Oahu -- Easier hike with ocean view?

[GregT]

All,

Jack and I are going on a hike tomorrow and I currently plan to do the 0.5 mile hike at Hanauma Bay, which I recall is beautiful and doesn't look that difficult. While we are not hard core hikers, I was looking for something a little more difficult that had elevation changes and hopefully a panoramic view. We've done Diamond Head (which was awesome) and now looking for something on the east side of the island. Any suggestions?

I liked the Koko Crater hike but we don't have pants and it looks like we would get torn up. We have athletic shoes, not hiking boots too, so it can't be too challenging.

Anything come to mind? Thanks!

Best,

Greg

 

[NiteMaire]

All,

Jack and I are going on a hike tomorrow and I currently plan to do the 0.5 mile hike at Hanauma Bay, which I recall is beautiful and doesn't look that difficult. While we are not hard core hikers, I was looking for something a little more difficult that had elevation changes and hopefully a panoramic view. We've done Diamond Head (which was awesome) and now looking for something on the east side of the island. Any suggestions?

I liked the Koko Crater hike but we don't have pants and it looks like we would get torn up. We have athletic shoes, not hiking boots too, so it can't be too challenging.

Anything come to mind? Thanks!

Best,

Greg

Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail has a paved trail. It's not far from Hanauma Bay.

Not on the East side, but you may want to try Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside. We haven't been yet, but rumor has it you get a great panoramic view from Diamond Head to the airport.

 

[DaveNV]

Totally worthwhile: Look up from Waikiki to the mountains, above Makiki. That's Tantalus (Roundtop Drive.) Check the maps on how to get there, and go to PUʻU ʻUALAKAʻA STATE WAYSIDE. (Google it.) DESCRIPTION: Forested area on a cinder cone close to downtown Honolulu. Lookout provides sweeping view of southern O’ahu from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor, including Honolulu and Manoa Valley. Picnic shelters available. Start of trailhead for ‘Ualaka’a Loop Trail (a 1-mile loop). http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/hiking/oahu/ualakaa-trail/

You can see all of the city from above. Awesome views, and spectacular sunsets. Completely worth the trouble to get there. Take water and snacks. Leave nothing in your car. It's an amazing place, especially after dark, with the city lit up (but I think it's technically closed then. We [allegedly] climbed the fence.)

Dave

 

[artringwald]

It's been years since we went to Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside, but the view is fantastic. Both these pictures were taken from the same spot.

 

[taffy19]

Greg, how about a hike through the rainforest to the tallest accessible waterfall (Manoa Falls) on Oahu?

We took this tour but you can drive up yourself and pay for the parking fee only. It was a beautiful trail even in the pouring rain but that didn't last long and the sun came out again. It was very slippery so you need walking shoes and a walking stick that they provided to us plus ponchos or we had to buy them. I can't remember now.

I hope that you'll have time for it.

 

[echino]

Kaena Point - a hike along the ocean, not much elevation change.

Pu'u Manamana - great ocean views from above, a lot of elevation change, a bit dangerous, for thrill seekers.

 

[artringwald]

Kaena Point - a hike along the ocean, not much elevation change.

Pu'u Manamana - great ocean views from above, a lot of elevation change, a bit dangerous, for thrill seekers.

Yikes! I got nervous just watching the video.

 

[klpca]

I was thinking Kaena Point as well. It's an easy hike with ocean views the whole time.

 

[heckp]

Lanikai Pill box trail

 

[geist1223]

The photos and video remind me when I got into trouble with my first wife. We were camping at Sunset Bay. Just Southwest of Coos Bay. If you went around the south side of the Bay and did a short hike there were some magnificent up thrust rock formations that were at about 45° and 50 to 100 yards to the top. Going up was not much of a problem. Just had to be careful. Coming down was best done sitting down. My 2 younger kids (elementary and middle school) thought it was pretty great. My high school son was more challenged. My wife was not happy when she heard about our adventure. A short distance north of the Bay was a small Island that had a walkway connection to the land at low tide. A day or so later my 2 younger kids and I hiked around to the north side of the Bay, climbed up the rock piles to the top of the cliff. We walked along the top of the cliff. When we got to the area of the island we went zig zag down the cliff side on a narrow trail. Occasionally the kids sat down and slid on their bottoms. We enjoyed the small Island. Going back up was easier. After dinner (at which my kids told their Mom about the day's adventures) I was really in trouble.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

View attachment 10536 View attachment 10535 View attachment 10534 Lanikai Pill box trail

This is a beautiful but very easy safe hike

 

[DaveNV]

This is a beautiful but very easy safe hike

When I was a sophomore in high school, I lived in the Keolu Hills neighborhood of Kailua, which is the area on the other side of this hill. There was a trail to the pillbox from our side, too. Friends and I hiked up there a few times, and thought the view was pretty amazing. I was not a fan of all the broken glass, or the scorpions that were living in the area around the pillbox, though. Rough for a barefoot island kid. I never hiked up from the Lanikai side. Nice to know it's all still accessible.

Dave

 

[LisaH]

Yikes! I got nervous just watching the video.

OMG, I feel dizzy just watch the video. My husband, on the other hand, would die of a heart attack if he is on this trail. He has fear of heights.

 

[jlp879]

Some are already mentioned above that are in here:

https://www.budgettravel.com/article/oahu-hawaii-hikes

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

OMG, I feel dizzy just watch the video. My husband, on the other hand, would die of a heart attack if he is on this trail. He has fear of heights.

Well I am not showing this to my adult kids as they would be all over it and then I would have a heart attack lol

 

[taffy19]

Well I am not showing this to my adult kids as they would be all over it and then I would have a heart attack lol

I don't blame you!

What did he have in his hand? It didn't look like a walking stick. Had it to do with controlling the drone?

It is so nice that we can travel through the eyes of young and brave people who share the drone movies on YouTube, I guess.

 

[LisaH]

I don't blame you!

What did he have in his hand? It didn't look like a walking stick. Had it to do with controlling the drone?

It is so nice that we can travel through the eyes of young and brave people who share the drone movies on YouTube, I guess.

I think he holds a selfie stick for recording.

 

[GregT]

All,

Thank you for the suggestions, we ended being short on time so we did a very short hike to Spitting Cave, which was beautiful and easy to access. We will be back in June and will hope to try some of these. Thanks again!

Best,

Greg