My Favorite Hidden Hikes on Oahu
The past three months of my life have been full of beautiful Hawaiian hikes. Oahu has some very well-known hikes like Diamond Head, the Lanikai Pillbox, and more. Since these are the hikes that everyone does, we made it a mission to tackle the less popular, less blogged about hikes of the island. Here’s the list that we completed, enjoy!
1. Crouching Lion - Ka’a’awa, Oahu
Crouching Lion was a thrill from start to finish. While many of the hikes in Hawaii are considered to be dangerous and aren’t necessarily recommended to do, if you take your time, are aware of your surroundings, and don’t act like an idiot- you should be totally fine. We took the public bus to this hike so we didn’t have to figure out parking but many of the hikes have public beach parks nearby where you can always leave your car. We had to walk through a little neighborhood to access this trail but it was pretty clear cut and there were signs to show you the entrance. Once we were on the trail though, it got a little confusing. We followed a flatter path to the right that we thought seemed easier but eventually it just led to a river with no trail in sight. Once we backtracked to the other option, it seemed like the only option was to go up the steep, intimidating mountain side. Soon after we started this treacherous trail, we realized it was not nearly as bad as it looked. There are plenty of trees and branches to hold onto and even in the mud we didn’t have any complications. The peak of the mountain is roughly a 3 foot wide ridge with a gorgeous view of the east side of the island. I loved this hike because it forces you to be mindful with each step.
2. ʻEhukai Pillbox Hike - Pupukea, Oahu
The Sunset Beach Pillbox is one of the more populated hikes that we went on. You can park by the Sunset Beach Elementary School on the weekends since the trail is right off of this parking lot. The beginning of the hike starts out steep and can be difficult when muddy but it's definitely doable. Once you get past that part, the rest is covered in fallen pine needles and very easy with one of the more gradual inclines of any of the hikes we've done here. There are multiple paths but they all lead back to the same spot- the first pillbox. This has a great view and the bunker is spacey enough to not make you feel too claustrophobic but this is where most people stop and turn back so it tends to be more crowded than the second pillbox. If you continue on from here, keeping the ocean directly on your left, you’ll get to the second pillbox eventually. The trail to this one is more overgrown and starts out kind of open so it’s a little difficult to follow but just don’t go deeper into the woods on the right, stay closer to the edge and the ocean and you should find it. Both pillboxes have a beautiful view of the pipeline, you can usually see surfers being clobbered by the huge waves in the winter. Definitely worth going to the second pillbox, it’s no more than 10 minutes further.
3. Ma’akua Gulch - Laie, Oahu
We ended up hiking Ma’akua Gulch instead when we went to do the Hau’ula Loop Trail because it seemed more difficult. Hau’ula loop trail was a long paved trail that we never got to the end of so I’m still not sure if it is paved the whole way or not (comment if you know). Either way, Ma’akua Gulch was a great trail to explore. I loved this area because once you enter the trails you are greeted with beautiful graffiti that covers a long cement wall along the paved path. The entrance of the gulch trail is well labeled, we had to cross over a dried up river bed early on in the hike. The trail did kind of a zig-zag up the mountain, making it less steep but a longer walk to the top. There is one look out spot with a nice view of the ocean and then from there, the trail splits. We went to the right in an attempt to get higher up the mountain since the trail on the left looked like a decline. This led us along the edge of a pretty steep drop, beautifully decorated with all kinds of trees and plants. There are a lot of fallen palm fronds so be careful where you step. We continued on this trail for about an hour and a half and suddenly we were on a very high up, narrow summit. The path eventually got very overgrown and questionable so after a while we decided to turn back. I read online that this trail was also a loop but I can’t confirm. Definitely a fun area to explore though and the view was amazing because there weren't any roads in between the tree line and the ocean.
4. Mokulē’ia Trail - Waialua, Oahu
The Mokulē’ia Trail is more like an unused road. The entire hike was on a paved street. The first 2 miles are on essentially level ground, it’s a great area to longboard, roller blade, etc. and we always see kids riding bikes on this part because it’s gated off so no cars can get through. Eventually the trail becomes inclined and in my opinion, flat ground inclined hikes are much harder than your average steep hike in the woods. One thing I did like about this hike is that it has mile markers throughout so you can see how far you have walked so far. This is a great place to jog or bike up if you're looking for a killer cardio workout.
