Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Kuliouou Ridge Trail

    4.7 (411 reviews)

    Kuliouou Ridge Trail Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Kuliouou Ridge Trail

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Happy 4th!
    Joyce L.

    I say this hike is pretty similar to Wiliwilinui ridge trail hike. Although the sign says it's 2 miles long one way, my Iphone recorded at over 6 miles total when we were done. Ok, someone is way off. It took us little over 3 hours with rest in between for the entire hike. We're just ordinary person so you could probably do it faster if you're fit and athletic. My food supplies were two bottled water and a small snack. Before you get to the top, you will go through variety of pathways like dry, slippery, windy, etc. When you see stairs, you are almost there except there are quite bit of stairs you have to climb. The view covers from part of Waimanalo to Hawaii Kai. I must say that enjoying the incredible view with your own eyes is way better than the photo or video. It's just not the same. There's no restroom and street or neighborhood parking only. Come early like 7am so that you don't have to do a mini hike before the real hike.

    Leroy W.

    Gorgeous views and friendly hikers. Challenging uphill battles but so rewarding when the top is reached

    This picture does nothing...you have to be there IRL!
    Sammy L.

    Yes! Do it. This is a moderately hard hike if it is wet and muddy. If it rained the last few days, I'd skip if you have newbie hikers in your group. The stairs at the last 15 min can be extremely slippery. There are some thick roots and pine needles on the trail. I'd wear some grippy shoes. When you get to the fork make a right! Plenty of places to stop and rest. The trail is so shaded, so even if you go in the mid day heat it's not too horrible. We did the hike in four hours, we also had two six year olds and two dogs. I'm sure you could easily do this hike in 3 hours round trip. Do take plenty of water and go early in the morning I'd recommend before 9am. The neighborhood is quiet, so please be respectful while finding a parking spot and don't block any driveways. Enjoy my friends!

    Ayaka O.

    Nice view. Good hike with your dog. But top has not shade! Go early! And bring water!

    Ace T.

    The walk to the top is enjoyable with steep inclines. However, be warned that there are numerous stairs towards the end of the trail. Despite this, the view at the top is well worth the effort. What I found fascinating was the change in the ecosystem as we climbed higher. The trail started in a rocky and damp forest, but transitioned to a pleasant walk through pine leaves and then lush greenery. The beginning of the trail provided ample shade and a refreshing breeze. The 4.7 mile round trip trail offered enough challenge to make it enjoyable, and the numerous angles provided beautiful views. The trailhead is straightforward to locate, but it is located in a residential area, so you can park in the street. Compared to the Wiliwilinui Ridge hike, this trail is less risky and offers easier parking. Remember to bring suitable trail shoes, snacks, water, a hat, and determination to push through the uphill climb. I don't have strong knees when going downhill so I bring a walking stick to lessen the impact. Its my top choice for a hike on Oahu so far.

    Location of trail
    Ian K.

    Located in Kuliouou, about off Kala'au Pl (see photos). You go past Kuliouou Park and then take a right on Kala'au Pl. You probably will end up parking on Kala'au Pl depending on how crowded it is. It takes about 2 - 3 hours depending on how fast you are. You can take dogs, however, small dogs might have some difficulty coming down the stairs at the top. There are about 220 step. When it rains you might want to wait about 3 days before you go because it can be muddy and slippery. The view of the East side of the island as well as Waimanalo, Kailua, and Kaneohe is pretty impressive as you can see from everyone else's photos. We come here pretty often. Good for kids as well. Longer than Komi Crater. Much shorter and less challenging than Olomana (3 Peaks).

    Lots of stairs near the top
    Cheri M.

    This is an epic hike in town that is my go to when out of town friends visit. The trek is definitely worth every step and don't forget to pack extra water and snack for the top!

    View from the top
    Daniel C.

    Do you love hikes? Do you enjoy stairs? Is going out in nature your thing? It's definitely not my usual go to physical activity but Yelp GF loves hiking. Yelp GF text messaged me that we're going hiking and I was kidnapped. No information was given to me so I didn't know what to expect. I'm glad because this hike was a challenge. Just when I thought we were done the first time, I was wrong. That was just around the half way mark going up. When I thought we were done again, I was wrong and there was this endless stairway that appeared. At that point I didn't want to assume when we were done anymore and I just kept going. When we finally reached the top, we were rewarded with some beautiful views of Oahu. I had to take a breather before taking photos and enjoying the view from the top. The hike down was a lot easier than going up for me but took longer because Yelp GF tweaked an ankle. Was the hike worth it? YES! It felt so good to reach the top and the million dollar view was totally worth it. Some things I would recommend is bringing water and applying sunscreen. Also, wear comfortable and appropriate shoes. We saw another group going up on the way down not in shoes and they told us they totally regretted it. They underestimated the hike and wasn't prepared. I only brought a small bottle of water with me and I was extremely thirsty after the hike. Normally I don't drink a lot of water in general but this hike I was thirsty. Great hike and I'm so happy I was kidnapped to conquer it.

    Brian B.

    One of my top three hikes of all time anywhere. Check AllTrails for current conditions. ARRIVE EARLY for parking anywhere near the trailhead. Like before 8am. Be respectful and don't block driveways or box people in. This hike is an amazing experience. With that said, there are millions of words on the topic already, so the rest of this review is devoted to the relatively less covered area of pedantic lecturing. Please stick to the main area at the peak. There's a side trail going to a slightly higher peak and this is how the mountain gets eroded, and curious suckers end up either dead or flailing down the side of a mountain. Please remember where you are and show some respect. Selfies look bad ass when you're in lotus position perched on the edge of a cliff, but literally thousands before you have already been there/done that and the Internet doesn't need more of this garbage. Also, ear buds are a wonderful thing. No one wants to hear your music banging up the trail and disturbing wildlife and the otherwise peaceful serenity of nature which is why people are here. Check yourself please. Finally, I suck at this and frankly didn't do a good job AT ALL, but if you wanted to be a saint you could brush your boots with a stiff brush, and spray them with 70% isopropyl rubbing before and after the hike to prevent cross-contamination of deadly fungal Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death (ROD) disease. There's a boot brush on the trail but it's worn out and useless.

    Mix of terrain
    Rosalynn E.

    This was a moderate level hike. It has everything you want in a hike- nice nature, lots of shade, interesting terrain, beautiful photo spots and after cruising on a steady pace the hike pushes you and exerts your workout with 4 sets of stairs. This was a surprise as I didn't read about the hike ahead of time and the party I was with set there are "some"stairs at the end. We'll, this was a bit more then some lol! I like to have a push during a hike so this was nice. It took us 1.5 hours in and 1.5 hours out totaling 3 hours for 4.7 miles. There are rest spots in between and when you get to the benches that marks the start of the stairs. When you get about 10 min into your hike there are signs pointing to a Valley Trail and this one the Ridge trail. This is a perfect trail to bring people visiting Hawaii and It's my new favorite whenever I'm given the choice on which hike I'll pick this one.

    Ridge views
    Kate F.

    This may be my favorite hike in Honolulu! The views from the top are incredible! You can see Diamond head and Lanikai islands . It is in a neighborhood and parking can be hard to find. I arrived around 8am on a Sunday and had to park 2-3 blocks away but I could see most parking spots were taken when I left. The first hour or so is a gentle climb up but the last 20-30 minutes of the hike is steeper. Plan on the hike taking 3 -3.5 hour's depending on how much time you spend at the top. It's about 5 miles roundtrip and my phone told me that I climbed around 120 stories

    Laura J.

    Was scared by how long the hike was, but it didn't end up being that bad. Overall hike took around a little over 4 hours with a very generous break at the summit. This is definitely more of an endurance kind of hike both physically and mentally rather than a super hard hike. Very diverse hike with many different terrains. The trail path could be confusing sometimes but nothing you couldn't figure out as you go along and there are some signs that guide you up. Lots of shade and wind at the bottom, but not a lot of views going up until near the top. Careful of where you step because you can slip. There are many steps leading up to the summit and everytime you think you're done there's more. Going down for me was a lot scarier than going up because of how steep some of the paths are. Overall, I absolutely love this hike, it was very fun going up. Would highly recommend to anyone who feels comfortable walking for a long time time on an incline because the view up top is definitely worth it!

    View from the top!
    Janelle O.

    This review is long overdue. Kuliouou is one of my favorite hikes because it's the best bang for your buck in terms of effort to get to a spectacular view from the top of the ridge and a lot of it is shaded. It usually takes me around 3 hours round trip. Parking can be rough because it's all residential, so I pretty much only go if I take off work on a weekday, am willing to walk a good distance to the trail, or are prepared to go elsewhere instead. At the initial fork at the sign, you go right for the ridge trail (left is the valley trail). The trail is well-traveled and easy to follow. The first half or so of the hike up is switchbacks. There are shortcuts, but do not take them, as it causes unwanted erosion. You go in and out of 2 ironwood forests and eventually reach a picnic table where the uphill climb ramps up a bit. Be careful of the tree roots here, as they can be a bit slippery and are much more so when wet. When you reach another bench, you know that the stairs are coming. Depending on how you count them, I would say there are about 6.5 sets of stairs, but it always seems like there's 1 or 2 more than you thought there were lol. Then you reach the nice, large viewing plateau at the top! Enjoy, and then go back the way you came to exit.

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joyce L.
    372
    1012
    3198

    2 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 1
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0
    Photo of JL S.
    2
    640
    45

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Michael D.
    421
    14
    19

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 5
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ayaka O.
    15
    191
    590

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joy G.
    1639
    1544
    934

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John P.
    7
    58
    54

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 18
    Thanks 0
    Love this 18
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 3
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ivana C.
    347
    119
    850

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 3
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Teri Y.
    275
    350
    1532

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Art H.
    7
    25
    45

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Russ L.
    362
    893
    3456

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joie Y.
    1877
    376
    367

    5 years ago

    Helpful 22
    Thanks 0
    Love this 21
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 20
    Thanks 0
    Love this 19
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 11

    Kuliouou Ridge Trail Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kuliouou Ridge Trail

    Review Highlights - Kuliouou Ridge Trail

    This was described to us as a dry trail, but it was extremely muddy and slippery when we went in mid-September.

    Mentioned in 29 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Hiking 2,872 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park

    Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park

    4.8(172 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    Visiting Pu'u Ualaka's State Park is on my top ten favorite things to do in Honolulu. The Park…read moreoffers spectacular views of the entire Southside of the Island. I travelled up Mount Tantalus to the Park yesterday with my daughter. We travelled through beautiful dense forest at the Park entrance. At the highest overlook, we could see everything and more from Diamond Head out to (and beyond) the airport. We could see all of Honolulu. I felt like we were on top of the world! Plaques offer fascinating overviews of the history and geology of the landmarks below. We could even see inside the famous tuff cone, Punch Bowl! Nearby is the first macadamia nut orchard in Hawaii. The overviews are paved with railings and easily accessible. The Park offers picnic areas with a couple pavilions and picnic tables. There is a charge for non-resident parking of $7 that can be paid electronically. Resident parking is free. Parking is limited, but there are several parking areas. We had no trouble finding parking mid week. Warning signs tell guest not to leave valuables in the car. Pu'u Ualaka'a State Park is only two miles from downtown Honolulu (maybe a couple more miles to the top). The Park is an easy 5 star and worth a visit.

    There is a lookout in this park that provides a panoramic view of Honolulu and Waikiki. The view is…read moregorgeous. Also a perfect place to watch sunset. One thing to note is that it does get really windy here. There are two parking lots available near this lookout. The one right next to the lookout is very small. It only holds about a dozen cars. The safer bet is to park at the slightly further parking lot with only a five minute walk to the Vista point.

    Photos
    Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park
    Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park
    Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park

    See all

    Lulumahu Falls

    Lulumahu Falls

    4.5(360 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    A beautiful day for a hike! Every time I do this hike it's a little different. Today the waterfall…read morewas cold and bracing and there were a lot of people hiking the falls. We started out around 8:45 AM and by the time we reached the waterfall, it was getting full of families and pairs of hikers. I recommend go early to skip the crowds. The hike itself isn't too technical and there are only a few places where you have to step up high over a rock or scramble through a stream.

    Here are clear and concise directions for this hike!!…read more Main parking off Pali hwy. Entrance is easily visible. You'll enter the bamboo forest. Within the first 50 feet it will split into a Y trail, take the left path. If you go straight you'll likely end up in the bamboo section for 20-40 mins. If you do not exit the bamboo area within 10 mins, you're lost. You'll exit the bamboo area through a lifted/broken section of the fence. Walk uphill onto the paved pathway. This will open onto a wide valley. You'll pass a large bridge structure. Follow that till road till you get to the supply shed structures. Look for a small concrete stairway in the trees. Stay left mostly, and look for pink ribbons. Pass the old fenced off pool looking area. Once you hit the rock/mud path (approx 10 mins) there's a hard right turn down into the main river area. A large tree has fallen so you'll need to spot the ribbons, and climb over this tree. If you pass this fallen tree by mistake, the trail will seem oddly difficult and dense. You'll need to turn around. Walk until you see the man made rock wall with a small waterfall, and walk across this to the other side. Follow the ribbons up the path and you'll need to cross the river 3-5 more times after this. Keep looking for clear open paths. There's two ways you can continue after that point so don't worry. (One way is just more difficult) Before the waterfall there's a larger section of rocks you'll have to climb over. Main takeaways: You will have to walk across slippery rocks several times. It is muddy. It's not that difficult but can be dangerous at some parts. If you don't see a pink/orange ribbon for more than 5-10 mins at any time, you are likely lost.

    Photos
    Lulumahu Falls
    Lulumahu Falls
    Lulumahu Falls - Crossing through the stream - hopping on the rocks

    See all

    Crossing through the stream - hopping on the rocks

    Diamond Head State Monument - Shaved Ice

    Diamond Head State Monument

    4.5(2.2k reviews)
    5.8 miDiamond Head

    Vacationed in Hawaii (4/29-4/3 2026) so of course we had to hit up the beautiful island trails!…read moreDiamond Head was on our list so we booked it in advance since you need to make reservations. We did it all through Groupon to get picked up from our hotel and dropped off as well. The trail is definitely a popular hot spot for tourists but we didn't mind the crowd. We did an early one to see the Sun rise, though by the time we got there the sun was out already. Totally okay. Water was provided by our tour guide. He gave us some history on Diamond Head and then dropped us off and gave us 2 hours to explore before getting picked up. Thank you Jonah from Fun Hawaii Group! Aaaand we were on our way! Paths were clean and clear of overgrown plants for the most part. My wife and l hike regularly so we didn't feel the hike was bad at all. Weather was perfect (it rained on us a bjt too which was unexpected but fun) and it wasn't a long hike either. There are steps involved which we enjoyed for the added cardio! When we made it to the top it was breathtaking! The views of the ocean and the mountains were beautiful! Still find myself looking at photos. It was truly magical. We were in paradise!

    Hiking Diamond Head State Monument is honestly one of my favorite things to do when I visit Oʻahu…read more It's about a 1.6 mile round trip hike and took us around 1.5-2 hours, but this can vary depending on stops and crowds. I'd say it's a moderate hike--not super long, but you definitely feel it. There's a pretty significant incline, especially toward the end with all the stairs, so it gets your heart rate up for sure. The path isn't paved, so it's a mix of rocky, uneven ground and dirt trails, and it can get a bit muddy if it's rained recently. There are also these dark tunnels you walk through, which was actually really cool and made it feel a little more adventurous (just use your phone flashlight). The best part is definitely the view at the top. You get these insane panoramic views of Waikīkī and the ocean--totally worth the climb. A couple quick tips: make reservations before you go, get there early because it gets hot fast, bring water, and wear decent shoes (especially if it's been rainy). Also expect a little waiting in tight spots like the stairs near the top. Overall, it's a fun hike and 100% worth it if you're visiting.

    Photos
    Diamond Head State Monument - Top of the crater

    Top of the crater

    Diamond Head State Monument - Super Mommy and Son Son

    Super Mommy and Son Son

    Diamond Head State Monument - Happy Hikers!

    See all

    Happy Hikers!

    Makiki-Manoa Cliffs Hike - Bench where you can relax!

    Makiki-Manoa Cliffs Hike

    4.3(38 reviews)
    6.8 mi

    Did this amazing hike again starting at a different location with an alteration due to a closure of…read moreone section of the trail. I love the combination of this trails because the variety of beautiful views, landscapes, type of surfaces. Dense lush rainforest to dryer areas with a variety of foliage. Started at the Makiki Arboretum trail, taking the loop to the right on the Maunalaha Trail. This section will get the blood flowing as you climb upward over a very rooted trail. Once you arrive at an area with metal benches there is an intersection of multiple trails. Take Makiki Valley Trail to the Right. After a short hike take the Moleka Trail to the Left. The Moleka trail becomes the Manoa Cliff trail which you stay on for a number of miles. If you struggle with narrow trails with drop offs this section may not be for you. There are beautiful views of Manoa Valley from the trail. Some sections of this trail can be muddy. In the past Hike once you go through the gate the Manoa Cliff trail takes a sharp turn to Left at Intersection of other trails. In our case there was a recent landslide and there was a warning sign not continue on the Manoa Cliff Trail. No problem we took Pauoa Flats Trail until we reached Kalawahine Trail and took a Left on it. Take this trail until you reach a paved road, take a right down the road until you see the next trailhead, Nahuina Trail which zig zags its way down. When you come to Makiki Valley trail go left. When you reach Kanealole take it to your right. This trail will take you back to trail you started on. Since there are so many different trails to do this loop I suggest using Alltrails download. We clocked over 10 miles. I'd rate it as intermediate. Bring plenty of water, I carry crampons in case there are muddy slippery areas. Would not do if heavy rain or strong winds expected.

    Afternoon hike at Manoa Cliff, Kalawahine, and Makiki Valley Loop…read more Great trail, awesome views. Best if you can download the map as you loose service in several areas of the trail. My trail map also showed I hiked 7.3 miles and my husband stated 6.4, but either way it is long. Just be ready for a good long hike. We started in the rain so yes mud was around, and yes places were pretty slippery. But all in all not too bad to get around. Just wear good hiking shoes. Conditions: bugs, muddy, easy parking, great views, dog friendly, well maintained, wild flowers

    Photos
    Makiki-Manoa Cliffs Hike - Son son and mommy

    Son son and mommy

    Makiki-Manoa Cliffs Hike - Mommy and son son

    Mommy and son son

    Makiki-Manoa Cliffs Hike

    See all

    Kuliouou Ridge Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...