For anyone who has been to Hawaii, you know its beautiful. And if you haven’t, hopefully you’ll soon find out. There are so many beautiful beaches/mountains/landscapes around, its easy to get lost in the scenery. Hiking is always a great way to get some exercise and see some incredible views while traveling. We had several hikes on our mind before we got to Oahu, Koko Head Crater Trail being one of them. Koko Crater Trail, or Koko Head is an amazing hike, in more than one way! If you come to Oahu, Koko Head hike is worth the hike, but theres a few things you should know before you do.

About Koko Head Trail

Koko Head Trail is an old military lookout created during World War II. A railway was created on the trail to haul cargo and supplies to the top. The train tracks tracks have become a popular trail. Koko Crater hike is about 1.8 miles roundtrip. While its short in distance, it makes up for it in steepness. The trail summits 1200 feet above Hawaii Kai and downtown Honolulu.

Koko Head Crater Trail hike has a total of 1048 steps to the top! The steps are actually the remnants of train tracks and to be fair, the steps are no ordinary steps. A majority of the stairs on Koko Head are longer and taller than a standard 7 inch stairway step. They are not evenly spaced so some are super small steps and others are a huge step-up, especially if you have short legs like I do! Its basically a 30 minute stair-stepper workout straight up. As you begin at the bottom, it starts out gradually. You may be thinking, “Whats the big deal?” but brace yourself as you get to the half-way point. You’ll a hit a point in the railroad tracks without any dirt underneath, which would be similar to a bridge. If you are scared of heights, don’t look down! Its not terribly high off the ground, but still can be a scary sight.  Once you cross over the railroad track without dirt, it immediately turns into an uphill battle. The stairs go from hard to harder. We like to think that we are in pretty “good-shape” and do a fair amount of hiking, but we were sucking wind. Don’t let us scare you away though. As intense as this is, the view is definitely worth it.

Beginning The Koko Head Hike

We got up at 430am, and left the house at 5am to start the hike at 6am. The goal was to be at the top at sunrise, and we only missed it by a couple minutes, mostly due to a late start. It took us about 40 minutes for us to get to the top, and we stopped for pictures (and to catch our breath) along the way. At the top of Koko Head, we couldn’t believe our eyes! The sun was just coming over the horizon and it was gorgeous!  All you see is green lush mountains and blue water. On the back side, you have a perfect view of Hanauma bay and downtown Waikiki. You can hangout/relax, have a seat and enjoy the sunrise, and then make your way to the steel grate at the very top to see a little more of the island.

When you are ready, prepare yourself for the way down. You have to go down the same tracks that you came up, which means the stairs are just as steep going down as they were coming up. While it is intense, this hike is suitable for all ages and levels. We saw everything from 6 year olds to 80+ year olds. We met some people who were doing this for the first time as well, and we saw some locals who do this everyday. While we were walking down the stairs, a man happened to lap us, up and down twice! And we really weren’t THAT slow! It truly was inspiring to see all the different people that were working hard on the Koko Head Trail. You may not enjoy the climb up, but you will definitely enjoy the views at the top! This is a must-do hike when you’re in Oahu.

Watch all the fun we had along the hike on youtube:

When you’re done with the hike and you’ve worked up an appetite, check out these Oahu restaurants. We personally loved Koko Head Cafe (P.S. you’ll want to order the French Toast).

Getting to Koko Head

From Waikiki take the H1 south until it turns into the Highway 72. Turn left on Lunalilo Home Rd. Then turn right onto Anapalau St. Turn Left into Koko Head District Park. Park in the Koko Head parking lot and follow the trail past the baseball field to the steps.

Tips for hiking Koko Head

• Plan for it to take you 30 minutes to an hour to get to the top. The views are so beautiful at top, you’ll want to spend another hour or so just hanging out and enjoying the scenery from the top.
• Wear breathable clothes, as it will get hot at the top. If you do leave before the sun comes up, you might need a jacket, but we took off our jackets pretty quickly as we started sweating early.
• There is no shade so be prepared if you go when the sun is out. Sunrise is best as it is cooler. If you start before the sun comes up, bring a flashlight or headlamp so you can see where you’re going.
• Be prepared for a good amount of people. Even though we started when it was dark, we saw plenty of lights from people already starting their trek up.
• Pace yourself. While the first half may seem “easy”, you don’t want to tire yourself out for the harder incline.
• Bring some water. The stairs get steep fast. Make sure you have some water to keep yourself hydrated.

If you visit Oahu and you are up for the challenge, plan to hike Koko Head Trail. It has one of the most rewarding views we’ve ever seen after a hike. Don’t be intimated by the stairs, there will many other people taking their time and stopping along the way too. You will be so happy once you see the view at the top.

This is one of the best hikes we’ve done and we can’t wait to go back and hike it again! So tell us: whats one of your favorite hikes you’ve ever done? 

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