The Best Hikes in Oahu

Let me begin with this disclaimer – I am not a hiking enthusiast. I don’t love the thrill of climbing up huge inclines. I don’t understand people that chose camping over hotels. The outdoors in general kind of weirds me out. Now that I’ve gotten that confession over with, we can talk about hiking in Oahu. I married a man who loves the outdoors, and I write a travel blog, so I felt obligated to hike in Hawaii (RESEARCH, YOU’RE WELCOME). Hiking in Oahu doesn’t suck as much as hiking in other places – for one, its drop dead gorgeous. Secondly, the weather is perfect, and Hawaii seems to have figured out how to have no humidity. If you’re going to be a non-hiker trying to hike anywhere, this is the place. Three hikes we did stuck out to me, a non-hiker, in particular, and I thought I would share them with you.

1. Diamond Head

The Diamond Head Hike is iconic for a reason. One of the first questions everyone asked us when we told them we were going to Oahu was if we hiked Diamond Head. This is a relatively easy hike (YAY!), and we saw people of all skill sets and levels of fitness on the trail. The view from the top is breathtaking, and well worth the climb. We highly recommend getting to Diamond Head early in the morning to beat the crowd, and to grab a parking spot before they’re all taken.

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2. Waimea Valley Trail

This ‘hike’ was my favorite for several reason. For starters, it was only 1.5 miles round trip, and the path was paved. Secondly, the trail ends at a beautiful waterfall that you can swim under. Waimea is absolutely beautiful — the whole area is technically classified as an arboretum and nature preserve, because of the numerous varieties of trees and fauna that grow there. This is a breathtaking place that you need to add to your list.

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3. Maunawili Falls Hike

This is the hardest hike on our list, being almost 3 miles round trip, on a muddy trail. There’s a lot of steep incline on this particular trail, but the breathtaking views make it worth it. The trail winds along a river, and ends at a waterfall that many people jump from. Prepare to be very sore the next day!

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These are just a fraction of the many hikes that you can take in Oahu. We love these three because they are relatively easy, and offer fantastic views of the island.