I had no idea what to expect here. A couple folks and I did the Koko Head stairs right before this, and the 2 of them were talking about wanting to go see the arch that was supposedly nearby. It was. I had no clue what they were talking about and just followed along. We parked by the blowhole area and then walked onto the highway and eventually walked across the highway and went up this area. No one else was there, just the 3 of us. Beautiful views of the water and rock formation. It suddenly got pretty steep, with no good traction. Some rocks looked sturdy to hold onto, but they then broke. Whoops. Not great. The 2 guys got up pretty quickly, and I was a few mins behind. The windy spots and breeze felt really good, though a bit scary since you're up there with nothing other than height to fall onto. The arch was really beautiful and it was worth this experience in my opinion. I was still shocked I made it up here. Down-wise though... i was using my arms a bit more and it took me a bit longer as I was crab walking most of the steep areas down. So thankful my shoes didn't slip on me for this short hike... otherwise it could have been nice knowing you all. read more

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HanaumaBayと、Halona Blowhole Lookout の間にTrailの入り口があります。。 Archまでは片道30分弱程度で行くことができ 最初はなだらかな部分がほとんどで どの位置からも遮るものがなく海を見ることができるTrailです。。 Archの手前50mくらいから 土と砂利の急傾斜なところがあり そこは滑りやすくなっています。。 Archの下まで行くには アーチの右側部分から登ります。。 また、Archの上の部分には 下の部分からは登れません。。 アーチの右にずれて登らずに そのまま上を上る感じになります。。 とても眺めのいいTrailです。。 read more

I didn't finish this hike. In pictures, the arch didn't look too bad but up close and in person - it is STEEP. You're basically on all fours crawling up it and then you're crab-walking back down. I nope-d out of there before the arch after seeing a woman basically dangling off the edge. Trying to get a cool photo ain't worth the heart palpitations in my opinion. Park at the Holana Blowhole lot and then you want to walk on the left side of the road before crossing over to the right (you can walk a little further ahead to avoid crossing right before a blind curve). At first I was trying to figure out where the trailhead was but basically once you spot the arch, follow it down with your eyes and you can make out a relatively flat-ish path to the road. The first segment isn't bad at all, with cool-looking black rocks scattered everywhere, but then, once you pass through a steeper section, the real work begins. I decided to at least hike up to where the arch begins. Going up wasn't bad at all. Coming back down was a whole other story, where I was basically scooting down exposed rock face on my butt. Overall, it's a cool way to experience the other side of Koko but if I had to pick an ascent between the arch and the stairs, I would pick the stairs any day. When we came first thing in the morning, we only saw one other family trying to scale it (the teenagers were utterly fearless, I was petrified just watching them). read more

Short hike. But the end, very steep and scary to go down. Beautiful view. But I had enough for 1 time. read more

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This route is great if you have some extra time. It's quite a bit longer than the railway trail, but it is definitely much more fun. Our tip is to bring two or more cars. Have one parked by Sandy's and the other parked at Koko Head State. You may choose whether you want to go up the rim and down the stairs or up the stairs and down the rim. You could go up and down the rim, but what fun is that? Scenery is pretty epic. There are definitely some more narrow/steeper parts. Branches stick out into the path as well so you need to watch out for you legs. If you go in the mid afternoon or early morning, you don't need to worry about the sun killing you. Time of completion? Depends on the route you take. If you start with the stairs it may take longer as you're more cautious going down the ridge. Possibly around 2.5-3 hours including the walk to your car. Starting with the ridge and ending with the stairs could run you around 2.5 hours including the walk from the car. Bring your friends and have a good time! Not recommended for pets though. They would probably make it through, but taking care of your dog while hiking up and/or down this ridge is a bit more than you could ask for. read more

Koko Crater Arch Trail - Hiking Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One the most underrated hikes on the island that's more sure! Make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen as it is nearly non stop sunlight beaming on you the whole time, I would not recommend this hike with cloudy weather as you wont be able to see the gorgeous views of the ocean and mountain ranges of course! Also Koko head as you walk up looks great too. There is some bees on this trail and other bugs so be weary of that and try to avoid them to the best of your ability. read more

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This is NOT the way with train track/stairs. That's the OTHER side. Today, not only did I almost fall off a mountain but also saw whales in the distance (at sea) and had two stray bullets fly over my head. Also, despite the vog keeping me at bay from taking clear photos, I'd say today was a great hike. In fact, superb! The Koko Crater rim trail is located inside the Koko Head Botanical Garden and stables behind the Hawaii Kai Golf Course. As you walk through the garden, stick to the trail on the left. It's about a 5-10 minute trek to the trail head. You'll know you're there when you reach the "Dry Palms" area. Look for the "Madagascar" section and the "DANGER: No access. Dangerous Conditions" sign shrouded under trees. There you will see the path up the mountain that begins your journey. Although the initial incline may be a bit rough, it should be no biggie if you're the adventurous type, right? Map for location to the botanical garden: http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/hbg/kcbg.htm Koko Crater rim is in my top three picks on the island and I'd say is geared for the intermediate hiker because despite it's length (about two miles), there are many steep and dangerous areas to consider. If walking high along narrow ridges don't bother you, then I would highly recommend this trail! The way I describe the rim: breath taking, exhilarating and sometimes scary. It's also one where you need to be mindful of what's in front of you at all times, as the terrain here can get tricky. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQD2IGpYW_Y Jaw dropping and spectacular are the views here! As you walk along the ridge line, you will see a great panorama of Kalama Valley, Sandy Beach, all the way to the blowhole and Hanauma Bay. A few yards in is where it starts to incline. The 3/4-point starts when you're climbing up rocks and not only does the trail gets narrower but also windier. I suggest you follow the paths to the left (marked by pink ribbons) that go around the rock formations, as they provide a safer alternative than walking the ledges above it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJsCmT4H7k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYaOSgcd4Y Like I mentioned earlier about bullets whizzing past me on this hike, it's true because down below is a shooting range. The first one was so close, I could've sworn it broke the air behind my neck. Funny part is, usually I'm a bit nervous hiking here, as I'll admit I'm afraid of heights. Today, I was more worried about getting taken out by a stray bullet LOL! Also didn't help that the sound of ricocheting rounds were echoing in the distance. Listen, as you can hear the gun range in the background: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PpBcutjS7Q The top is where the rim meets the railway hike, which is still my least favorite hike...EVER! I suggest you take the rim way because it's a lot nicer and way friendlier on you legs and cardio. Also things to consider when hiking the rim is that I recommend you wear long pants, I say that because there are a lot of dry shrubs and branches along the way (at the beginning, a lot of cactus) that will scrape and scratch up your legs. Trust me when I say I'm suffering from gashes on my shins right now. That and again, although miles away, you're still in the scope of a shooting range. "Probably" the reason for the warning signs. 5 stars Koko Crater Rim Trail in Koko Head read more

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I've recently been hiking quite a bit, and this past weekend was my first time doing the Koko Crater Rim Trail. PROS: + Great views from start to end + Challenging + More than an just uphill walk + It's not awfully long + Several different CONS: - Not a lot of shade - Biting ants - You will probably have to go down the railway When my friend first brought up the idea of going on this hike I was intrigued. I read everyone's Yelp reviews, and looked up peoples youtube videos on it, and started looking forward to it more and more. This was my first experience hiking a crater rim! I guess it's a lot like a ridge hike, but narrower, and steeper. Excitement!! We started by meeting up at Koko Head Regional Park, where you would park to do the railway hike. And all jumped into one car to head over to the Blowhole parking lot. We parked there, and got started. We walked along the highway in the town direction and darted across when we got to the end of one of the guardrails which serves as the trail head if you're going to start with the arch. We followed the rough almost path up to the base of the arch, and stood there staring at what was ahead of us. Didn't look too tough from here: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EhDZSmXRzGD0EjlZ4UZsYQ?select=2KxkiXoYxY_0CWnzW-d7wQ#dJbwr4V-4zSa3he9LZjdew It's a long way up: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EhDZSmXRzGD0EjlZ4UZsYQ?select=2KxkiXoYxY_0CWnzW-d7wQ#2KxkiXoYxY_0CWnzW-d7wQ Luckily one of us had gone up this was just the week before, so she served as our guide on this expedition. This arch part of the hike was definitely the toughest part due to the fact that some parts are so steep you have to use all four of your limbs to literally climb your way up! Lean back a little too much, and you feel like you're going to fall off the rock. Once we managed to climb up the side of the crater we were on the rim. From here we followed the rim all the way to the old army bunkers that are at the top of the railway tracks. From here we headed down the rails (my least favorite part of the hike) back to the parking lot where we originally met up. The way down: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EhDZSmXRzGD0EjlZ4UZsYQ?select=S4N53kxAfSWge-G6wN1F3A#S4N53kxAfSWge-G6wN1F3A There's practically no shade on this hike, so the sun will be beating down on you the whole time unless it's an overcast day, so make sure you slather on the sunscreen, and bring a lot of water. There was almost no wind on the day we went up there, so there were a bunch of flying ants all over the rim, and top of the railway. Those little suckers bit pretty hard too! Watch out for them if the wind isn't blowing. Also, I don't really recommend this hike for kids. It'll probably be pretty tough/scary for them. All in all, I would totally go on this hike again, and maybe see if there's a way to get down without going down the railway since that was my least favorite part of the trail. read more

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***This is NOT a review of the Koko Head Stairs*** That's a different hike and in my not so humble opinion, a far inferior one. The "Stairs" hike is basically a grueling stair-master experience and mostly for the purpose of cardio fitness. It doesn't compare to the diversity, views and exhilaration of this Crater Rim hike. I only have a small window of time for hikes during the year and so I want to max out as much scenery and adrenaline as possible. That's why although there's never getting around the cardio aspect of a lot of hikes (which I value as well - I need to lose planny lbs.), I want them coupled with narrow ridges at times, maybe a little rock climbing, and definitely the views. As @EricA details nicely, this is from the INSIDE up from the Botanical Garden, the entrance for which is opposite of the Queen's Gate residential area of Hawaii Kai (just mauka of Sandy's). @EricA sums up nicely what this hike is all about. It has a nice cardio scramble for the first 20 minutes (much less than the 30-40 minutes of hell going up the Stairs). It then has a gradual ridge hike going counter clockwise up to the top (that's where the top of the Stairs is as well). Views of Sandy's, the Halona Blowhole, Hanauma Bay and Portlock are unparalleled. It also has some moderate rock climbing sections. It was overcast and drizzly this past Saturday but otherwise we would have had some views of Lanai, Molokai and possibly Maui on a clear day. And if we really got lucky, we could have seen some whales. But that would have all been house money as this is an amazing hike without those "extras". Because the trail was wet from the drizzle, going down would have been slippery and dangerous so we just went down the Stairs to get back to the bottom. That sucked because it's really hard on the knees (the stairs are yards apart and sometimes requires jumping down, trashing the knees). Finally, a walk back to the Botanical Garden parking lot from Koko Head park (where the trail head for the Stairs is) would have been like an hour walk back. Luckily someone in our group spotted a friend who had a pickup truck, so we piled in and he gave us a quick ride back. On hindsight, I would advise you leave one car at the park to shuttle back to the Botanical Garden parking lot (there's not a direct path, you have to go around via Lunalilo Home Road). There's one other way to get to the top of Koko Head Crater and that's via the rock bridge arch coming from the blowhole-Kalanianaole Highway side and I'd like to try it some day. I heard that the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club does that each New Year's Day. read more

Koko Crater Arch Trail - Looking back on the ridge and peak we traversed. - Hiking Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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5/20/12 - Park one car at the botanical gardens, park another at the Koko Head Crater Hike (the long stairs one). Leave your slippers in the car at the Koko Head Crater Hike where you end. The botanical gardens that you enter from was very nice. Then we hit the cactus. It might be over grown, so be careful! I anticipated a painful hike, but was pleasantly surprised. Most of the way, it was nice and breezy. But because of the breeziness, I got sun burn. I couldn't even tell I was getting burnt - I even put sun screen on before I left!! Some of the top of the rim was creepy. Both sides you could fall to your death, and it was windy. But most of the way it felt safe - but that's just me. Going down KoKo Head tracks was the worst part! My legs were shaking and my knees were sore. There were a lot of people on Sunday afternoon, some running, some going very slowly. My legs are still hurting two days later. But you know what they say, the second day is the worst. I would go again. read more

Koko Crater Arch Trail - Cactus! - Hiking Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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To find THE ARCH, you start by the blowhole parking and start across the street. Best visual of this is on "haiku626"'s YouTube page! Just follow that and it'll lead you to the obvious trail. Following you'll see the huge mountain on your right and the arch right ahead! This comes the trickiest part - going under and over the arch! Going under it we went to the right of it and it was a little scare and to go back up the opposite side. After the arch, keep following to get to the top and meet up with the koko head stairs. Went down the koko head stairs where my friend drove me back to my car at the blowhole. The scariest part is climbing over the arch. The hardest part is the part after the arch. Ha! But really, in all there are heart pounding moments for this steep, cardio intense hike! But in the end is all worth it and will be a fun challenge for intermediate hikers & risk takers, and probably a bit more intimidating for beginners. Have fun and be safe! read more

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I just did this trail for sunrise! It was spectacular! Short, little ridge you hike to this bautiful arch on the side of Koko crater. From there you continue up to the rim and you take left or right. Left is the West side of the rim which is the more harder with scrambles, then when you cross to the East side is a more graded hike. The crater rim is not for beginners for sure! read more

Koko Crater Arch Trail - Hiking Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This review is of the less known route up to the top. It is a more exciting trail, and until you reach the crater rim, it is a lot easier climb. Once the rim trail is reached, you will face the same danger as the rim trail, hiking along a narror trail with fall off on each side. Hiking the rim is not for small kids or even older kids if they the type to horse around. Off the trail, the slope is very slippery. The trail head is located across the parking lot at the Blowhole. Cross the highway and head back toward Honolulu for about 25 yards. Scamble up the cliff face from the highway (an easy 25 ft climb), and once on top, head North-West toward the base, In a few minutes you should be able to see the rock-arch and the straight ridge line up to the top of the crater rim. The top of this trail reaches the rim near the shark point. 1 - Wear hiking or good cross-country shoes 2- long pants are better than shorts, because the brushes along the trail going up can be rough 3- Be extra careful going over the Arch, Its easier to go under the arch, especially when coming back down. 4- this trail and the rim trails are not for solo hikers 5- when you reach the rim, make a note where you are and your relatiionship to shark point on the rim, if you want to take this trail back down, especially if you parked in the Blowhole parking lot. It may be difficult to spot, since there is no unusal marking to where the Trail Head start for going back down. read more

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So many people say this is a tough climb, but I did it while 40lbs overweight and drunk. It can't be that hard... Great view at the top, definitely worth the vodka! read more

This is the review for the Koko crater rim hike. Starting from botanical garden and goes up the west ridge. Then descend the east ridge and come back to the Botanical garden. I arrived pretty early around 7am at the botanical garden. The west side ridge is about 100 meter west to the parking lot and really easy to find. The trail is not walked much so it is a little overgrown. pants are recommended if you don't want your let get scratched. The ascending is gradual and not very physically intense. The more technical part start about half way. Quite a bit of ridge walking and not recommended for people afraid of height. I brought a pair of hiking poles and it helps to stabilize me on the ridge, especially when the wind is blowing. Took me about an hour to reach the top of the railway at moderate pace(not rushing, taking pictures every a few minutes). It gets harder when it get closer to the top so you can always turn back if you feel you're not ready for it. Going down the east side is quite less technical but there is still a couple of narrow part that is not for everyone. I met a group of people coming up from the arch and it looks quite fun. The worst part of the loop is then end of east side. After a steep descend the trail just disappears into the bushes. I'm not even sure I can find the trail head if I started on the east side. Anyway I got to the botanic garden and made it back to my car around 10am. It was a Sunday and I'm the only one I saw on the west ridge and I only saw 1 guy come down the east side after me. A lot less traffic than the popular rail way. The weather was breezy and overcast so I only drank 1 liter of water. The view was great in every direction so I took many photo stops. Good for experienced hiker and if you only have one car. Hiking poles recommended if you dislike crawling. read more

Koko Crater Arch Trail - A technical section on the west ridge before the top. - Hiking Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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After reading the reviews it appears there are multiple ways to access the peak. A buddy and I started and finished from the botanical gardens parking lot. We went up counter clockwise and walked the length of the rim back down. Going up hill is no joke. You'll encounter troublesome obstacles that are not for the faint hearted or the clumsy hiker. Parts have straight drops on either side of you, with the trade winds hitting you the climb can be pretty intense. And watch out for the cacti! Once you reach the peak the hike becomes pretty easy as you walk the rim back down. Took us a little longer than three hours to walk the rim. We took a slower approach when reaching the top because it was raining off and on. I submitted a panorama of the length of the rim. It's in the photo section. read more

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I did the complete Koko Crater rim, counterclockwise. My route: Up the Koko Crater Railway stairs, turn right to go around the East rim. Descended down the rim into botanical garden, crossed the road, and went up the West rim, all the way back up to the top, and down the railway stairs. It took a total of about 5hrs, with many things that slowed us down. There were several times on the West rim when I lost the trail and had to back track to find a navigable path. Also, it took 30-45 minutes just to find the trail from the botanical garden up the West rim. Another factor, the trail was extremely overgrown in some parts, requiring frequent pauses to figure out where it went. The brush would often be covering up cacti, which there was A LOT of. I got stuck multiple times. I could see this taking closer to 3.5-4 hours at a steady pace. I love scrambling, climbing, narrow ridges, challenging rock faces.. but in my opinion, this was tough! The East rim? A cake walk. But if you're going to take on the West, go with someone, and someone who knows it. There were actually a few spots that made me worry I might have to turn back. Not only are there a bunch of very narrow sections, but some steep, vertigo-inducing scrambles that require strategy, and careful movements. I brought my 32 oz Nalgiene bottle. I shoulda brought two! Luckily, I was able to refill in the botanical gardens at a water spigot. Other options You can get to the crater rim by way of the stairs, the Koko Crater Arch trail, or the botanical gardens. So you could stage a car at any one of those places, go up from another, and down back to the stage car. I'd guess going up the stairs, down the East rim and into the gardens would take most people under two hours, probably under 1.5 without overgrown brush like we had. Like any other trail, be respectful of other hikers, carry out all trash, pick up trash if you can. You love hiking? Show the land some love. read more

The main reason I give this hike 4 instead of 5 stars is because it's tricky to find the trailhead. It took my friend and I a good 1/2 hour to find it because it's hidden. DIRECTIONS to the TRAILHEAD: -Park at the Botanical Gardens (located next to the Hawaii Kai Golf Course). The Yelp map marker is wrong, the gardens are located at the end of Kokonani St. -Begin walking along the trail with the Frangipani trees and stay left (you will walk 10-15 minutes through the gardens before reaching the trailhead). -Stay left until you reach a red dirt pile and a "Dry Land Palms/African Plants" sign, take a right there -You will arrive at a fork in the trail where a sign says: "Dry Land Palms". Go no further than that sign. -Look to the left and you will see another blue sign that says "Madagascan Section" with an arrow pointing to the right. The arrow roughly points to the trailhead and it is located up behind the "DANGER: No access. Dangerous Conditions" sign. Tall grass surrounds it so don't miss it!! Start on the trail and you will quickly begin to gain elevation. REVIEW of the TRAIL: I would say this hike is an 18+ hike, you should not take kids on it. It's a bit difficult and requires hiking experience but the views are awesome. The beginning is the steepest and most challenging; where you gain the most elevation. You need to 'bear climb" in some parts so make sure to wear shoes with good grip. Once on the ridge, you have great views of Sandies and the coast. The path is quite narrow, rocky and uneven the whole way. Be careful if you have weak ankles, I rolled mine a couples times. You can go as far up the rim as you want but it can get really windy towards the top. My recommendations is to take two cars, park one at the Koko Head trailhead (the rail stairs one) and begin at the Botanical gardens to make a loop around the rim and then descend down the stairs. Start earlier in the morning to avoid the heat, there is very limited shade. read more

This is the second time that I've been hiking on Oahu and thought I was going to fall and perish to my death. Of course, there was a reason my friend and I were feeling that way, we weren't on a trail. We were scaling the cliff with nothing to hold onto but hope that we would make it to the top. So I'm going to tell you how to enjoy this fun, short hike up Koko Crater Rim the correct way. I know that there are a few ways to go up, we used Stuart Balls Hiking book to show us (kinda) how. 1. Park at the Halona blowhole parking lot 2. Cross the street and walk towards Hanauma Bay. The trail beginnings at the second guardrail on the right where there is a patch of grass and rocks to climb up onto. 3. Walk towards the natural arch. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TBkbapvgjcj-xApg5nYq8g&userid=QkQLnujuiBDP1mNChJYJww * Side note- This was the second time attempting this hike in two days. The first time we came to the arch - my friend was so sketched out by the steepness that we turned around and went home -Because of what happened the first time, we decided to go under the arch because we thought there was a trail....Well, we found out later on the trail that the correct way is to actually climb OVER the arc. Unfortunately we did not experience this so I cannot really give you any good advice but be careful and stay close to the ground especially if its windy. 4. Once you go over the arch you will see a trail that will lead you to the top of the ridge. Keep your eyes on the lookout for the triangular tuft of grass. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=_lc_dYlAB_mgdoZSLAlEpw&userid=QkQLnujuiBDP1mNChJYJww After going under the arch, my friend and I went to the left and literally climbed up crumbling rocks scared for our lives till we were about 10 ft away from the tuft of grass and then we met Dan. A 50 something fearless year old man who hikes Koko Crater Rim on his days off. He was the one who informed us we had climbed up the wrong way and that going over the arch was "fun". He basically called anything dangerous fun. He ended up showing us the way to the top. There are two ways to hike the ridge. Going on the ridge or on the easier "chicken" path (as he called it) on the left. If you have climbed Olomana or even Ka'au Crater you'll be fine on the ridge. Although there are steep drops on the right side, the ridge isn't too narrow so as long as you take your time you'll be fine. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=J-v5mtmePtwjQOWJgEhgSQ&userid=QkQLnujuiBDP1mNChJYJww 5. After following the ridge to the top of Koko Head Stairs and saying bye to Dan we ran down the stairs to check out a trail Dan had told us about. 6. After you get to the bottom of the stairs, walk towards the Koko Head shooting range and you'll see a trail in the woods on the left that will lead you down a hill and to the parking lot of the shooting range. If you see pink ribbons on the trees your on the right trail. 7. Now walk towards the road and cross the street. Walk along the road till you get to the next scenic point....Go over the guard rail and walk to the far right side of the parking lot. You'll see some cool rocks leading down to the ocean. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=KJW7wNwvGDXEuInYVT0Ujg&userid=QkQLnujuiBDP1mNChJYJww If you are looking for a little change of scenery, there is a couple 7 ft. lava tunnels you can walk through. Be careful though cause it was high tide and you have to time it right or else you might be swept into the ocean. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=7hG4DY3SqlbqhqFbgDIQbw&userid=QkQLnujuiBDP1mNChJYJww *We figured out after going through them that went through the lava tunnels the wrong way. You can walk along the road, passing the scenic point till you get to the bridge and then climb through the tunnels. The only thing is that I'm not positive if you can walk along the ocean back to the Blow Hole parking lot. 8. We walked along the road on the way back to the car. Although a little nerve-racking at times I enjoyed hiking something different and definitely recommend this hike to anyone looking for an intermediate level hike. YELP 365: 132/365 read more

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I give it five stars. Leave your small dogs and children at home for this one, folks. I died at least 3 times. We started at the Botanical Gardens and went clockwise around the rim. There were some very, very, scary moments (the kind that make your okole-hole pucker). Make sure you have a will in place and definitely some life insurance before you go to this one. Don't let your wife know how much, though, there are a lot of places to push you off. There are a lot of narrow walkways... Good luck. read more

* This review, as titled, is for the Koko CRATER, RIM trail, not the Koko Head RAILWAY trail * I absolutely love this "trail", though I only ever do the makai (ocean side) half of the rim. Recommended for at least intermediate hikers, there are some slightly dangerous parts. Rating: Parking - Ample on both sides Hike - Intermediate on makai side, the other side is probably for more advanced hikers View - Absolutely gorgeous, and (minus the railway trail) there are few other hikers so it's very calming & you can go at your own pace Advice: * Sunscreen for sensitive skin peoples! * Be on alert for biting ants! Maybe bring some numbing/cortisol spray/cream for short-term but immediate relief treatment * Have someone park one car at Koko Head botanical garden and another at Koko Head railway trail parking lot (start on either side), otherwise it's like a 2-3mi walk back to the car OR having to backtrack to your starting point... * To chose your starting point: starting at Koko railway trail requires going up a very steep incline for about a mile on railroad tracks (so imagine a stairway with each step a few feet apart); or starting at the garden where it is a steep but short hike up, which can make the railway trail easier for people who prefer to hike down a steep descent * Good grippy or non-slip shoes & light clothing because it gets hot! * 1-3 liters of water * Depending on whether you plan on including the railway trail plan on at least 2.5hrs Detailed review: Though I am an intermediate/advanced (depending on the hike) hiker, my cardiovascular system isn't the best (I was a long-time smoker with asthma) so it can take me a good hour just to get to the top of the Koko Head rail trail, and will take about 45 minutes to do the rim; with stops for pics & just enjoying the view, the entire hike will generally take *ME* 3+ hours. The average hiker tends to take 20-40 minutes to the head of the railway, with advanced hikers taking as little as 10-15mins (totes jelly, yo). I consider an intermediate hiker someone who has done any of the following: the Tom-Tom trail, the first two peaks of Olomana, the entire Lanikai loop trail (past the Pillboxes all the way down the backside of Lanikai), Mariner's ridge (if you continue along Waimanalo ridge), Wa`ahila ridge, Kuliouou, Pali Puka or any other similar hikes with inclines/declines requiring the use of your hands. read more

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Ive done Koko Crater Rim trail prob 7 times already. It's a fun challenge and great change of pace from just going up and down the "stairs". Way I do it is I park at the parking lot near the stairs section. Then I go up the stairs, and then decide which direction I want to go. Going around the rim counter clockwise is easier then going around it clockwise. Reason is its way easier climbing up rocks then down them. The west rim has a lot of rock sections to overcome. The east rim is a piece of cake. Only from the platforms at the top of Koko Crater does it look scary and dangerous. Once you are on the trail, its pretty wide and well marked. And, on each of the narrow sections, there is an easier path that goes around it. So you can do that side of the crater the easy way or the harder way. To get down into the gardens, just follow the rim trail till u see a rocky section that head down into the gardens. First time I ever tried the trail, I went down the rim towards Sandy beach direction! Thats not the correct way and I ended up with a long, hot walk back to my car. Once you are in the Botanical gardens, follow the road and head towards the stables. Right by the exit, keep going towards the west rim and follow that road till you see the "Danger, no trespassing" sign. Thats the start of the west rim trail. There is no real marked trail on the west side. Just follow the rocks and look for scrape marks on the rocks to know which way to go. You will be heading up trail and come to a dead end, only to see the "scratch marks" below you lol. Overall its a slightly advanced hike that is really fun. You have lots of things to keep you happy. Easy trails, rock climbing, awesome views from Diamond head to Makapuu, skinny narrow sections that are a foot wide with scary drops if you make mistake, just tons of hiking fun!! read more

One of my favorite hikes of all time .... Just please make sure you take plenty of water and a small bit of something if you get jittery especially if you go more than once... The scenery is one of a kind and it's beautiful and breath taking haha literally lol .... My least favorite part were the bees on where the small drop under the rail is I think they are nesting there so they gave me mini heart attacks just buzzing around me when I was trying to balance but besides that I absolutely loved this hike read more

This is a great, short trail for views of O`ahu's eastern shore. Starting from the botanical garden going up the east rim and clockwise all the way around, the hike took around 3 hours. I'd give the east rim a novice difficulty level while the west rim is expert only. Hikers with even the slightest fear of heights should either return down the east rim or go down the stairs. The west rim has roughly 3-5 narrow sections with sheer drops on either side, and at least one bouldering section. In two sections, the "trail" is no more than 18 inches wide and not level, which means you pretty much need to be on your ass to traverse it. Looking back, all sections are traversable, but should not be attempted except by able-bodied people in good shape who are pretty well coordinated. Very pretty views of the ocean, the crater, Hawaii Kai, and the Ko`olaus. 4 stars rather than 5 because the views barely justify the risk. Elyse L.'s directions to the trailhead are spot on, though I cannot for the life of me understand why she would say "frangipani trees" instead of "plumeria." read more

This trail is a fun, daring, intermediate hike. It could be very intimidating for beginners, so just be CAREFUL!! The view on this hike is amazing! Most of the time, you have a 360 view all around. It's gorgeous! I'd say the north rim is the hardest part because it's very narrow and steep. Just watch your step and really take your time! Other than that, I definitely think this hike is worth it and make sure to bring enough water just in case!! read more

More of a workout than a hike Crazy 1050+ steps along an old mining railroad track that gets pretty steep towards the top. The view up top is pretty amazing and you can see really far on a clear day. Get ready to sweat! read more

I remember the first time going up the thousands of stairs at Koko Head, hunched over with my hands on my knees and looking out at the ocean only to see people walking along the ridge. My first thoughts were, Are they crazy? Do they not know how narrow that ridge looks? I'm never doing that doing hike...This is my review of that ridge hike.... The climb to the top of the ridge was not particularly hard, however, there was a bunch of cactus. This caused us to walk very slowly and contort our bodies to avoid being poked by the cacti. Once you get to the top of the ridge it is quite a sight to behold. It is practically the same view as when you get to the top of Koko Head, but much closer...almost as if going from standard to HD haha. Great view of the ocean on one side of the ridge and Waimanalo and a view of the botanical gardens on the other. One of the first things that I noticed was that I was able to see both sides of the ridge at the same time. So it made for an interesting effect as the ground you're walking on remained still while each side of the ridge seemed to be moving. This also means that on either side of you is the edge of the cliff so yeah, I would not recommend this hike if it's raining because you are walking on a ridge! The ridge itself was not as narrow as I had first imagined. It's about the width of a normal sidewalk for the most part, however, there are a few places where it narrows considerably. The biggest issue is that you have to climb up or climb down some rocks and the wind is so strong it can be a little unsettling since, well, you know you could technically fall off and that wouldn't be so fun. There were a few parts where I tried to stay as low to the ground as possible so I wouldn't be affected by the wind so much. When you get to the top you end up at the same place when you reach the end of the Koko Head stairs, so that means walking down the stairs and then carpooling it back to the other side to get the car. There are apparently a few ways to get to the ridge as you can read in other reviews...for us we had left one car at the bottom of the Koko Head stairs and carpooled to the other side. I definitely would have gotten lost if I didn't go with someone who had already done this before...and I still might get lost the next time I go on this haha. I don't even want to attempt to go into how we got there, read the other reviews for directions...Couple of tidbits, the hike can be extremely hot as there are no shade, so I would recommend going early. It took us about two hours, but we stopped often to take pictures. There also must be a ladybug colony or something as there are hundreds of ladybugs up there, try not to step on them! In the end my imagination made this hike much more intimidating then it actually was. It was a fun little hike that is pretty chill with some great scenery, except for a few sketchy sections. If you're in the Hawaii Kai area and looking for an alternative to walking up those thousand stairs I recommend walking along the ridge. read more

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As Will L. mentioned: THIS IS NOT THE KOKO HEAD STAIRS HIKE! There are basically two halves to this hike, the Makai/East Rim and the Mauka/West Rim with the apex of the height being the end of the Koko Head Stairs. Makai/East Rim: This is the (relatively) safer half of the rim and there are two different ways to get to it. 1) Start in the Koko Crater Botanical Garden. I'd write the rest of it out but eric a. does a very nice job of describing how to get there in his review. Beware of spider webs on the way up as this trail doesn't seem to be used as frequently. 2) Park at Sandy Beach (not Blow Hole unless you want to chance having your car broken into!) and walk along the highway toward Hanauma Bay. Cross over to the mountain side of the road on the turn after the Blow Hole Lookout and hop the guard rail to the base of the ridge. You'll have to climb/high step up for a minute to gain the top of the ridge. Once on top, head Mauka toward the natural stone arch; you can't miss it as there is a well-worn path to the base. It's a quick (less than 60 ft) scramble to the base of the arch. Stick to the left side of the base and you'll find a nice path leading up to the center of the arch. Alternatively, you can climb straight up by grabbing on to the eye bolt if you want more excitement. Your best bet is to stay toward the middle/left side of the arch as you climb up as the path is well-worn and there are numerous hand/footholds. The top of the arch is a nice place to take a break, drink water, and take pictures of the coastline. Now comes the fun part, the trek straight up the side of the crater (with a few small switchbacks). Pace yourself on this part as it can be just a grueling as the stairs. The path here is well-defined and shouldn't take more than 20 minutes to gain the rim of the crater. After this, you'll turn left and head up to the apex/end of the first half. Mauka/West Rim: So the East Rim was a piece of cake and now you want something a little more narrow to get your adrenaline going? Take a break at the top and head on over to the East Rim. Start by the concrete pad with the studs (don't trip over them; that would be lame since you made it all the way to the top). You'll have to step down a couple of rock slabs and make your way toward the first test; a climb down a short rock face. From the top it will look like a bunch of random steps down, I find it easier to face away from the mountain as it allows me to see where I'm going to step next. *tip* Test all of your hand and footholds before proceeding. Following this you come to your first test; an off-camber slab with decently far drops on both sides. The footing on this slab is solid but proceed carefully as it's not a flat surface. *note* You can always choose the side route to the left if heights/narrow sections aren't your thing. You'll be rewarded with a mellow jaunt among some shrubbery that should give your (possibly shaking) legs time to recover. There are a few more narrow sections ahead that will provide some thrills but they're not as bad as the first section. About halfway down the rim is the puka (hole) in the mountain that you can see from the road below; it doesn't look like much but scan the ridgeline ahead as you make your way down and you'll be able to see it. *note* If you want a more relaxing route there is a path to the right side of the high/narrow sections; there are a few pink trail marker ribbons along this route. The final test is a scramble down the side of a steep rock section. There are numerous areas where footholds have been worn into a sort of path. Stick to the left side of the rim as you start your initial descent. The path will contour slightly to the right side as you descend and you'll be able to make out a faint path in the grass on the base of the ridge. Follow the path through the grass and it will eventually loop around to the botanical garden above the plumeria trees. *note* There is an old barbed wire fence that you have to cross depending on the path you take; please don't run into it. And that's it. The previous reviews covered basically everything but I just had to add my two cents on the arch and West Rim. Please beware of cactus, unstable footing, and narrow sections with drops on both sides. Bring decent shoes, water, a snack, and your camera and have a blast. P.S. Don't go here on rainy days/give it a couple days to dry out after heavy rain; the rock retains moisture and will be slick the day after a heavy rain. Also, windy days up the "sketchy" factor of this hike several notches. Don't wear a hat on windy days unless you don't mind losing it. Shoots. read more

you park in the botanical garden, which is where the golf course is but all the way in the back in the crater. you follow the dirt trail in & follow the trail sign, though once you see a second trail sign there's another trail path on the right which you take. this starts you from the east side of the crater. then there's pretty much a dirt path to follow though on the way to the top you'll have some rocks to climb up. we went around 12p when we thought it would be really hot but the wind helped. but the downfall of that is that when rocking climbing & going through those narrow paths the wind can take you. some parts we had to climb on all fours to be safe. you reach the top which is the same top as if you were to do koko head stairs. going back down the west side of the crater was way more easier, though it just got windier so again be careful. then towards the end the path turns in to a dirty path down the inside of the crater. that was slippery & a dirty downhill, though we just used the trees to hold on to. then when you get back to the bottom you just follow the path back around through the botanical garden back to the parking area. overall I loved this hike. took us about 3 hrs but that's including stopping several times to take many pics as well as relaxing at the top. it's leisurely w/ a really nice view & in my opinion a way better hike than the stairs! just be careful though cause the branches sure stick out when walking on the path. I've gotten several scratches on my legs from them & let me tell you they're not flimsy branches that'll easily bend when you walk through them! also make sure you go on a nice day, not when it's rainy or too windy b/c of the steep, narrow, & rock climbing parts. I would def go again for the nice view & moderate workout. read more

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Was at the gun range. This was the closest check in. enjoyed the great weather an got certified for my course.

Not for the faint of heart, but an amazing hike with incredible views! If you're brave enough to go on a rainy morning (don't slip!), you might encounter some incredible rainbows! read more

I did this hike on my second time doing the Koko Head Stairway Hike in one week. I didn't know if you could actually go all the way around the crater so curiosity got the better of me and I tackled the challenge. I got up the stairs in 25 minutes. Took a few minutes to relax and set up on conquering the crater. The trail is easily marked so you know where to go. There are parts where you have to do some light climbing over some rocks but nothing serious. The views you get from having the crater to one side and the 72 hwy and the Pacific Ocean on the other side is truly breathtaking. It does get a bit hairy when you're on the rim with steep slopes on both sides and the wind blowing pretty stiff. As someone that has a slight fear of heights, this was a challenge. And I've hiked Mt. Whitney! One of the coolest things about this hike was seeing all the various flora on the rim growing from the volcanic rock. I saw some pretty cool and unique looking plants. Once you get to the end of the crater, getting down to the lower ridge wasn't difficult but it was a steep slope. Down below, the trail can be a bit hard to find but stick to higher elevation and you'll be find. I made a wrong turn and ended up going deep into the middle of the shrubbery and came upon one ugly cactus. The toughest part of the hike was actually when I got back on the road and footed all the way around the crater back to the park where my car was parked. By that point, I just wanted to get home and take a shower and eat. The whole trek took about 3 hours from the time I left my car to when I got back to the car. Of all the hikes I've done, this one was a true challenge, mostly mentally because it was one I set out on on my own. read more

length: 1 hour 45 minutes the cost: free difficulty: intermediate the way: after reading some of the reviews, it seems that there are two ways to get on this trail. One is via the Halona blowhole and the other is via the botanical gardens. Either way you need two cars. One at the beginning and the other at the end. You can park at the Halona blowhole and carefully but quickly cross Kalanianaole Hwy. There is a rail there and the safest thing to do would be to get on the other side of it. Follow it a short distance until it ends. This is where you want to climb up some rocks and by climb I mean take some large steps up. You will have to use your hands but I don't think gloves are necessary. I also don't think hiking shoes are necessary but may be helpful. I like this hike because I think that the trail is actually pretty straightforward and simple. Follow the trail up until you reach the arch. It really is quite spectacular at this point. The easiest way to get on top of the arch is via the front part of it. The arch is without too much divots to plant your hands or foot in but the rock is rough with good traction. Once you've gotten to the top of the arch you've completed the hardest part of the hike. Then from here on out there will be an obvious trail up to the top of the crater. There's really no random trails leading you astray and either way if you're going up the crater then you're headed in the right direction. As you get higher and higher you'll get even more rewarding views of the ocean and once you hit the crater there's beautiful views on either side. It can get a little windy up here, but I never felt incredibly unsafe. Also after this point there's not too much climbing to be done. Soon you should see the pillbox that marks the top of the koko head stairs. Once you find yourself at the top you take the koko head stairs down to your friends car. Overall, a quick hike with rewarding views. Need two cars. read more

This is definitely one of the best hikes I've ever done. I went with a couple of very experienced local hikers who do this hike several times year and one relatively inexperienced hiker (who was also a little afraid of heights). I've done a fair amount of hiking, myself, but this was probably one of the most challenging hikes I've done. We parked by Wawamalu Beach park and followed the highway southwest until we saw the (faint) trail start off to the right. We stepped over the guardrail and followed the trail up the hill, and over the natural arch. It's a pretty steep trail, but there are lots of good foot/hand holds. We had to scramble a bit when going up over the arch. After a bit of climbing, we arrived at the crater rim and began to follow it clockwise around the crater. The views were really lovely. We could see Hanauma Bay, the botanic gardens, the Pacific Ocean, and several of the neighboring valleys. We went late in the afternoon, so the sun was shining beautifully off the water. The wind was pretty strong up on the crater rim, but it was refreshing. After following the trail for a bit, we arrived at two platforms. I didn't see the stairway, but, from reading others' reviews, I understand that this is where the stairway trail terminates. The views from the platforms were incredible. From there, we continued on around the rim, arriving at several relatively difficult scrambles over large stones. There were very steep dropoffs on either side along this trail and many, many places where one misstep could result in a very dramatic fall. Eventually, the trail began to descend toward the botanic gardens. We crossed over a rusty barbed wire fence and emerged among the garden trees. I probably wouldn't recommend this trail for people who aren't surefooted or who are afraid of heights. The mental difficulty of this hike (the sheer drops on either side) was probably greater than the physical difficulty. The entire hike took us about 2 hours. Our super experienced hikers could probably have done it in less time, but, as I frequently reminded myself on the trail, this is one hike where rushing and overconfidence could definitely result in serious bodily injury. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this hike for anyone who has some hiking experience and who isn't super afraid of heights. The scenic views around the rim are fantastic and some of the best that I've seen on the island. read more