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    Kaunala Trail

    4.2 (20 reviews)

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    Sherrie K.

    15,500 steps and 59 floors..... According to my IPhone health app. Our longest hike to date-a lot of walking. You park on the side, at the end of the road- just passed Sunset Ranch. You'll see the Pupukea Boy Scott Camp to your left at the fork in the road and the entrance to Kaunala Trail on the right. Deceptively easy at first. Wide, flat and surrounded by tall trees on both sides. Then you hit the trail-up and down. Quite a few fallen trees that you'll need to climb over or go around....and you keep going. You end up at a road and then hike up and over some roads that are starting to fall in. Wide open skies, views of the ocean and mountains. Fresh air and few hikers.

    Trail head!
    Meg M.

    Beautiful trail in the Pupukea area with good views of the entire north shore! This is a 6 mile loop trail but you can turn around at the first lookout if you need to, which is about 2 miles in. You park on the side of the road as it ends- right near Sunset Ranch and the Boy Scout Camp. The trail head is between those two areas and clearly marked. Dogs are allowed but keep the following in mind: -about halfway through there are a series of short, steep hills in sunlight most of the time -bring enough water! Most of the trail is shaded but it gets hot. -it is right next to a hunting area so there may be loose hunting dogs -keep dogs leashed and pick up their waste There are a couple of beautiful viewpoints along the trail with great views of the north shore. Enjoy!

    Tom N.

    Great hike, good views. Challenging, but doable. Lots of up and down, a little slick, but not scary. Park on the street next to Sunset Ranch just outside the entrance to the Boyscout Camp Pupukea. Walk until you reach the paved road and loot ale that to the left. You'll see the sign for the trailhead on the left. After about 5 miles, you'll be back to the paved road, take it to the right. It's another mile back to the car. Yes, about 6 miles total. Put this as the address for the hike: 59-777 Pupukea Rd Haleiwa, HI 96712

    Puppies and trails are a great combination.
    Ashley W.

    I'm not sure why people are afraid of hiking in the rain around here. It's a phobia that just doesn't make sense. I mean, this is Hawai'i, right? It rains. It's tropical. There's mud. If you're going to not hike because there may be some mud, or a less-than perfect river to cross, then why are you hiking here? Sorry to say it, but go to the desert. You'll have a happier time there. All that being said, here's what I recommend: Go do this hike whenever you want. Especially after it rains. It's fun. There's mud and mosquitoes and adventure. Lather on your OFF, bring a good jacket, and wear shoes that you're okay with getting soaked. Or don't wear shoes at all. (I didn't for the second half). Bring a snack. Take your dog, and don't be afraid of the water. Seriously, go have fun. And if you think views of a jungle and the ocean (ahem... There ARE ocean views here) and the backside of an untouched valley are boring, well, I don't know how to make you a better human. Oh, and also, you will be alone. Unless you bring your puppy with you. Oh, also also, there's an epic abandoned road you'll be on at the end. Again, not boring. More like being on the set of Lost. So yeah, go do this thing. If you're open minded, and free spirited, you won't regret it.

    Stream crossing
    Elizabeth K.

    Beautiful trail that gives you an opportunity to be completely removed from civilization. Beautiful flora abounds and several stream crossings. Didn't do the entire loop due to a lack of time but totally worth it and plan to go back with more time!

    Jillian S.

    I really enjoyed this little hike with my lady, even on the rainy day that we went there. With the nice cool breeze and a slit incline upwards path the trail was easy. Be sure to check the weather before you go up there we're a full landslides and the roads had fallen away. Make sure to fear good traction shoes.

    Lara L.

    Novice & Fun trail. Found this on Yelp while driving through Haleiwa. Located at the end of Pupukea. Trailhead is about 1/4 mile from where you park---not sure of the exact distance but its a little bit of a walk. Muddy and slippery terrain. This is a fairly covered trail, you cross a couple of rivers. You can take it to the end and then turn around and head back OR you can head up the service road which leads you back to the service road where you started. Overall, fun hike if you're in the area. Malama Aina---please pack your crap out with you. There is a lot of rubbish at the beginning of the trail---WRAPPERS and crap. I hauled it out.

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    Review Highlights - Kaunala Trail

    You park on the side of the road as it ends- right near Sunset Ranch and the Boy Scout Camp.

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    Ehukai Pillbox Hike - Pillbox 1

    Ehukai Pillbox Hike

    4.5(196 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    The entrance is in the Sunset Elementary School parking lot. There is a public bathroom and parking…read morein this area. This kid friendly hike that has natural beauty and some history. Some of Hawaii's best hikes were originally the bunkers that the military used to store weapons. Mother Nature has curated a path around the steps with rocks and exposed roots from the towering trees. The hike is 90 % shaded with an occasional breeze that makes it a great hike anytime of day. What I like about this hike is that you will have an elevated part followed by a leveled part for recovery. There around 4 elevated areas and a wonderful human has added ropes to keep you stable. The view at the end is a worth the hike. Takes around 22 minutes to the top. There is an extended 5 minutes after the pill box to make the hike longer.

    I hike frequently but my hikes are on flat Florida terrain. This was a steep hike which was…read morecertainly doable for me but the slippery mud during early November made it incredibly challenging. There were some walking sticks available at the hike entrance so I highly recommend those if the trail is slippery. There are some ropes in intermittent sections to help with balance, and of course trees to grab onto. The earth offers stone and tree roots for foot traction instead of just muddy soil but we still were slipping and sliding. And remember, going up is the easy part, it's the coming down part that will do you in haha. We came across a few hikers who looked like they had been mud wrestling and others who didn't have a spot on them. I think this is how you separate the tourists from the locals. No pictures because I was too busy trying not to fall lol. We saw hikers with their dogs. We used the public bus during vacation and there was a bus stop right outside the parking lot. If you have a car, the small public parking lot is directly next to an elementary school and right across from Ehukai beach (the pipeline), so be prepared to enjoy two amazing experiences at one stop.

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    Ehukai Pillbox Hike
    Ehukai Pillbox Hike - Pillbox #1

    Pillbox #1

    Ehukai Pillbox Hike

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    Kealia Trail - Airplane frame

    Kealia Trail

    4.3(100 reviews)
    10.4 mi

    I was looking for a trail appropriate for 9 year olds, and Nadia K recommended this trail, which…read moreturned out to be perfect for my friend and our kids! The trail was very easy to find, just search for the trail on google maps and the map will lead you to the parking lot next to Dillingham Airfield (look for "West Gate). After parking, head towards the mountain to get to the trailhead. It took us 1 1/2 hours to the covered picnic table, mostly because we were pausing for water breaks and photos with the kids. Tips: wear plenty of sunscreen, a hat, and bring LOTS of water. It gets hot!

    Nice little trail on the north shore…read more You park at the dillingham airport and the trailhead is across the street. Not hard to find. The first half mile is shaded switchbacks. The mile after that is exposed. It sort of reminded me of hikes in SoCal. The gradient isn't too bad because of the switchbacks but you are going up about 1000' in like 1.5 miles. So the climbing can feel a bit relentless. No scrambling over rocks and other obstacles like some other Oahu hikes. I thought it was fairly easy. I think anyone in decent shape won't have any issues. For those who are just beginning your fitness journey, this would probably be a good workout. The trail is easy to follow. Very little chance of you getting lost (at least to the picnic table which was my turn around point). It's very rocky but walking/hiking isn't an issue. Trail Runners: I saw some other trail runners but this wouldn't be my first choice trail on the north shore. The switch backs don't go on long enough to get any sort of rhythm after the half mile point. And while I wouldn't say this is the most technical of runs, you definitely have to pay attention. I went super slow on the decent for my first time. I may go back and go past the picnic table to see what's up there but I'd say skip this if you're a runner. Hikers will like it I think. And it wasn't too crowded. I saw a handful of people on my run. The views are ok. There are definitely much more scenic views on Oahu but these weren't bad by any means.

    Photos
    Kealia Trail - Picnic table at the end of zig zag section of trail

    Picnic table at the end of zig zag section of trail

    Kealia Trail
    Kealia Trail

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    Mahina Hawaii

    Mahina Hawaii

    4.7(32 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Where to begin?! From the booking to the end of day drop off, Ryan and Beccy were beyond amazing!…read more Booking: with COVID, we wanted to ensure our booking was 100% refundable if someone in our party had a positive result. The cancellation policy doesn't have a COVID contingency so I called and asked if they could accommodate and asked to have that sent in email as a confirmation. Ryan was more than accommodating and immediately emailed us with the modified cancellation policy and even told me to call to book versus online to avoid online fees. Booking was easy and Ryan asked great questions to understand what type of group we were and what interests we had to ensure he created the perfect itinerary for us. Day of: Pick up: Ryan called before pick to let me know/confirm the activities for the day. Ensured he had what he needed and that we packed what we needed. He was picking us up and was even 10 minutes early to ensure we were packed and ready to go right at 10 am! First stop: Snorkeling! I have been snorkeling several times but this was by far the BEST I've done. The weather was perfect and sun shining and water was crystal blue clear. The fish and coral were beautiful. We saw a pod of dolphins, a seas turtle, sting ray and so many different type of tropical fish. There were some great underwater statues/ structures and Ryan shot some great photos/ videos. Beccy was wonderful with my youngest daughter (10 years old) and ensured there was a surf board to hold into when she got tired. 2nd stop: mermaid caves! Right up the road from the snorkel spot and such a cool/ beautiful spot we did a little bit of exploring, took some great photos/videos and went to our next stop. 3rd stop: Waterfall Cliffs! Brief hike through lush forest to a cute hidden gem of a waterfall. There were ledges 8, 25 and 35 feet high that you could jump from. Most of my party jumped off one or all of them and it was amazing. Ryan took great photos and videos to capture the memories. 4th stop: Lunch at The Smoking Boar and the Coconut!! OMG, great recommendation by Ryan. The place is a family owned restaurant (Ryan and Beccy's neighbors in fact). Everyone in our party (8 people) absolutely LOVED what they ordered. I even tried a few bites of others too and everything was absolutely delicious. Even my youngest, who is the pickiest easter eva could stop eating hers and kept saying how it was the best rice she ever tasted. 5th stop: Surfing the North Shore!!!! Only two people had done any kind of surfing and Ryan and Beccy had everything we would need. Down to the surfing clothes to avoid any rashes. The waves were perfect and everyone got up on their first try! Great instruction and really attentive to ensure we caught the wave and had the best experience. Ryan took photos and videos of the kids surfing and we got some great family photos at the end in front of the surf boards. Becky went tandem surfing with my youngest and she was AMAZING with her. My daughter didn't want to stop. In transit: Ryan and Beccy were great conversationalist and the drive didn't seem long at all to each stop because we were having so much fun just chatting. Overall: I would book them every day if I knew how amazing the day would be. My girls and the rest of the party said it was the best day of the trip. Even if you're only here for a day or two, BOOK THEM! You will not regret it. If/when we come back, we will definitely be booking them again. Mahalo Ryan and Beccy for an amazing experience and day!

    Our tour wasn't perfect but we still had a great time…read more Pros: 1. Our guide was full of interesting stories. 2. It was cool going to more hidden spots. Many of the places we went to, we were either the only ones there or there were just a handful of others. I really appreciated being able to experience places that we would have never found on our own. 3. Some of the activities were beyond our comfort level, but the guide always gave us an alternative that we were more comfortable with. We did push ourselves beyond our comfort level, some more than others in our group, and I have to say that in itself was a rewarding experience that I will treasure, even more than some of the sights we saw. It was terrific bonding experience. Cons: 1. There was less communication than I would've liked before the tour. Our guide said he would follow up the day before but he never did. I had provided general input on what we preferred but none of it was confirmed ahead of time so we really had little idea of what the day would include. As a result, we weren't exactly sure how to dress or what to bring, and there were parts of the tour we would've been happy to skip. 2. The guide didn't bring any life vests. Most of us weren't comfortable swimmers and this really inhibited us from enjoying the water activities to the fullest extent. I would say this was the most disappointing part. (Note: If you hike through any tropical areas, wear bug spray -- no matter what anybody tells you!) Overall, it was still a memorable experience that I will reminisce about fondly. I feel like we got our money's worth and we'd try Mahina Hawaii again.

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    Mahina Hawaii
    Mahina Hawaii
    Mahina Hawaii

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    Kaunala Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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