We had a kid with us so we only did the paved portion of the hike. Plus my hiking buddy didn't…read morehave shoes. Oops! But since we had this already planned, we went anyway. You need to gain access to the trailhead as it is in the military housing behind Tripler Hospital. Fortunately, my hiking buddy works for the military and we were able to get to the trailhead with no problems. There was ample parking and appears to be fairly safe given that this is on military area. So while I wouldn't recommend leaving your car unlocked, the chances of your car getting broken into is pretty slim. Going up the paved path is pretty straight forward. Just make sure you take the HECO road on the left once you're on the "trail." The incline is steady and you're quickly admiring views of Oahu. We went around lunchtime so the sun was overhead and shade was a bit scarce. I can imagine that once the guavas are ripe, the air would smell guavaey lol. So it was a relief to get to the end of the paved area, do some drone shots and go back down. We would definitely go again to do the full ridge!

Perfect short hike after work and a beautiful view to boot so one of my battle buddies is a fitness…read morebuff funny kind of like me only her arms put mine to shame!! Anyways last week Thursday was her birthday and of course she didn't want to do anything but work out so we decided to do a hike that I have never done before. we had a great time this was a great hike short but it definitely gets the blood pumping and for me it was a great second work out! I also like how they weren't bugs everywhere. This trail trail was also not crowded at all:) you do need to have access to hmm Tripler the hospital base area to enjoy this hike;)

Staying in Waikiki and don't want to travel too far for a trail? Go here. It's about a 15-minute…read moredrive from your hotel and most of it is steep uphill into a rich neighborhood, so make sure your car can handle the incline. The only drawback, I'd say, is that because it's so close to the city and next to bunch of homes, you'll feel like you're in someone's backyard; you can literally hear dogs barking and garbage trucks coming and going. So if you're looking for peace and serenity, maybe this isn't for you. Google will take you to a gated, private property area. Parking is on the street. The entrance is a narrow opening at the end of the fence line. Easy to spot. So I've seen some reviews that say the trail is a couple miles roundtrip, but it's much, much further than that. Most people will hike to the first bench, and then turn around. You can go further up and it's pretty hard work. Lots of rocks to traverse and it's steep in some parts, so be prepared to climb a little. Also, because it's on a ridge, it's narrow in a few areas so don't look down if you're afraid of heights. Having said that, wear hiking shoes with good traction. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time for sure. Didn't have time to do the whole trail, but I went in far enough to feel the bit of elevation change. Went on a hot, dry day, so the trail was in good shape. I can only imagine how difficult it would be if it rained. Anyway, even you don't go deep into the trail, the first bench will still provide you with a fantastic view of the ocean and city. I'll definitely come back to do the whole thing.

Great hike, like the other ridge hikes to the east but longer. Took right around 4 hours of moving…read moretime, longer with a couple of stops for pictures and to enjoy the views and breeze at the top. Some area with ropes that aren't really necessary when it's dry, would probably be needed in the wet. Some very overgrown areas where you have to watch your footing.

Wear pants, bring lots of water and a snack. Be smart…read more I finally did this hike on Saturday and I truly can't believe I waited so long. 7ish miles out and back of gorgeous views, interesting trails, and even a waterfall!! There are many incredible photo ops along the trail. Pants are crucial. The trail is overgrown with ferns that will destroy your legs on the way up and add insult to injury on the way back down. They're pretty hard on leggings so choose ones you don't care about or actual hiking pants. My leggings now have fringe up both sides. There are plenty of shade spots and incredible rest or turn around points. I'd say hike your own hike and feel good about wherever you get to. I assume the view from the top is fabulous, but was a solid wall of clouds when I was there. Still worth it. Gorgeous day in a gorgeous place! Hawaii life win!

Man, this is a tough hike! 5 1/2 hours roundtrip. I found the downhill harder -- especially on my…read morelegs and knees and yeah, I was damn tired when I finally finished! Definitely an advanced intermediate level hike that will test your endurance and reward you with spectacular views of the entire island. Get an early start and hope for cooler temps and some high clouds. While a good portion of this hike is shaded, the open areas, especially at the end, can be very hot and sunny. Bring plenty of water, lunch, and good hiking boots, gloves and micro spikes -- they'll all be needed near the top. Great views up and down and of course at the ridgeline. You'll see Ka'au crater and its waterfalls on the way up.

One line summary: 6.6 miles, 4 hour hike roundtrip (not including rest at the peak)…read more We actually went up to Mt. Olympus from the Wa'ahila Ridge Trail, but whichever way you get here BE PREPARED. This hike will kick your butt, at least it did for us. We were not prepared for this one. Countless times we were going to throw in the towel but pushed to the end. Unlike most of the major ridge peak hikes (Kuliouou, Mariner's Ridge and Hawaii Loa Ridge) the finish point at Mt. Olympus doesn't have a large area to relax and take in the view. Still, you won't find many people up here because this hike is pretty tough. At least for us. The total hike was 6.6 miles (according to Mapmyhike app). It took us about 2 hours and 15 mins to get from the Wa'ahila Ridge Trail head to the top of Mt. Olympus. It took us about 1 hour and 45 mins to get back down. Part of the problem was that we were just so exhausted that climbing out of Wa'ahila Ridge Trail took us much longer than it should have. There are A LOT of ropes on this trail, A LOT of going up/down, up/down, up/down... so that when you're going back down (finished) the trail you still are working out after being exhausted. There is a section of ropes that I would say is about 50 feet up a pretty steep incline, a part of this has small footholds and another part is just hillside you can scale (with ropes). Either way, pretty wicked for someone that isn't prepared. Once you hit that section of ropes you're close to the end but still not quite there, you'll want to give up but push a little more. The views are pretty amazing at the top and you'll have some great panoramic shots from Hawaii Kai to Diamond Head all the way to Ewa Beach from the last 1/2 mile as you're ascending. The views of Manoa get even more dramatic but the views of Waikiki and Kakaako are pretty fantastic too. I know we'll be back to do this one again but it will definitely be awhile, this was truly one of the harder hikes we've been on.

After my first failed attempt at a hike last week I was all about "maintained" hikes this week…read more Mount Olympus had been on my list for some time but I had been avoiding it because its known for being a cloud magnet and it had been cloudy all week. I woke up to cloudy skies but I was in need of a hike so we decided to attempt hiking up to the top of Mount Olympus via the Kolowalu Trail. The Kolowalu trail shares a trailhead with Pu'u pia but is a steeper and shorter alternative route to get up to Wa'ahila Ridge. Most of Kolowalu was covered and cool which was a nice change from most of the hot exposed ridge hikes I had been doing but it was definitely no easy walk in the park. The trail is steep and never really plateaus out, so don't plan on having a picnic or anything. I think it took us about an hour till we got to the junction of Kolowalu and Wa'ahila Ridge. At the junction you will see a sign warning you that upper Wa'ahila Ridge is unmaintained, don't let that scare you away. There a couple narrow, sketchy spots at the end but nothing that can't be done if you stay on the trail and don't try anything stupid. :-) From the beginning of the junction, to the top expect to go over at least 4 or 5 hills. Make sure you have shoes with good traction because you'll be doing a lot of climbing up red dirt stairs that you see on most of the other Ko'olau trails.You'll think you're close, but your not. I think we came across a couple of open grassy areas to take a break, but unfortunately those are not the summit. Once we actually got to the top, we walked along the ridge with Olomana, Kaneohe on our left and Ka'au crater on the right. It was my first time seeing Ka'au crater from the left side, since Lanipo gives you a good view from the right. We finally made it and were all smiles when we saw the stake with a few pink ribbons tied on it. It was pretty windy so we didn't hang out for too long. It rained on our way down so I cannot emphasize the importance of good shoes. Thank god for my vibrams because I think I could have gotten seriously hurt if I had been in old sneakers. Make sure to bring water, snacks, and a extra t-shirt for after. Both of my friends were shivering at dinner after because they were still in their sweat and rain soaked shirts. *Going up to Mt. Olympus from the beginning of the Wa'ahila Ridge is an easier route that starts from the top of St. Louis Heights. YELP 365: 125/365

Absolutely gorgeous! Staying here in the rainforest overlooking Honolulu and the ocean but with a…read moretropical jungle enveloping you, it's amazing! Wonderful gorgeous hike deep into the rainforest with waterfalls and to die for scenery.

This trail no longer exists. There is a trail on the far right side of the valley (if looking up…read moretowards the mountains) that was cool, but prior posts have you starting to hike/park near a school. We ended up meandering for miles and asking around before we were directed to the crater trail.

Nice hike with shade for the most part, trail becomes steep but has ropes to help…read more Lots of roots and uneven footing so watch your step. The California grass is tall and sharp, needs to be cut back. My friends and I have lots of little cuts on our arms from it. Also beware of bees! Bring you Benadryl or epo pen if you need, they sting one of us in the face as we were walking through the tall grass. This might not be a long hike but due to incline and climb up it is a good hike to get a good workout in. The view also did not disappoint, AMAZING!!!! As you go up of course they just get better and better. We are all so glad we finally made it to this hike!!! Parking is tight! And you are in a neighborhood, where you do not want to block there parking, only room for 3-5 cars smaller cars at one time. Love the friendship garden part of the hike with the gorgeous plants and trees that have species placards.

Not my favorite...kind of strenuous, with nice, but not necessarily breathtaking views…read more I had this hike on my list for a while now, so when friends suggested we go, I was up for it. Parking seemed limited, but I drove past the trailhead down to a section of the neighborhood that had a number of spaces. It was probably about an 8 minute walk back up to the trailhead. It starts easy, with much forest greenery, and several routes, that will take you on the Oneawa path. I guess I hadn't mentally prepared, but was surprised by the incline and the ropes. Perhaps my lack of uppers that morning was to blame, as I not expecting this to be difficult, but I was struggling to keep up with my friends as the hike continued. It took us about an hour to see the quarry waters, which were interesting, but only needed a few minutes to take in. You do get some nice views of the bay and it's not a very long hike, so there is that, but I honestly don't think I'd come back. It felt like more effort than it was worth and there are so many other hikes on Oahu that unless I lived RIGHT there, I don't think it warrants another go.

Sometimes trail names and the location can be very confusing. Kanealole trail and Maunalaha is the…read moresame trail that loops around. Somewhere in the middle there's also Makiki Valley trail. We just did the loop and didn't venture out to Makiki Valley trail. This is a moderate trail. There's 2 entrances either on Kanealole or Maunalaha. I recommend you start from Kanealole trail even though it's slightly muddy but it easier to climb up than Maunalaha. It's drier and steep hill. Kanealole is near stream so you'll see and hear the water running down which was quite relaxing and peaceful. I saw some senior citizens on this trail so you can accomplish this 3 mile trail. This trail is located in the same area as Hawaii Nature Center. There's free dirt parking area before you enter the gate. Be sure to bring water even though this trail is quite shady and expect mosquitoes. If you're not into hiking you can walk around and admire the nature. There's lots of taro plants and greens.

This is the "easier" trail that is to the left when you are at the beginning crossroad when you can…read morechoose Kanealole or Maunalaha. I agree that it is easier. It's only 0.7 miles but I would allow an hour or so for this portion since the terrain does go up and down. I will say that it wasn't hard but my feet definitely got a work out. This hike is pretty with all the foliage and the sound of the stream. It definitely is also muddier. The trail has a good amount of gravel and roots so it's not super slippery. I didn't see any small waterfalls but you do see and hear the stream flowing as you hike which was relaxing. Most of this trip is shaded which was nice. But we were drenched in sweat because of the humidity There are mosquitos, so beware. Once you get to the sign that says Makiki Loop Trail this way, you can either turn back and go the same way you came or continue on which will lead you to the Maunalaha Trail which loops you back down or there are a few other short trails that you can explore. Overall, I would say it's easy-moderate. There are many mosquitos on this trail. Make sure you have lots of water and good shoes. It's a great trail for the family and dogs too!

Believe the reviews, this trail is overgrown...but don't let that stop you from going! It starts in…read morea neighborhood in Hawaii Kai so be respectful of the residents and park a block or so away from the hike and walk down to the cul de sac. When you get to the Heiau there are no hiking signs, so this is your own choice to move on or not. If you decide to continue on, go to the left of the heiau and follow the overgrown path with pink and yellow ribbons. It's not difficult to find. Once you get up on top of the trail it's simple to follow. Be sure to wear a hat and/or sunscreen! It was really hot when we went and I had wished I wore a hat and pants. The trail took us through some cool terrain and was shady after the first half hour. It was windy at the top but totally worth it! It took me 1 hr and 20 min to get to the top and I stopped a few times to have water and take a breath. The views were spectacular. I can't wait to do this hike again. Total it took a little under 3 hours. I highly recommend it!

Very easy to get lost. Bushes were very high which can hide holes and rocks. Look for ribbons and…read moreuse intuition to go up. Do not go into people's yards. Once you reach pine forest the summit is very near. But this is the trickiest part. Keep a sharp eye out for the ribbons. Just remember to keep going up not around the cliff. Views are awesome during and the end.