The Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail is one of the must to do hike on Oahu.
Despite several series of stairs approaching the summit, this hike remains very accessible. And fortunately, the reward on arrival will be worth it !
Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail
The trailhead is located at the very end of Kalaau Place, in the southeastern part of the island.
Walk past the yellow gate and continue on the paved road to the information panels.
Take a right at the fork and follow the ridge trail sign otherwise you’ll end up on the Valley Trail.
The path starts along a series of switchbacks, climbing through the forest. It’s rocky woth some roots so watch ypur steps.
After a few zigzags, the landscape begins to change and you’ll be soon surrounded by a forest of Ironwood pines.
As the trail is covered with pine needles fallen from the canopy, the walk here is smoother.
A little further, you’ll find a shelter with two picnic tables and benches. It marks the end of the easy part with a moderate elevation gain.
The good news is that you’ve already done the 2/3 of this hike.
The bad news is that the more challenging part is yet to come with a steepest ascent.
But the reward at the end will worth the efforts
Now the path follows the ridge.
You’re still into the forest with some Norfolk Pines this time.
Then, the trail slowly begins to open up, offering great views of the neighboring ridges.
The carpet of pine needles that we had previously is now replaced by a dirt path.
The interlocking roots we have here are helpful: you can use them as natural steps.
Then the first steps finally arrives. This is the most difficult part of this hike but also the most beautiful because the view opens up allowing us to discover some mazing views.
Finally, all these steps to climb goes well because you’ve got so many photos stops opportunities during the ascent. What a good excuse to take a breath and enjoying the landscape !
All these steps are maintained by the state’s Nā Ala Hele program and the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i .
They were build to slow erosion and make it easier for the hikers to climb to the summit.
Some tags on a series of steps are there to remind you.
The very last set of stairs finally brings you to the summit.
We arrive on a small platform where a sign tells you that the Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail ends here. Because yes we can continue a little further on the ridge but I do not recommend it. It is not maintained and to risky.
The view here is amazing: we overlook Waimanalo Bay and its turquoise waters. There is a 180 degree panoramic view from Rabbit Island on the right to Lanikai on the far left.
Informations
8 Km roundtrip
3-4 h
From Waikiki: Take Hwy 72 toward Hawaii Kai and turn left onto Kuli’ou’ou rd.
At the last intersection, turn right onto Kalaau Pl and park as close as possible to the yellow gate, starting point of the hike.
You are in a residential area so parking can be tricky because you can’t park at the end of the road.
So please, remember no matter where you park to be respectful of the residents who lives in the area.
Like other popular hikes on the island, the Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail can get very busy especially on weekends.
In wet weather, the roots can become slippery, really slippery …
Mud can also be an obstacle in some places.
So watch the weather forecasts carefully before planning your hike.
The wind at the top can be very strong.
At the start of the hike, you’ll find this panel with large brushes to clean your soles. It is really an important gesture to make in order to preserve the ecosystem of the island. This will limits the spread of invasive species along the hiking trails.
