of island and made our way around the east of the island. With most of the day complete we arrived at Kipahulu National Park- south side of Maui. This was what we had been waiting for all day and time was becoming short. We arrived to the park at 4:30p.m. and we knew we had about an hours worth of good day light. We ran to the trail head and started the 2 mile trek to the waterfall. Along the way, about .5 miles in, we saw Makahhiku Falls which was breathtaking. On Oahu, you definitely don't see waterfalls of that magnitude and we were in heaven with the views. A few pictures and we continued on.  We ventured though high grass areas, ran across 2 bridges with waterfalls on all sides, saw a large banyan tree, and then entered a beautiful world of bamboo. There's a narrow metal bridge that allows you to walk across for better footing while passing through the world of bamboo trees. At last we maneuvered over rocks, crossed a creek, and there ahead shown a spectacular mystical waterfall. It was truly unbelievable!

Entering the private area home to the waterfall you can get as close as you prefer just be careful as the water is powerful. The waterfall is accompanied by grand walls that enclose this valley. Waimoku Falls is at least 300' high with significant water flow.   We made it just in time with enough light to enjoy the views. Now, if you cut it close for time like we did please go prepared. Especially heading back through the bamboo forest it was pitch black- so we used the flashlight app on our cell phones. A traditional flashlight would have been much more useful. The whole trip is 4 miles and a MUST SEE if adventuring to Maui. Enjoy!