Kuliʻouʻou Summit — Attraction in Oʻahu

It’s so gorgeous up there!! Totally worth the tough way up. To begin: street parking only. This is a medium-hard hike, specially in the end. It took us around 4 hours to go to tippity top and back to the tippity bottom. So make sure you are wearing appropriate shoes and clothing, and bring enough water! Lots of people do this hike with their dogs, and I saw some people with older children too. Most of the hike is done under the shade of very gorgeous trees. The path is not very uniform (what you expect of a actual hike). There are lots of roots and rocks, so try to be careful. At some places the path is too narrow, so you might have to wait to other hikes to pass, vice-versa. About 40-30min before you reach the top (depending how fast/slow you go) you won’t have shade anymore and there will be lots of stairs! Be prepared with sunscreen and strong legs! The last 15-20 min are all stairs. There is a stop place with tables just before the hard part, so might be a good idea to maybe stop and refresh if you are a first timer.

Note: avoid getting of the trail, and/or cutting path through the hills. Besides being dangerous for you, it is terrible for the trail! It speeds up erosion and in result can damage the trails permanently. Also (no need to mention, but good reminder) collect ALL YOUR TRASH. Don’t throw fruit skin or seeds in the ground (you are not making any favors to nature, specially if those are not naturally grown). Pick up after your dogs and take the poop with you! DON’T BE THAT PERSON! And don’t forget to clean your shoes on the little stops they have, so you won’t take seeds and whatevers to places they don’t belong. Be a nice and respectful...

I have done this ~5 mile round trip hike, alone or with family or friends, well over a dozen times since 1995. It starts off along the Kuliouou Valley floor, breaks off from the valley hike after a quarter mile or so (there is signage), goes by switchbacks to a picnic shelter and thence straight up the ridge, sometimes with the help of stairs, to the Koolau crest. It's a fairly easy hike, but can be muddy. It can be a bit muggy lower down, but higher up the breezes are cooling. The views of the Windward side from the Koolau crest are spectacular. The only down side I can think of, aside from a lack of comfort facilities, is parking (and the fact that over time, wear and tear on the trail from thousands of hikers has exposed more and more roots for me to trip over). Anyway, roots aside, parking is on-street, always has been. As the hike has become more popular over the years, more and more people compete for the same limited parking places. Come early, or plan to walk a long way just to get to...

This is a fantastic hike with a lookout point at the top (The way back is easier, keep going!). It is quite steep, and will take several hours so give yourself plenty of daylight. The hike is interesting because the plant life and terrain changes as you go up the mountain, which makes it feel more like exploring than just a walk with the same scenery. The beginning can be pretty hot because there isn't too much wind, but as you go further up it does get windier and feels good. The wind at the top is really strong and you may want to bring a jacket for the top. Probably wear boots, especially if it has rained a lot recently. Okay, stay safe, have fun. Hope that little bit...