Oahu is rich with so much beautiful hiking spots, ranging from easy to hard. Enjoy climbing some of the Hawaiian Mountain Ridges. Below you can find the best hiking spots in Oahu.
Manoa Falls
A go-to spot for tourists. Located in the beautiful Manoa Valley, this 1.7 mile trail is a great family-friendly option. To avoid the crowd go towards the afternoon/evening. This hike is easy and for almost all fitness levels. This is a beautiful, yet muddy trail is surrounded by amazing foliage, and leads you to a cascading waterfall.
Diamond Head Crater Hike
Hawaii’s most recognizable landmark is also a great hiking location. A rugged less than a mile trail leads you to the most gorgeous panoramic views of Oahu. This is a great place for a cute proposal.
Fun fact: Diamond head is actually an extinct volcano!
Wa’ahila Ridge Trail
This is one of the more physically demanding hikes on this list as it is about five miles and may involve a little bit of climbing. This is my personal favorite as it is near my Alma Mater (University of Hawaii at Manoa).
Koko Head Crater Trail
Located on the East side of Oahu. This is a steep climb consisting of about 1,000 plus step-like walking tracks. I wouldn’t say this is easy, but locals are known to say that this is a novice hiking spot.
Fun fact: this used to be a railroad trail during WWII.
Makapu’u Light House
This easy to moderate summit trail is definitely one of the most memorable, with stunning views overlooking Makapu’u Beach, Koko Head, the windward coast, and Molokai & Lanai neighboring islands. You will also discover some exciting points of interest along the way including Makapu’u Point, old military pillboxes, giant tide pools, a hidden blowhole, and the popular Makapuu lighthouse landmark.
Note: This is a paved hiking trail making it stroller friendly!
Lanikai Pillbox
This short less than two mile, sometimes narrow trail, features 2 military bunkers & a panoramic view of Lanikai Beach.
You may have taken note that a lot of the hiking trails that are present were once used for military. Hawaii is known for its military presence due to the history that took place on the Islands. For places to learn about the great history of Oahu, check out the Ultimate Oahu guide.
There are so many beautiful hiking spots on the island. Some honorable mentions include but are not limited to the infamous Stairway to Heaven (Haiku Stairs), Olomana Trail (Three Peaks), Crouching Lion, and many more.
Oh beautiful Oahu you are on my 2022 travel list! Thank you for telling us about the duration and intensity of each hike… such important information! I can’t wait to visit the Makapuu lighthouse landmark. I have a thing for Lighthouses! Gorgeous photos and well written. I can’t wait to dive into more of your blog!
We hiked a few of these while in Hawaii but missed Koko Crater which looks neat, and Makapu’u Lighthouse but I can say the others are so worth it. Diamond Head and Monoa is beautiful!
Oh my! The height, the beauty, the landscape… So mesmerizing. Oahu is really beautiful.
Hawaii is on my bucket list but it is really hard for me to put it on the travel plan 😉 This one motivated me to try harder and plan a trip to Hawaii sooner than later 😉 thanks!
Koko Head Crater Trail looks more like an ordeal than a hike (with sooo many people on those steps!) I bet it would be fun super early in the morning though so you can see the views while the sun rises.
I looove the idea of the Manoa Falls too. I LOVE a good hike, but sometimes it is also lovely to see such a good waterfall with so little effort. 😀
Thanks for this great collection of easier hikes on Oahu! We used to live there and you did a great job choosing the gems so I pinned this to use for our next trip back. There is so much to see and do on Oahu that shorter hikes are nice so you can still have time for other activities each day. Thanks again!
The lighthouse trail looks amazing, but being an avid hiker, I would be doing all of them!